Ebbw Vale redoubling updates

[oglord]

I was clearly referring to the line/journey from Cardiff Central to Ebbw Vale.

Of which Cardiff to the junction is around a third of the distance and covered by the GWML.

Yes, I know that. I am merely pointing out that the current service travelling to within a whisker of Newport High Street and then 11 miles along the main line in the opposite direction is absurd. The fact that the main line is electrified and the branch not just emphasises that point.

 

[CardiffKid]

Yes, I know that. I am merely pointing out that the current service travelling to within a whisker of Newport High Street and then 11 miles along the main line in the opposite direction is absurd. The fact that the main line is electrified and the branch not just emphasises that point.

Ebbw Vale to Newport should have been a service from day 1. Utter shambles that it was ignored/over looked.

Can we agree that if the WG is spending cash on conventional overhead electrification that this stretch of track should be done and EMUs used on it rather than diesels or specially made bi/tri-mode trains?

 

[PeterY]

I know this an old thread. I've just traveled up this branch and I was surprised to see "new" track for re doubling still waiting to be finished. From reading this thread , it looks like a sheer waste of money and resources. Any latest news on this project?
Ebbw Vale to London seems like an awful lot of doubling back, miles wise, to Cardiff.

 

[Dai Corner]

I know this an old thread. I've just traveled up this branch and I was surprised to see "new" track for re doubling still waiting to be finished. From reading this thread , it looks like a sheer waste of money and resources. Any latest news on this project?
Ebbw Vale to London seems like an awful lot of doubling back, miles wise, to Cardiff.

Transport for Wales and the Welsh Government have committed to start running hourly trains to Newport in 2021 so they'll have finish the job by then. I've also read that signalling between Park Jn and Gaer Jn will need to be altered.

 

[PeterC]

I know this an old thread. I've just traveled up this branch and I was surprised to see "new" track for re doubling still waiting to be finished. From reading this thread , it looks like a sheer waste of money and resources. Any latest news on this project?
Ebbw Vale to London seems like an awful lot of doubling back, miles wise, to Cardiff.

According to Traveline the fastest route is to change buses at Aberbeeg and Cwmbran and walk for 7minutes across Newport to take the train

 

[Dai Corner]

According to Traveline the fastest route is to change buses at Aberbeeg and Cwmbran and walk for 7minutes across Newport to take the train

Local knowledge would suggest changing from train to bus at Pye Corner. The 151 stops right outside that station and opposite Newport station outbound.

 

[Furryanimal]

It has always struck me as odd that Ebbw Vale trains have run into Newport on several occasions during engineering work.Nothing wrong with the signaling then.
Giving the complete lack of buses from the Newport area
to Ebbw Vale Pye Corner is indeed the best option to avoid going to Cardiff-there's a bus at least every ten minutes on weekdays.Not so easy on Sunday or in the evenings.
Living in Cwmbran I would not dream of going to Ebbw Vale by bus-it would require three for me and take hours!

 

[PHILIPE]

Signalling complete at the bottom. The problem with being unable to provide 2 tph is the lack of crossing facilities north of Cross Keys. Work was started and then they downed tools.

 

[Tom Quinne]

North of Cross Keys (where the long passing loop ends) is in reality a long siding.

Doubling south of Risca to Park Junction is impossible due to the single span road iced rail bridge a little north of Pye Corner Station.

 

[Philip Roberts]

Any news on the work to redouble the track to run more frequent services?

 

[Dai Corner]

NR announcement about the bridge over the River Ebbw at Crumlin on the Ebbw Vale branch.

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....ver-ebbw-railway-bridge-to-get-gbp-5m-upgrade

Crumlin’s River Ebbw railway bridge to get £5m upgrade
Passengers in south Wales could benefit from more services in the future as Network Rail is upgrading the River Ebbw railway bridge in Crumlin with the £5m upgrade starting next month.

The work, which will take place on weekends throughout September, involves replacing the current bridge deck, which is only capable of carrying a single railway track, with a new steel and concrete structure that will allow two-tracks to run across it.

 

[John R]

Good to see movement on the double tracking scheme at last after being halted and left incomplete for a few years.

 

[PHILIPE]

The additional train will go to Newport (subject to any caveats)

https://trc.cymru/whats-happening-south-east-wales

TFW

Train service improvements include:

• A new 1 train per hour (tph) Ebbw Vale to Newport service by May 2021.
• 2tph between Cardiff and Bridgend via Vale of Glamorgan from December 2023.
• 4tph throughout the Rhymney route from December 2023.
• 4tph to Treherbert from December 2022.
• 6tph to Cardiff Bay from December 2022.
• 4tph between Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare and Cardiff from December 2022.
• 1tph between Cardiff and Cheltenham from December 2022.
• 4tph between Cardiff and Bridgend (direct, Monday to Saturday) from December 2019

 

[yorkie]

Just a gentle reminder that this thread is for updates regarding Ebbw Vale redoubling; any suggestions/ideas belong in the appropriate forum section please.

I've split some posts into the following threads:

• https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/ebbw-vale-line-suggestions-for-service-provision-and-infrastructure-changes.208084/
• https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/suggestions-for-additional-marches-services.208083/

 

[Dai Corner]

I've just ridden from Pye Corner and noted earthworks going on at Aberbeeg. The former Down line is still mostly in place albeit overgrown (and jointed!) between there and Crosskeys where it reaches the double track section.

 

[Tom Quinne]

There’s was a week of overnight T3s last week to undertake “earthworks”.