South Wales 'Metro' updates

[Zoomer]

I suspect so. AFAIK there's nowhere for the extra trains to go until the capacity constraints at Queen Street / the Bay line are removed.

Yes, that is explicitly stated in the article. The problem is the need to route the extra trains to and from the Bay, and the current junction can’t cope with those extra movements.

Thanks both, I understand. So we're looking at what, end of 2027? 2028? (Forgive me, I'm not eligible to create an account with Rail Magazine.)

 

[chargesmith]

(Forgive me, I'm not eligible to create an account with Rail Magazine.)

Neither am I - I just put dummy data in the mandatory fields that didn't apply to me. Doesn't appear to be any rules against doing so.

 

[Dr Day]

Yes, that is explicitly stated in the article. The problem is the need to route the extra trains to and from the Bay, and the current junction can’t cope with those extra movements.

I’m surprised demand is such that the additional services are needed directly to the Bay rather than Central. I always felt the shuttle concept for the Bay was very straightforward for everyone and an increased frequency on both the shuttle and the through services through Queen Street would be overall more attractive for a ‘turn up and go without having to think too much about it’ Metro than having to check destinations.

Appreciate southbound trains have to go somewhere beyond Central, and Cardiff West needs enhancement for them to go around the City Line back north, plus Queen Street North may struggle with the flat junction for merging the Pontypridd and Caerphilly lines but the Bay feels like it it getting disproportionately more trains, plus the CrossRail services from Central to boot.

 

[Dai Corner]

Neither am I - I just put dummy data in the mandatory fields that didn't apply to me. Doesn't appear to be any rules against doing so.

Join the library and register for Pressreader and you'll be able to read Rail and hundreds of other newspapers and magazines for free.

 

[chargesmith]

TFW are running a survey about toilet provision on the TAM lines. I've given my opinions about how they can improve the way they are doing things, so sharing in case anyone else wants to have their say.

Toilet accessibility during your journey

As part of the South Wales Metro transformation, new tram-trains will soon be introduced on the Treherbert, Aberdare, and Merthyr lines. These modern vehicles are designed to provide faster, more frequent, and more reliable services, with improved connections between

haveyoursay.tfw.wales

Unlike traditional trains, these tram-trains will not have onboard toilet facilities. To support our customers, new accessible toilets are being installed at key stations along the route. These facilities are designed to ensure that passengers are never more than 20 minutes away from a toilet during their journey. These toilets are fully accessible, include baby changing facilities, and are monitored by CCTV for safety. They will be open from the first to the last train each day and can be accessed via a help button connected to our control centre.

We are conducting a survey to better understand how people travel by train and how the availability and quality of public toilet facilities in train stations affect their journeys.

Your feedback will help us explore:

How often do passengers use railway and during their journey access station toilets
Perceptions of cleanliness and accessibility
The impact of these facilities on comfort, convenience, and travel choices

The survey should take around 5–7 minutes to complete. All responses will be used only for research purposes.

By sharing your experiences, you’ll contribute to improving the overall quality of railway travel and ensuring that facilities meet the needs of passengers.

Thank you for taking part—we value your input!

 

[CapitalStar378]

I’m surprised demand is such that the additional services are needed directly to the Bay rather than Central. I always felt the shuttle concept for the Bay was very straightforward for everyone and an increased frequency on both the shuttle and the through services through Queen Street would be overall more attractive for a ‘turn up and go without having to think too much about it’ Metro than having to check destinations.

Appreciate southbound trains have to go somewhere beyond Central, and Cardiff West needs enhancement for them to go around the City Line back north, plus Queen Street North may struggle with the flat junction for merging the Pontypridd and Caerphilly lines but the Bay feels like it it getting disproportionately more trains, plus the CrossRail services from Central to boot.

Platform capacity at Central is one if the issues as is having operational flexibility by having another terminus with 2 very long platforms. There will also be the need for a lot more capacity on the Bay branch with the new arena under construction.

 

[AdamWW]

Platform capacity at Central is one if the issues as is having operational flexibility by having another terminus with 2 very long platforms.

The line of sight running perhaps making these long platforms more useful than they otherwise would be.

 

[Bob Price]

There is a Threads post here showing the progress at Butetown including the second platform and the lift from Bute Street. Looking as if progress is being made. https://www.threads.com/@every_last...kNc8L5KeuKDI0FA_ACrLg75SU0b-dofQ_0E09U&slof=1

 

[MikePJ]

I’m surprised demand is such that the additional services are needed directly to the Bay rather than Central. I always felt the shuttle concept for the Bay was very straightforward for everyone and an increased frequency on both the shuttle and the through services through Queen Street would be overall more attractive for a ‘turn up and go without having to think too much about it’ Metro than having to check destinations.

Appreciate southbound trains have to go somewhere beyond Central, and Cardiff West needs enhancement for them to go around the City Line back north, plus Queen Street North may struggle with the flat junction for merging the Pontypridd and Caerphilly lines but the Bay feels like it it getting disproportionately more trains, plus the CrossRail services from Central to boot.

Queen St is the main destination for passengers coming into Cardiff, but reversing trains there would block the line, so sending them to the Bay makes sense. There’s another major redevelopment of the Cardiff Bay area underway, with a big new indoor arena, so enhanced service will help a lot with that, as well as making the residential parts of the Bay and Butetown better connected to other parts of the city.

 

[Envoy]

TFW are running a survey about toilet provision on the TAM lines. I've given my opinions about how they can improve the way they are doing things so sharing in case anyone else wants to have their say.

Toilet accessibility during your journey

As part of the South Wales Metro transformation, new tram-trains will soon be introduced on the Treherbert, Aberdare, and Merthyr lines. These modern vehicles are designed to provide faster, more frequent, and more reliable services, with improved connections between

haveyoursay.tfw.wales

I see that the included map includes places where the tram-trains are not going to operate - such as routes south of Cardiff to the coast and the Maesteg line.

 

[MikePJ]

A consulation has appeared indicating that the platform extensions at Treforest station are due to be brought into service by the end of January.

 

[positron]

I see that the included map includes places where the tram-trains are not going to operate - such as routes south of Cardiff to the coast and the Maesteg line.

Interestingly it completely omits the ebbw vale line too..., I know it's not really relevant for the trams but neither is rhymney or maesteg in that case.

 

[MikePJ]

Modern Railways January 2026 issue has a feature about progress on the Bay Branch and Crwys Road.

A few quotes from it:

Construction of each platform [at Butetown] has presented different challenges. Before work could begin on platform 2, on the east side, contractor AmcoGiffen had to clear an area of vegetation which had become a location for drug use. "To date, we've picked up 5,500 needles" says Carli French, project manager.

[Rhys Howells, TfW project manager] said that TfW was aiming to complete [Butetown] station's construction in summer 2026. [...] Light rail signalling will be commissioned in spring 2027. [...] "That is what drives the opening of Butetown station" said Mr Howells. TfW aims for opening in mid-2027.

So no half-opening of Butetown, it's not going to open for another 18 months at least.

A section of weak railway retaining wall [...] was rebuilt using interlocking Legato blocks which feature a stone-effect outer face. If the wall needs to be removed for Crossrail, the blocks will be available for reuse. Building and demolishing a concrete wall would have had a larger carbon footprint.

On Crwys Road, the article says that detailed design and build is likely to commence in April 2026. It does not give a timeline for completion.

 

[tigermonstera]

On Crwys Road, the article says that detailed design and build is likely to commence in April 2026. It does not give a timeline for completion.

April 2026 would align with the market engagement from earlier this year, suggesting a completion of 2027/2028:

Total value (estimated)​

5399999 GBP Excluding VAT
6480000 GBP Including VAT

Contract dates (estimated)​

18 March 2026, 00:00AM to 29 October 2027, 23:59PM

(Link)

 

[Bob Price]

Ty Glas update. I visited the station this morning and this an image of the extension. I am not sure how much work they have yet to do on it.

 

[enapace]

Is there any plans to install a lift at Cathays station always felt there should be a lift or a ramp option for accessibility between the platforms.

 

[MikePJ]

Is there any plans to install a lift at Cathays station always felt there should be a lift or a ramp option for accessibility between the platforms.

Yes - there are drawings and discussion about them here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/south-wales-metro-updates.117763/post-7391270

 

[enapace]

Yes - there are drawings and discussion about them here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/south-wales-metro-updates.117763/post-7391270

Thank you very much

 

[MikePJ]

I had a ride up to Caerphilly today and took a look at the conductor bar over the bay platform. There was no sign of any earthing clips so it's likely to be live. However, the 756 that I arrived on didn't raise its pantograph for a charge - it seems likely that it's waiting on some engineering sign off and a change of traincrew procedures. Meanwhile, up at Hengoed I saw a notice on the platform instructing traincrew to treat the overhead as live. I still haven't seen any evidence of electric test runs to Rhymney so presumably those'll happen in the coming months.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jan 2026 ==

 

[positron]

Did Tfw ever explain why the Aberdare line is closed during January? Is it actually closed for the planned 3 weeks?

 

[Benjwri]

Did Tfw ever explain why the Aberdare line is closed during January? Is it actually closed for the planned 3 weeks?

I had heard it was repairs to an embankment, but not super reliably.

 

[trainspotter4]

Did Tfw ever explain why the Aberdare line is closed during January? Is it actually closed for the planned 3 weeks?

Mountain Ash embankment work: buses replace trains between Pontypridd and Aberdare from Sunday 4 to Friday 23 January
Engineering work is taking place between Pontypridd and Aberdare, closing all lines. Buses will replace trains between Pontypridd and Aberdare.

This is taken from their planned works (https://tfw.wales/service-status/planned-improvement-works), TfW do need to get better at communicating for long closures, as there is usually very little reasoning provided sometimes.

 

[5021]

Mountain Ash embankment work: buses replace trains between Pontypridd and Aberdare from Sunday 4 to Friday 23 January
Engineering work is taking place between Pontypridd and Aberdare, closing all lines. Buses will replace trains between Pontypridd and Aberdare.

This is taken from their planned works (https://tfw.wales/service-status/planned-improvement-works), TfW do need to get better at communicating for long closures, as there is usually very little reasoning provided sometimes.

A bit more detail gleaned from TfW and Realtime Trains - so yes, still not super reliable! - Abercynon Junction - Aberdare is blocked Sun 4 - Fri 23 Jan 2026 inclusive for embankment repairs in the Mountain Ash area. “Poor” (i.e. wet) weather has caused some slippage which has damaged fencing at the foot of the slope and is at risk of worsening.

Existing safety measures are only temporary. Replacement buses run to/from Pontypridd. SuX trains from Merthyr run to Cardiff via Cathays and back via Ninian Park as normal but terminate at Pontypridd whereas they normally continue to Aberdare; it’s vice versa for trains to Merthyr. Similarly the normal Cardiff Central – Aberdare Sunday services turn back at Pontypridd instead.

 

[rubin]

can we see the changes listed below in 2026

 

[brunswickworld]

can we see the changes listed below in 2026

Zero chance of 4tph to Aberdare/Merthyr/Treherbert happening this year.

 

[enapace]

Zero chance of 4tph to Aberdare/Merthyr/Treherbert happening this year.

Is that still a possibility for the future ? Or is it just delayed till 2027 ?

 

[Smwrff]

I dont think they can fully implement 4tph until Cardiff Bay line improvements are complete (early 27?).

But expect 398s (tram trains) to be introduced before then with some additional services.

 

[tigermonstera]

From a July 2025 FOI response:

Once all these new trains are in service, we’ll first accelerate the rail timetable, delivering faster journeys to the heads of each Valley, reducing journey times to around 55 minutes. Following this, we’ll increase the frequency of our services to deliver a train every 15 minutes between Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare, Treherbert and Cardiff. Currently, this final timetable change is planned to take place in 2027.

Initially, two out of the four services per hour from Treherbert will travel to Cardiff Queen Street and then onwards to Cardiff Bay. In addition to this, we’ll continue to run our Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Bay shuttle services, maintaining a frequency of 4 trains per hour.

In late 2027, the timetable will be altered to allow for two out of four services from Merthyr, Aberdare and Treherbert to travel to Cardiff Queen Street and then onwards to Cardiff Bay, delivering 6 trains per hour to Cardiff Bay.

(Link)

 

[MikePJ]

I dont think they can fully implement 4tph until Cardiff Bay line improvements are complete (early 27?).

But expect 398s (tram trains) to be introduced before then with some additional services.

There's a whole load of trackwork and resignalling to be done at Queen St and on the Bay line, and this won't be finished until the end of April 2027 at the earliest. At the moment there isn't capacity through Queen St and it's associated junctions to handle the extra trains.

 

[vikingsmb]

I thought they were extending the double track up from bargoed northwards? as looked on google maps and it hasnt been done