Ebbw Vale to Cardiff - Overcrowding

[Envoy]

I see that overcrowding is still an issue on the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff route. Of course, this line should have 4 car FLIRT trains but soldiers on with a mixture of 150’s with only 2 cars plus some 197’s - which really should be on the mainline.

The root cause of this issue is the delay in getting the 398’s into service on all routes via Radyr. What I can’t understand is why 150’s have been sent for scrap and are not being used to double up to 4 cars on lines such as Ebbw Vale and the Vale of Glamorgan Coast Line via Rhoose?

Commuters 'shouting at each other' on packed train service in 'stressful' scenes

Those boarding the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff line of a weekday morning have told WalesOnline the services are overcrowded and uncomfortable.

www.walesonline.co.uk

“This is the busiest service of the morning, it’s packed with commuters, yet this busy service is consistently inadequate with old trains and only two carriages".

 

[Anonymous10]

I see that overcrowding is still an issue on the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff route. Of course, this line should have 4 car FLIRT trains but soldiers on with a mixture of 150’s with only 2 cars plus some 197’s - which really should be on the mainline.

The root cause of this issue is the delay in getting the 398’s into service on all routes via Radyr. What I can’t understand is why 150’s have been sent for scrap and are not being used to double up to 4 cars on lines such as Ebbw Vale and the Vale of Glamorgan Coast Line via Rhoose?

Commuters 'shouting at each other' on packed train service in 'stressful' scenes

Those boarding the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff line of a weekday morning have told WalesOnline the services are overcrowded and uncomfortable.

www.walesonline.co.uk

As has been said many times on the 15x withdrawal thread they are due their c6 which it is not economical to do so. The stock owner has refused to as they have no work lined up following tfw.

When enough 150s have left so canton have spare capacity then some 153s will be brought back from warm store in landore.

 

[Envoy]

As has been said many times on the 15x withdrawal thread they are due their c6 which it is not economical to do so. The stock owner has refused to as they have no work lined up following tfw.

When enough 150s have left so canton have spare capacity then some 153s will be brought back from warm store in landore.

Many thanks for speedy response - so nobody wants to pay for a major service on the 150’s - which is understandable.

Don't think that passengers will be happy to see 153’s appear instead of 150’s as they are much the same.

I see that 150’s are working services to Cardiff Bay and these could have been added to that 2 car on the Ebbw Vale Line - or any other route where 2 car 150’s operate. Of course that depends on the Pontypridd to Cardiff Bay service being switched over to the new Class 398’s - whilst that fleet lies dormant at Taff's Well depot.

 

[Jez]

Most of the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff's/Maesteg if not all should be booked for 197s now whilst the Ebbw Vale to Newport's are booked for Sprinters. So it isnt just the delays getting 231s on the Ebbw Vale line its also less 197s being available for whatever reason. Ebbw Vale/Maesteg/Cheltenham and occasionally some West Wales/Swanline seems to be where they substitute for Sprinters where they have to.