adrock1976
Established Member
With the recent award to Keolis Amey of the Wales & Borders franchise, one of the several things that were specified by the Senedd was to fill in the missing gaps in the timetable between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth, and also to more or less double the frequency between Dyfi Junction (or Tywyn) and Pwllheli.
I have had a go at designing a possible timetable, which is fair to say that it was not without challenges due to the various single track sections, and keeping the existing timings and paths between Shrewsbury and Birmingham. Additionally, I have given provisional times for a potentially reopened Bow Street Interchange, which is between Aberystwyth and Borth.
Some things to note is that I have left the Aberystwyth - Birmingham at the existing 2 hourly frequency, with most portions to and from Pwllheli coupling/uncoupling at Machynlleth as at present. The present short Aberystwyth - Shrewsbury workings would run every 2 hours so as to fill in the missing gaps, and are also extended to Crewe calling at Whitchurch (Shrops) and Nantwich. This would provide decent connections into the ex London Euston - Manchester via Crewe and the ex London Euston - Birmingham - Preston and onwards northbound, eliminating the near 45 minute interchange at both Shrewsbury and Crewe.
Southbound, although there is a 45 minute interchange at Crewe from Preston and Manchester, the 45 minute interchange at Shrewsbury has been eliminated. With the Aberystwyth - Crewe trains calling at Whitchurch (Shrops) and Nantwich (and also a local all stops Shrewsbury - Crewe that is not shown in my timetable), this could lead to the Manchester - Cardiff/Swansea running non-stop between Crewe and Shrewsbury.
For the Cambrian Coast, the early morning short working between Machynlleth and Barmouth has been revised to start from Machynlleth at 04:52 and will run all the way to Pwllheli arriving at 07:14, retuning to Machynlleth at 07:37. I have brought forward the first departure from Pwllheli from 06:xx to 05:37 (this would also take over the return working of the short Barmouth - Machynlleth), so as to have a standard 2 hourly frequency throughout the day. I have also reduced the 3 hour gap in the late evening to the standard 2 hourly.
While on the topic of the Cambrian Coast, I have also had a go at designing a timetable to operate in July and August. I have introduced a Machynlleth - Pwllheli every 2 hours that would omit the request stops. These trains would pass the standard all stations at Barmouth and Porthmadog, as the all stations trains are timetabled to pass each other at Tywyn and Harlech. I did have an attempt for these summer extras to run to and from Dyfi Junction instead of Machynlleth, but the platform would be blocked as the standard all stations would be due to head northbound soon after.
I have attached both files - one for September to June, and one for July and August with the Coast extras. Unsure if there are any major errors or if I have 2 trains in opposite directions along single track sections.
PS Mods: Unsure if this is the normal section of the forum for discussions like this, or if it would be better in the new "Speculative Ideas" section (I am not fussy which section it goes into).
I have had a go at designing a possible timetable, which is fair to say that it was not without challenges due to the various single track sections, and keeping the existing timings and paths between Shrewsbury and Birmingham. Additionally, I have given provisional times for a potentially reopened Bow Street Interchange, which is between Aberystwyth and Borth.
Some things to note is that I have left the Aberystwyth - Birmingham at the existing 2 hourly frequency, with most portions to and from Pwllheli coupling/uncoupling at Machynlleth as at present. The present short Aberystwyth - Shrewsbury workings would run every 2 hours so as to fill in the missing gaps, and are also extended to Crewe calling at Whitchurch (Shrops) and Nantwich. This would provide decent connections into the ex London Euston - Manchester via Crewe and the ex London Euston - Birmingham - Preston and onwards northbound, eliminating the near 45 minute interchange at both Shrewsbury and Crewe.
Southbound, although there is a 45 minute interchange at Crewe from Preston and Manchester, the 45 minute interchange at Shrewsbury has been eliminated. With the Aberystwyth - Crewe trains calling at Whitchurch (Shrops) and Nantwich (and also a local all stops Shrewsbury - Crewe that is not shown in my timetable), this could lead to the Manchester - Cardiff/Swansea running non-stop between Crewe and Shrewsbury.
For the Cambrian Coast, the early morning short working between Machynlleth and Barmouth has been revised to start from Machynlleth at 04:52 and will run all the way to Pwllheli arriving at 07:14, retuning to Machynlleth at 07:37. I have brought forward the first departure from Pwllheli from 06:xx to 05:37 (this would also take over the return working of the short Barmouth - Machynlleth), so as to have a standard 2 hourly frequency throughout the day. I have also reduced the 3 hour gap in the late evening to the standard 2 hourly.
While on the topic of the Cambrian Coast, I have also had a go at designing a timetable to operate in July and August. I have introduced a Machynlleth - Pwllheli every 2 hours that would omit the request stops. These trains would pass the standard all stations at Barmouth and Porthmadog, as the all stations trains are timetabled to pass each other at Tywyn and Harlech. I did have an attempt for these summer extras to run to and from Dyfi Junction instead of Machynlleth, but the platform would be blocked as the standard all stations would be due to head northbound soon after.
I have attached both files - one for September to June, and one for July and August with the Coast extras. Unsure if there are any major errors or if I have 2 trains in opposite directions along single track sections.
PS Mods: Unsure if this is the normal section of the forum for discussions like this, or if it would be better in the new "Speculative Ideas" section (I am not fussy which section it goes into).
