Gradient out of Cardiff central?

[Alexj16180]

Recently went on a trip to Cardiff and this involved getting on a train from Cardiff central to cathays. I was amazed by the gradient out of the station - in ~300m the lines go from points to grade separated. The main line going east is definitely downhill, so this helps, but to gain 7m of relative difference in 300m seems quite something! Does anyone know what the max gradient is?
Also, the vertical transition from flat to inclined seems quite abrupt - do trains have any pivot built in to the bogies to allow for this?

 

[zwk500]

The diagrams I have say that the Line from Cardiff central to Queen Street South Jn is Level - the South Wales main line drops at a max grade of 1:80 from Cardiff Central heading towards Newport.

 

[edwin_m]

Also, the vertical transition from flat to inclined seems quite abrupt - do trains have any pivot built in to the bogies to allow for this?

There is some flexibility in the bogies, but also rules on the minimum radius of vertical curve needed at changes of gradient.

 

[The exile]

The diagrams I have say that the Line from Cardiff central to Queen Street South Jn is Level - the South Wales main line drops at a max grade of 1:80 from Cardiff Central heading towards Newport.

Just shows how your eyes can deceive you!

 

[bleeder4]

The diagrams I have say that the Line from Cardiff central to Queen Street South Jn is Level - the South Wales main line drops at a max grade of 1:80 from Cardiff Central heading towards Newport.

Here is a gradient profile of that part of the SWML

 

[edwin_m]

According to the Five Mile Diagram (which I can't reproduce for copyright reasons), the western throat of Cardiff Central slopes down (going away from the station) at 1 in 607 which then steepens to 1 in 550 then 1 in 80, which eases to 1 in 104 just after the Valley Lines bridge. However, taking the approximate length of each gradient, this only results in a total descent of about 3 metres which is well short of what is needed for an overbridge. I suspect the connecting curve does actually have an ascending gradient away from Central, despite this source also claiming it is level.