Unachievable Turnround Times

[louis97]

The Nottingham-Cardiff is only given 18 minutes in the public timetable to turn around at Cardiff, which whilst isn't the shortest, it is short for a long distance service, and very short for performing a reversal at Cardiff Central given its restrictive signalling (aka carry on going West, cross all the tracks, then come back in).

It is often turned back at Newport, and at the very last minute therefore not giving everyone waiting at Cardiff time to get an eastbound train to make the connection, much to our delight. If one sees the down train is running late from Gloucester; one would be wise to get to Newport quickly as an insurance.

Hopefully the re-signalling of Cardiff at Christmas should solve this. They will then be able to arrive directly into Platforms 0, 1 or 2 to return back North.

 

[jhy44]

Hopefully the re-signalling of Cardiff at Christmas should solve this. They will then be able to arrive directly into Platforms 0, 1 or 2 to return back North.

Does anyone know if the new more flexible pathings and routings through the station come into use immediately after the work is finished over Christmas, or do we have to to wait until the May timetable? Will Platform 8 finally come into use at the same time?

 

[louis97]

Does anyone know if the new more flexible pathings and routings through the station come into use immediately after the work is finished over Christmas, or do we have to to wait until the May timetable? Will Platform 8 finally come into use at the same time?

They come into use immediately along with Platform 8.

Just the few trains coming into the previously up direction only platforms, like this XC: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P30938/2017/01/11/advanced

Platform 8 is due to be used by most Penarth services throughout the day.

 

[PHILIPE]

Arrivals from the East into Platforms 0, 1 or 2 would be difficult because trains are leaving eastbound at such frequent intervals that pathing would be difficult to accommodate. The facility is there and only just an odd train will be doing so. Apart from XC Nottinghams, the others are Portsmouths and Tauntons, the turn round times being so great that they have to keep out of platforms.

 

[edwin_m]

Arrivals from the East into Platforms 0, 1 or 2 would be difficult because trains are leaving eastbound at such frequent intervals that pathing would be difficult to accommodate. The facility is there and only just an odd train will be doing so. Apart from XC Nottinghams, the others are Portsmouths and Tauntons, the turn round times being so great that they have to keep out of platforms.

Reading Modern Railways, it appears 4 is needed for 16TPH on the Valleys although it will have some availability for main line use until/unless that service frequency happens. So many terminators from the east with shorter turnarounds will have to cross over east of the station. According to the diagrams in the article, a train arriving on the Down Main can cross into 2 at the same time as another is leaving 0 or 1 to the Up Main.

 

[dk1]

I'm fairly sure most of the EMT crews have booked rest in the broom cupboard at Lime St, bringing back the next train.

Sometimes that happens at the Eastern end too unless the Nottingham/Norwich crews decide to work 'fiddles'