South Wales 'Metro' updates

[Nick Ashwell]

Why has Aberdare gone down to hourly off peak??
This has left Pontypridd - Cardiff with 3tph down from 6tph during certain times of the day. I now face half hour waits at Cathays and Llandaf to get into Cardiff, which used to have a consistent every ten minutes operation and, had TfW got their act together and met deadlines, was supposed to be even more frequent than that by now.

Half hour waits seems like an ah diddums moment. Two cancelled trains leaving a three hour wait on the South Wales Mainline seems like a more pressing issue

 

[AdamWW]

Half hour waits seems like an ah diddums moment. Two cancelled trains leaving a three hour wait on the South Wales Mainline seems like a more pressing issue

A half hour gap in trains for a journey of a few minutes which used to have 6 trains an hour sounds like something of a backwards step to me.

 

[Krokodil]

A half hour gap in trains for a journey of a few minutes which used to have 6 trains an hour sounds like something of a backwards step to me.

It's still a minor inconvenience compared to a three hour wait. Not to mention that two lines in the north have been bustituted entirely for the duration.

 

[Nick Ashwell]

It's still a minor inconvenience compared to a three hour wait. Not to mention that two lines in the north have been bustituted entirely for the duration.

Yep, to me as someone who walks about the same distance as Cathays to Queen street everyday to get from their commuting station to work is seems like the most first world problem, especially as that's my only option as a disabled person

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I’m confused; it isn’t a competition. There may be worse circumstances than those on other lines (rolling stock firmly excluded), but that doesn’t take away my right to be annoyed about a substantial reduction in service on my line too.

 

[John R]

Why has Aberdare gone down to hourly off peak??
This has left Pontypridd - Cardiff with 3tph down from 6tph during certain times of the day. I now face half hour waits at Cathays and Llandaf to get into Cardiff, which used to have a consistent every ten minutes operation and, had TfW got their act together and met deadlines, was supposed to be even more frequent than that by now.

There has always been a break in the half hourly service with one train omitted in each direction, as a throwback to when the line to Hirwaun was in operation, to allow for a freight path. Looking at today’s timetable, that appears to be the only gap in the scheduled timetable, so I dont think it’s new.

 

[Krokodil]

The Treherbert line also used to have three south trains in the afternoon that went non-stop via the City Line in order to free up paths through Queen Street for coal trains from Cwmbargoed. Not sure if that's still the case.

 

[positron]

The Treherbert line also used to have three south trains in the afternoon that went non-stop via the City Line in order to free up paths through Queen Street for coal trains from Cwmbargoed. Not sure if that's still the case.

I believe that the coal trains have all stopped now. It'll be interesting to see what plans are put in place for the line. Feels a waste to just close it, but maintaining a freight line with no freight would be a waste.

 

[Tom125]

There has always been a break in the half hourly service with one train omitted in each direction, as a throwback to when the line to Hirwaun was in operation, to allow for a freight path. Looking at today’s timetable, that appears to be the only gap in the scheduled timetable, so I dont think it’s new.

You’re correct about the service gaps for Tower Colliery coal trains but I’m sure the service gaps were plugged south of Abercynon by trains terminating at Pontypridd running empty to Stormstown loop before running Abercynon to Cardiff in passenger service with the coal train occupying the Cynon valley line following it down.

According to the timetable booklets (printed) those gaps have been eliminated so in this case I’m guessing it’s a short notice change to the timetable. I remember a few years back- I think before covid there were posters up in Mountain Ash announcing an additional evening train on the branch to plug the service gap from Cardiff in the early evening. If memory serves me the evening service gap for the coal train was 7pm ish!

It’s amazing to think in a few short years just how the valleys have changed… how far off electric passenger trains are we on Aberdare/ Merthyr?

Update!…Found an old pic on my phone from September 2016 at 1912! Must have been walking it dog!!

 

[positron]

how far off electric passenger trains are we on Aberdare/ Merthyr?

There's a consultation happening right now for introducing 756 into passenger operations. As a guess I'm thinking it'll probably be late February by the time they're running after driver training.

 

[RJ]

Good to see the Ebbw Vale line back up and running today after yesterday's shutdown.

I was on the 2237 rail replacement service from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff Central which served all stops on the line correctly. I took note of the times each station as I was curious more than anything as to how the running times compared.

The train is scheduled to take 58 minutes to complete the journey.

With progress unimpeded by recovery time, the rail replacement bus took 68 minutes.

Normally the rail replacement bus is scheduled to take 102 minutes, with waits of 5-8 minutes booked at every stop between Ebbw Vale Parkway and Rogerstone.

Most surprising is without the recovery time at every stop, the bus has pretty much the same average speed as the train between Ebbw Vale Town and Rogerstone.

 

[WesternBiker]

There's a consultation happening right now for introducing 756 into passenger operations. As a guess I'm thinking it'll probably be late February by the time they're running after driver training.

What’s the nature of the consultation?

 

[5021]

At least they've got till February to get it finished.

I read electrification was being activated from 29th December, is 13th just for signalling?

Yes, those are the dates I have - the line is to be regarded as electrified from 29th Dec. 12th Feb is looking like the reopening date I'm now told by a normally reliable source.

 

[Tom125]

There's a consultation happening right now for introducing 756 into passenger operations. As a guess I'm thinking it'll probably be late February by the time they're running after driver training.

Why are they introducing 756s and not the tram trains originally planned?

 

[Bob Price]

Why are they introducing 756s and not the tram trains originally planned?

Stopgap so they can reduce the need for 150's. Make use of the 756's until the trams are ready. Then the 756's can go onto the Rhymney, the 231's to the Ebbw Vale, Maesteg, Cheltenham diagrams and the 150's can go.

 

[MikePJ]

What’s the nature of the consultation?

It’s just a standard new-vehicle-introduction consultation. Amey (as the infrastructure manager of the Core Valley Lines) consult all the other stakeholders (e.g. freight and charter operators) about the fact that new vehicles will be introduced. Details on the 756 thread here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/transport-for-wales-class-231-756-flirts.220379/post-6507908

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Dec 2023 ==

Stopgap so they can reduce the need for 150's. Make use of the 756's until the trams are ready. Then the 756's can go onto the Rhymney, the 231's to the Ebbw Vale, Maesteg, Cheltenham diagrams and the 150's can go.

Also because the depot at Taff’s Well still isn’t finished so 398 introduction is behind schedule

 

[Bob Price]

Also because the depot at Taff’s Well still isn’t finished so 398 introduction is behind schedule

Good point. It does seem to be coming on but definitely not there yet.

 

[WesternBiker]

It’s just a standard new-vehicle-introduction consultation. Amey (as the infrastructure manager of the Core Valley Lines) consult all the other stakeholders (e.g. freight and charter operators) about the fact that new vehicles will be introduced. Details on the 756 thread here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/transport-for-wales-class-231-756-flirts.220379/post-6507908

Thank you - well, that's something I've learned today.

 

[Bob Price]

On Wednesday there are some potential testing / driving runs for the 756's on the Radyr loop via Cardiff Central and the city line.

If you look up Radyr on Wednesday evening at about 8.30 pm you will see them carrying on through the evening. Potentially the first driver training runs for the 756 metro units.

 

[Dai Corner]

On Wednesday there are some potential testing / driving runs for the 756's on the Radyr loop via Cardiff Central and the city line.

If you look up Radyr on Wednesday evening at about 8.30 pm you will see them carrying on through the evening. Potentially the first driver training runs for the 756 metro units.

Odd that they're '0Z' headcodes, which normally implies a light loco.

 

[Bob Price]

Agree, but I cannot think what else it could be, unless it's a route proving loco to train drivers. I may sneak out and have a look.

 

[56xx]

Full Approval recommendation for Quakers Yard Station Improvements is to go to Merthyr Tydfil CBC Planning Committee tomorrow.

Local Councillor has advised that the station should re-open on Monday 18th December.

 

[Markdvdman]

Well the TFW site in Journey Check lists closed until 11:59pm 31/12/23! However, they may be putting that in to make themselves look good when Quakers Yard actually reopens!

 

[Peter Sarf]

On Wednesday there are some potential testing / driving runs for the 756's on the Radyr loop via Cardiff Central and the city line.

If you look up Radyr on Wednesday evening at about 8.30 pm you will see them carrying on through the evening. Potentially the first driver training runs for the 756 metro units.

67028 is reportedly to be doing these.

From the non-urgent TOPS thread.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I came across this artist’s rendition of apparent (no good source) plans to modernise (or Strasbourg-ise, looking at it) Cardiff Central station.

I don’t know if this is a genuine proposal or has been drawn up for a joke, but I think it looks phenomenal. Central is a shabby, run down embarrassment of a principal station, and it certainly looks very odd to see shiny modern fleets like 197s, 231s and 80x stopping there when the station is so visually-obviously uncared for. Some modernisation would be amazing, I think.

 

[Peter Sarf]

View attachment 148382

I came across this artist’s rendition of apparent (no good source) plans to modernise (or Strasbourg-ise, looking at it) Cardiff Central station.

I don’t know if this is a genuine proposal or has been drawn up for a joke, but I think it looks phenomenal. Central is a shabby, run down embarrassment of a principal station, and it certainly looks very odd to see shiny modern fleets like 197s, 231s and 80x stopping there when the station is so visually-obviously uncared for. Some modernisation would be amazing, I think.

Is Cardiff Central listed ?.

 

[AdamWW]

Is Cardiff Central listed ?.

This seems to be just built onto the outside of the existing building so possibly it wouldn't matter.

 

[CardiffKid]

The ‘wavey roof’ was one mock up, this was a second:

Design work starts on £115m Cardiff Central station revamp

Cardiff Central station upgrade could now start in 2022

www.constructionenquirer.com

Neither had any funding for building work attached.

Both involved building a concourse above the tracks similar to Reading and demolishing the back of the main block of the station frontage to get a full length platform 0 that would be the sole platform for London bound trains.

 

[John R]

Is Cardiff Central listed ?.

Yes - for one thing the platform numbers in the subway are - one stated reason why the platforms have never been renumbered to remove the "Platform 5 anomaly".

 

[CardiffKid]

Yes - for one thing the platform numbers in the subway are - one stated reason why the platforms have never been renumbered to remove the "Platform 5 anomaly".

I don't think the whole station is listed just aspects of it.

The subway signs definitely are and I assume the frontage/ticket hall is, but I can't see much else being.

The article I linked to says it's Grade II but this doesn't necessarily prevent improvements. Both plans linked to today essentially involve building a big box in front of then over the station and the architects who planned it must be confident of that being allowed or they wouldn't have suggested it. The Listing status is a read herring in my book.


Thread from 2015 for the second proposal (non-wavy roof): https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/new-plans-revealed-for-cardiff-central.118735/