HOW line early train

[connor7777]

Does anyone actually use the very early departure of this train.
I think someone told me the 1st northbound is empty usually until 1 or 2 passengers get on at llandrindod and a few at knighton.

This train in bot directioons would be best suited at a later time in the day, the line is for day travellers, not early morning commuters?

 

[Pacerpilot]

It varies day to day. Thursday-Sat usually has quite a few on the Swansea - Llanelli - Bynea portion, returning home after a night out. Its busy on the way back down, particularly from Llandeilo onwards

 

[merlodlliw]

The current services date back to when they carried post/News & goods to key stations along the line, alas little goods are carried except for fresh fish to Hotels in Llanrwtyd Wells occasionally.

The morning trains are run as a social service, as no other form of public transport exists on many parts of the line, a saving grace during Beeching
cuts. The early trains are part of the franchise and have to run, further services are required, not just a swop of times, but who will pay for them,ATW wont run them unless WAG pays.

The HOWL does carry passengers on the early runs,Compared to the Helsby to Ellesmere trains(Northern) 4 a day which carry on average none.


Bob

 

[Greenback]

The early services do carry quite a few people. The northbound train provides a useful service from such places as Llandeilo, Llandovery and Llandrindod, which otherwise would not have a train until much, much later. Later in the journey it's a good service for people from Knighton etc to get to Shrewbury for shopping.

Southbound, the train has varying amounts of people on board by Llanelli, where it picks up more, sometimes including me!

 

[anthony263]

I have done the 04:35 Swansea - Crewe services back in february 2010 on a tuesday morning. was a class 150 with the rear carriage like a freezer but the front carriage was nice and warm. Only myself & train crew on til 4 people got on at LLanelli with another couple joining @ Pontardulais, Llandeilo & Llandovery. a large amount i would say at least 20-22 peole got on at Llandrindod.

Personally i think this line needs 2 carriage trains all day, even during the wiunter months

 

[Greenback]

As mentioned earlier, you will probably find a few more passengers on a Friday and Saturday morning!

The primary purpose of the early trains is to provide a morning service from the northern part of the line to Shrewsbury, and from the Southern half to Swansea. This could be done by terminating the trains at Llandrindod and sending them back, but it would cost the same amount in terms of train crews and stock, so what is the point?

 

[merlodlliw]

Personally i think this line needs 2 carriage trains all day, even during the wiunter months[/QUOTE] Anthony.

Aspirations are fine,but its not going to happen within this ATW franchise,the Cambrian is also in need of better service, both have the infrastructure costing £millions, but no one to pay for the extra trains to run on them,WAG decided an extra train was more needed in West Wales without the stations(Fishguard) to service it.

Bob

 

[sonic2009]

Has a 142/143 ever been up How? Or are they banned?

 

[Pacerpilot]

They are cleared for the route but the Shrewsbury crews dont sign them so they'd be marooned at Llandod

 

[anthony263]

I hope one day that ATW will be able, to change the timetable slightly so that the 1st down train from Shrewsbury gets into Swansea before 9am.

One idea i had was to re-time the 04:36 departure from Swansea to leave at 04:45 and have the tain from Shrewsbury depart at 05:05 instead of 05:19 that should mean that the 05:05 from Shrewsbury would arrive into Swansea at about 08:50

 

[krus_aragon]

They are cleared for the route but the Shrewsbury crews dont sign them so they'd be marooned at Llandod

One afternoon last summer, I had the privilege of riding in a 142 from Llanelli to Llandovery, and again on the return journey. There was engineering work between Llandrindod and Builth that day, so presumably there were 150s available at the far end of the bus ride.

 

[Tomnick]

I hope one day that ATW will be able, to change the timetable slightly so that the 1st down train from Shrewsbury gets into Swansea before 9am.

One idea i had was to re-time the 04:36 departure from Swansea to leave at 04:45 and have the tain from Shrewsbury depart at 05:05 instead of 05:19 that should mean that the 05:05 from Shrewsbury would arrive into Swansea at about 08:50

Presumably the two would then be timed to cross somewhere in the middle of a single line section?

 

[Pacerpilot]

Indeed, thats not going to Work, the Up would reach Llanwyrtd at 0630 ish and the Down wouldnt reach Llandwyrtyd until gone sometime after 0700.

 

[anthony263]

Indeed, thats not going to Work, the Up would reach Llanwyrtd at 0630 ish and the Down wouldnt reach Llandwyrtyd until gone sometime after 0700.

I changed the idea so that the swansea services would leave shresbury at around 04:35 and pass the up train at Llanwrtyd at 06:28. That could arrive into Swansea around 08:27

 

[Greenback]

Would that not interfere with the timetable at Llanelli? There is the 0804 FGW HST towards Swansea, and the 0808 towards Carmarthen. The HoW train would have to reverse at Llanelli without getting in the way of the other trains.

Of course, we could then try and tweak the times of the other trains to avoid conflicts, but then that might lead to other conflicts elsewhere!

It just goes to show how tricky timetabling is!

 

[anthony263]

Would that not interfere with the timetable at Llanelli? There is the 0804 FGW HST towards Swansea, and the 0808 towards Carmarthen. The HoW train would have to reverse at Llanelli without getting in the way of the other trains.

Of course, we could then try and tweak the times of the other trains to avoid conflicts, but then that might lead to other conflicts elsewhere!

It just goes to show how tricky timetabling is!

I know i have been trying to see if i can come up with a timetable for the heart of wales line which has 6/7 trains per day with peak hour arrivals/departures to/from Shrewsbury & Swansea.


Its a pity the trains had to reverse at Llanelli

 

[Greenback]

I know i have been trying to see if i can come up with a timetable for the heart of wales line which has 6/7 trains per day with peak hour arrivals/departures to/from Shrewsbury & Swansea.


Its a pity the trains had to reverse at Llanelli

Indeed it is. I wish the direct line from Pontardulais to Swansea was still open. There has been a lot of residential development in Gorseinon, Killay and Dunvant which are now not rail served at all.

Timetabling extra services would be greatly helped if the line through Gowerton is ever redoubled.

 

[merlodlliw]

ATW are running the Royal Welsh special again for the four days,but alas only from the South, will it still be parked up at Llandod for the six hours, ill bet its a sprinter this time, due to shortage of other stock. 158 last year, Interesting sight on Cardiff boards XXXX to Builth Road, avoiding Swansea, how wise.


Bob

 

[Greenback]

I think we discussed this last year Bob! In 2007 and 2008 it was a 150 that called at Llanelli and picked up a lot of people, including quite a few from Carmarthen.

Now, if ATW can fill a train without going to Swansea or Llanelli, then good on them, but the people of West Wales deserve better in my opinion.

 

[VideozVideoz]

They are cleared for the route but the Shrewsbury crews dont sign them so they'd be marooned at Llandod

Hi Pacerpilot. Excuse my lack of knowledge but what does that mean 'Shrewsbury crews don't sign them'? If a train is cleared for a section of track then why can't it run all the way?

 

[Pacerpilot]

In theory, yes the train can traverse the entire Central Wales line from Morlais Jn to Craven Arms. However, the Shrewsbury crews do not have the required traction knowledge to drive Pacers. Us Carmarthen crews sign the Pacers but only have route knowledge as far as Llandrindod preventing us taking them any further.

 

[merlodlliw]

I think we discussed this last year Bob! In 2007 and 2008 it was a 150 that called at Llanelli and picked up a lot of people, including quite a few from Carmarthen.

Now, if ATW can fill a train without going to Swansea or Llanelli, then good on them, but the people of West Wales deserve better in my opinion.

I agree, even with the new Political "Open Access" train for the area which starts in a few weeks, many areas need a better West/East service

Bob

 

[1V53]

Hi Pacerpilot. Excuse my lack of knowledge but what does that mean 'Shrewsbury crews don't sign them'? If a train is cleared for a section of track then why can't it run all the way?

Because the train crew operating them require the traction knowledge to do so. You can't just jump in a train type you haven't been passed as competent on (which would include fault finding and rectification) and take it to Shrewsbury.

To put all Shrewsbury and Crewe guards and drivers through such training would be very time consuming and expensive, so it is easier, if there is no real need to do it, to just concentrate the pacers on southern welsh lines where traincrew are passed to operate them.