Royal Welsh Show Train 2024

[Woolos 22]

Tfw have had to cancel other services today. The ebbw vale to Newport to operate this service owing to lack of serviceable units

 

[Jez]

Im surprised they are short of units especially as Maesteg to Cheltenham's appear to be curtailed at STJ this week. I know these are mostly 197s now but there are still a few Sprinters that turn up on Maesteg. That must at least a couple of units one of which could be used on the Royal Welsh Special.

I see a 150 was allocated today. Anyone got an information on passenger loadings? When I saw the pair of 153s pass near Neath last night they looked empty! Although I wasnt that close to the railway line but close enough. I remember when ATW ran the service a pair of 150s or a 150/153 combination or even a 3 car 175 were used so wondered if a 2 car is enough capacity. Perhaps since Covid and the general unreliability in recent years passenger numbers on this route have dropped.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jul 2024 ==

Actually after a closer look at RTT it looks like several 197 services are being covered by Sprinters today including the 0755 Fishguard to Cardiff (2 x 153s), 0745 Cardiff to Milford and rest of the diagram (158), plus one of the Swanline's is a 150 and one of the Pembroke Dock's a single 153. They must be really short of 197s.

 

[70014IronDuke]

... Anyone got an information on passenger loadings? When I saw the pair of 153s pass near Neath last night they looked empty! Although I wasnt that close to the railway line but close enough. ...

I can't comment on current loadings, but I have to say the current routing and stops begs the question: Who is this special being run for?

If you look at the booked stops on the train this year, when it is running via the Landore north curve (rather than the normal Swasea District line), it does not stop at Neath.

OK, when it ran via the District line, it would also not stop at Neath, because it would avoid the station. Fair enough, you might say.

But then, after reversal at Llanelli, it stops at both Bynea and Llangenech before turning north at Morlais Jcn. Why, when it would stop at neither if it ran via the Swansea District?

It then stops all shacks to Builth Road, making the journey a real grind for anyone from Cardiff or Bridgend or even Port Talbot.

Maybe it's just a question of pathing, but do that many people on the HoWL use this train for the RWS? If not, why not make it a limited stop train - and a more attractive one at that - from Cardiff and along the HoWL as well?

It would be useful to run it in service to Llandrindod since it has to stable there anyway until the return journey.

ER, yes - that was exactly my reason for raising this point.

 

[JonathanH]

It then stops all shacks to Builth Road, making the journey a real grind for anyone from Cardiff or Bridgend or even Port Talbot.

Long ago, in 2006, I rode the Royal Welsh Show train from Cardiff hauled by a class 50. I seem to remember that that didn't really get many passengers before it was on the Heart of Wales Line. From Cardiff catching the T4 is probably easier.

 

[30907]

But then, after reversal at Llanelli, it stops at both Bynea and Llangenech before turning north at Morlais Jcn. Why, when it would stop at neither if it ran via the Swansea District?

I imagine because running one random train that omitted those stops would potentially cause confusion

It then stops all shacks to Builth Road, making the journey a real grind for anyone from Cardiff or Bridgend or even Port Talbot.

As above? How much time would be saved by missing them?

 

[SWML9102]

I see a 150 was allocated today. Anyone got an information on passenger loadings? When I saw the pair of 153s pass near Neath last night they looked empty!

Grand total of 5 pax as it departed Bridgend this morning. Shame when there are multiple cancellations elsewhere due to lack of units.

 

[RJ]

Grand total of 5 pax as it departed Bridgend this morning. Shame when there are multiple cancellations elsewhere due to lack of units.

Similar to last year then - on the Monday it was cancelled so I drove a rail replacement service from Cardiff Central to the showground. Similar loadings and some passengers saw the bus running on the A483, jumped in a car and caught up with me at Llandeilo!