Fishguard Flyer - Reversal?

[ValleyLines142]

Yesterday ATW 150213 and 153312 worked the 1057 Cardiff to Fishguard service. They then worked the 1329 Fishguard to Cheltenham and the 1745 Cheltenham to Maesteg. 150213 was at the front of the train heading from Cardiff on the Fishguard flyer, but then when it worked the 1745 Cheltenham to Maesteg, leaving Cardiff IN THE SAME DIRECTION, the train was in reverse formation and 153312 was at the front?! Did the train reverse anywhere? I've had a look on Open Train Times because that shows an 'R' at stations where trains reverse, but there doesn't seem to be any evidence of a reversal movement.

Can any shed light on the situation. Today's Fishguard flyer is 143609+150278, but I imagine there'll be a reversal here also!

Thanks!

 

[animationmilo]

Yesterday ATW 150213 and 153312 worked the 1057 Cardiff to Fishguard service. They then worked the 1329 Fishguard to Cheltenham and the 1745 Cheltenham to Maesteg. 150213 was at the front of the train heading from Cardiff on the Fishguard flyer, but then when it worked the 1745 Cheltenham to Maesteg, leaving Cardiff IN THE SAME DIRECTION, the train was in reverse formation and 153312 was at the front?! Did the train reverse anywhere? I've had a look on Open Train Times because that shows an 'R' at stations where trains reverse, but there doesn't seem to be any evidence of a reversal movement.

Can any shed light on the situation. Today's Fishguard flyer is 143609+150278, but I imagine there'll be a reversal here also!

Thanks!

On the way down it misses out Carmarthen, only calling
Cardiff Central 1054 1057
Llanelli 1158 On time
Whitland 1234 On time
Fishguard & Goodwick 1307 On time

On the way back up it calls at Carmarthen which would be why it reverses.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Yes that is right, had a look on Open TrainTimes and it would have indeed been reversed, here's how it works:

- 10:57 from Cardiff to Fishguard would have been 150+153. This runs direct with no call at Swansea nor Carmarthen, so there is no reverse movements at all.

- 13:29 return to Cheltenham is now 153+150. This is pretty much direct HOWEVER it makes a call at Carmarthen, so requires a reversal. The formation is now 150+153 to Cheltenham as there is no call at Swansea.

- Therefore after reversing at Cheltenham, the 17:45 Maesteg will now be formed of a 153+150


Hope that makes sense!


James.

 

[yorkie]

Did the train reverse anywhere? I've had a look on Open Train Times because that shows an 'R' at stations where trains reverse, but there doesn't seem to be any evidence of a reversal movement.

A reversal is compulsory when calling at Carmarthen, and this is shown...

 

[ValleyLines142]

I had no idea it called at Carmarthen on the return; I though it was simply Llanelli, Whitland, Clunderwen, Clarbeston Road, F&G and Harbour in both directions!

 

[4SRKT]

Yesterday ATW 150213 and 153312 worked the 1057 Cardiff to Fishguard service. They then worked the 1329 Fishguard to Cheltenham and the 1745 Cheltenham to Maesteg. 150213 was at the front of the train heading from Cardiff on the Fishguard flyer, but then when it worked the 1745 Cheltenham to Maesteg, leaving Cardiff IN THE SAME DIRECTION, the train was in reverse formation and 153312 was at the front?! Did the train reverse anywhere? I've had a look on Open Train Times because that shows an 'R' at stations where trains reverse, but there doesn't seem to be any evidence of a reversal movement.

Can any shed light on the situation. Today's Fishguard flyer is 143609+150278, but I imagine there'll be a reversal here also!

Thanks!

The reversal has been confirmed in other posts, but I'm more interested in riding all the way from Fishguard to Cheltenham in a pacer! Beast!

 

[ValleyLines142]

The reversal has been confirmed in other posts, but I'm more interested in riding all the way from Fishguard to Cheltenham in a pacer! Beast!

Well, actually, it only runs through to Cheltenham on a weekday, of which it is normally just a single 150. On Saturdays, it only runs from Cardiff in both directions, but is booked for a 142+150 or 143+150. But even so, a Pacer from Fishguard to Cardiff is certainly interesting!

I'd have thought a 158 would have been more appropriate for this journey, what with their tables, refurbishment and plug sockets!!

 

[james60059]

The times I've been on that service it has always been a Class 150 on it's own, when the Fishguard Boat Trains started from Swansea at 12:05 several years ago it could have been ANYTHING (a pacer did feature a few times as did a solitary Class 153). In my opinion though, you'll be hard pressed to beat the 37/4's which worked to Fishguard once upon a time too .

 

[ValleyLines142]

It's usually almost always a 150; it was rare to see a 153 attached the other day. Although 158841 turned up on Monday.

 

[merlodlliw]

It's usually almost always a 150; it was rare to see a 153 attached the other day. Although 158841 turned up on Monday.

When I was in Carmarthen last year, it appeared to be an ATW staff booking on station?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Is it not formed off a morning ex Valley line commuter working ? - or a spare unit that Canton has available (hence the 158) ? - a 143 is not really an international quality train - though the Belgians can manage some ropy old maroon and graffiti stuff on occasion.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Has been a 4 car 150 I see once, most recorded is 150s as previously mentioned

http://headcodes.info/tractionHistoryDetails.php?tid=P40975&d=130507

Any sightings of services you can add to that site. I found it quite useful

 

[4SRKT]

Last time I did it it was a 150, but I did bag a 143 on it from Carmarthen to Cardiff once, which was great fun.

None of this compares with the Paddington > Fishguard HSTs of my youth though.

 

[junglejames]

Last time I did it it was a 150, but I did bag a 143 on it from Carmarthen to Cardiff once, which was great fun.

None of this compares with the Paddington > Fishguard HSTs of my youth though.

Or the 50s that were once on the Cardiff to Fishguards!

 

[anthony263]

Is it not formed off a morning ex Valley line commuter working ? - or a spare unit that Canton has available (hence the 158) ? - a 143 is not really an international quality train - though the Belgians can manage some ropy old maroon and graffiti stuff on occasion.

It used to be formed of one of the two units which did the 09:42 Bridgend - Barry - Cardiff service which arrived into Cardiff at 10:38. One unit used to then do the 10:51 Cardiff - Treherbert via the cityline while the other unit did the 10:57 to Fishguard Hbr.

The diagrams have now changed I believe

 

[PHILIPE]

Formed off 09 40 from Ebbw Vale and booked 150. As the Ebbw Vale and Maesteg to Cheltenham workings intermix with 150s and 158s involved, these can get mixed up on occasions due to one thing or another. ihus 158 on Monday last.
A 158 cannot be diagrammed to the Fishguard, though as the 3 days spent in South Wales require to be:-
05 15 Chester to Maesteg to arrive in South Wales. (finishes at Canton)
A Cardiff starter to finish at Carmarthen at night (off 14 25 Gloucester to Fishguard) so that it is placed to return north on the 20 17 Cardiff to Manchester on the third night. All other 158s have to stay north due to the only class permitted on the Cambrian.
However, if we had all the following conditions:-
Nothing ever failed.
Nothing ever ran late enough to disrupt a diagram.
100% availability on any day to cover Diagrams in the right place and at the
right time.
If this utopia prevailed, everything would run with the correct diagram and class.

There may have been reports of a large number of passengers travelling last Friday, so 153 found to strengthen.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Or the 50s that were once on the Cardiff to Fishguards!

Only have done the 37/4's there, though if I was older in the 80's I wouldn't say no to a 47 on the Padd to Fishguard (probably just me!)

 

[4SRKT]

Only have done the 37/4's there, though if I was older in the 80's I wouldn't say no to a 47 on the Padd to Fishguard (probably just me!)

Early 80s that. The first time I did it (01:50 ex-Fishguard) in 1984 it was an HST. Taken to Cardiff then we covered all Valleys lines that existed then. A grim session that was, with only hourly services on most lines and nearly everything on no-bog class 116 units

 

[IanD]

A 175 (105) when I used it.