Update on TFW future plans

[PHILIPE]

An update on TFW plans for future services

www.news.tfw.wales/news/transport-for-wales-outline-dates-for-additional-train-services

Transport for Wales outline dates for additional train services​

Amlinelliad o ddyddiadau ar gyfer gwasanaethau trên ychwanegol Trafnidiaeth Cymru
Rail

Transport for Wales (TfW) has confirmed dates for additional train services it wants to introduce to its timetable across the Wales and Borders route over the next three years.
Because of the enormous impact of COVID-19 over the last 18 months, some original dates, set in 2018, have had to be revised due to the pandemic’s consequences on areas such as disruptions in supply chains, the delivery of infrastructure needed to operate new services and the ability to train new train crews, due to social distancing. The impact of the pandemic has been significant and far-reaching, but TfW has also confirmed that it will deliver on all additional services originally announced in 2018.
For the additional services first announced in 2018 to come into effect in December 2022, revised plans mean:

• Cardiff to Cheltenham (a consistent one train per hour to all stations) – Will be delivered by December 2022 (as originally planned)
• Heart of Wales Line (one additional service per day to all stations) – Will be delivered by December 2022 (as originally planned)
• Liverpool to Llandudno (new hourly service) – Will be delivered by December 2023 (revised)
• Extension to the current Manchester Airport to Llandudno service – Will be delivered by December 2023 (revised)
• Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury (a consistent one train per hour to all stations) – Will be delivered by May 2024 (revised)
• Hourly service between Liverpool and Shrewsbury – Will be delivered by December 2024

In addition, TfW has successfully purchased a further 25 Mark 4 intercity carriages plus five driving van trailers that are fully refurbished to a high standard. This will include four trains of five carriages which will enter service on the South Wales to Manchester route in 2023. This is a newly introduced commitment and TfW is keen to explore the detail with passengers and stakeholders soon.
TfW Planning and Performance Director, Colin Lea, said:

“It is not unique to us in Wales, but the pandemic continues to have a massive impact on all of us and I’m proud of the way we kept key workers moving during the darkest days. As we now confidently move forward, we are beginning to see how post pandemic travel patterns may turn out. Leisure travel is already returning quickly, but commuting traffic will most likely take longer to return, as many of us adapt to flexible working. These new patterns of travel may help us smooth demand for travel over wider time periods and help alleviate some of our traditionally very busy flows.
“Since the original announcements in 2018, we have worked hard and are starting to see the fruits of that, with pacers now fully withdrawn and some new trains beginning testing around North Wales. However, the pandemic has affected our ability to train new crews and has disrupted our supply chain in many ways. Despite this, we will deliver some of the additional services committed back in 2018 as planned, but a few have needed to be revised. Overall, all the additional services committed in 2018, over 60 new services, will be added to the weekday timetable in the coming few years.
“We remain confident that we will deliver on the ambitious plans Welsh Government has for transport in Wales, including tackling the climate emergency, and we will continue working with partners for the benefit of the communities throughout Wales and the borders.”
The delivery of the revised plan is dependent on infrastructure changes by Network Rail, which is funded by the UK Government. Transport for Wales will work collaboratively with Network Rail as part of an ‘Event Steering Group’ to help deliver the revised plans.
In addition to recommitting to the pledges made in 2018, at a revised schedule, TfW remain committed to:

• South Wales Metro

Investment of three-quarters of a billion pounds to upgrade the railway to Aberdare, Coryton, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney and Treherbert. The first Overhead Line Equipment foundations have already been installed.

• North Wales

Working on the initial phases for the North Wales Metro, putting the foundations in place for transformative rail and bus services and active travel and the new Liverpool to Wrexham service has been launched via the Halton Curve.

• Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro

TfW supported the public consultation for the development of the Metro and this is currently being considered by the Welsh Government.

• West Wales to Manchester

Additional premier services from West Wales to Manchester to be introduced by December 2022, using the purchased high quality intercity rolling stock.

Notes to editors​

In addition to our revision to the December 2022 timetable, TfW has also needed to look at the 2021 timetable and are now delivering two milestone commitments:
- Ebbw Vale Line (one additional service per hour between Cross Keys and Newport) – Will be delivered by December 2021 (as originally planned and extended to Ebbw Vale Town once infrastructure works on the line are completed in 2023).
- Wrexham to Bidston (one additional train per hour calling at some stations) – Will be delivered by May 2022 (revised)
As industry norm, new services are dependent on industry access rights being granted.

Downloads​

TfW - CAF Trains-12​

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[LNW-GW Joint]

The above link doesn't work (a rogue comma), but this should:
Transport for Wales outline dates for additional train services (tfw.wales)

Good to see that all the 2018 commitments will be met, although on a significantly longer timescale.
I'm not sure what the "extension of Manchester Airport-Llandudno service" means but perhaps to Holyhead, being replaced by the Liverpool service (Dec 2023).
May 2022 for the 230s on Wrexham-Bidston now.
Dec 2024 for Liverpool-Wrexham-Shrewsbury.

 

[berneyarms]

The above link doesn't work (a rogue comma), but this should:
Transport for Wales outline dates for additional train services (tfw.wales)

Good to see that all the 2018 commitments will be met, although on a significantly longer timescale.
I'm not sure what the "extension of Manchester Airport-Llandudno service" means but perhaps to Holyhead, being replaced by the Liverpool service (Dec 2023).
May 2022 for the 230s on Wrexham-Bidston now.
Dec 2024 for Liverpool-Wrexham-Shrewsbury.

The Manchester to Llandudno service is to divert to Bangor.

 

[splashoutradio]

Think there may be a typo in the news article link, so just in case, here's the links that worked for me.
English: https://news.tfw.wales/news/transport-for-wales-outline-dates-for-additional-train-services
Cymraeg: https://newyddion.trc.cymru/newyddi...asanaethau-tren-ychwanegol-trafnidiaeth-cymru

An observation from the article that is of interest to me, is the lack of any info on the Conwy Valley Line on this press release.

 

[Llandudno]

Meanwhile in the press release no mention of when the pre Covid timetables are going to be restored, this is of far more relevance than possible improvements in 3-4 years time.

Currently
There are only a couple of trains per day from the north Wales coast extending beyond Chester towards Manchester, instead of hourly.
Llandudno-Bleanau Ffestiniog, last train 4pm instead of 7pm
Chester - Runcorn- Liverpool, roughly every 2 hours instead of hourly, last train missing

 

[PHILIPE]

Meanwhile in the press release no mention of when the pre Covid timetables are going to be restored, this is of far more relevance than possible improvements in 3-4 years time.

Currently
There are only a couple of trains per day from the north Wales coast extending beyond Chester towards Manchester, instead of hourly.
Llandudno-Bleanau Ffestiniog, last train 4pm instead of 7pm
Chester - Runcorn- Liverpool, roughly every 2 hours instead of hourly, last train missing

The announcement was about future services not restoration of current services. These are periodically reviewed and may be re-introduced when the time is right

 

[Dai Corner]

It will be interesting to see how Newport-Crosskeys does. Stagecoach run about 7 buses an hour on this corridor and have recently started stopping outside Newport railway station, perhaps in anticipation of the new train service.

 

[sd0733]

It will be interesting to see how Newport-Crosskeys does. Stagecoach run about 7 buses an hour on this corridor and have recently started stopping outside Newport railway station, perhaps in anticipation of the new train service.

There are quite a few tickets we see in the Marches for stations on the Ebbw Vale line. For connections off those, the Londons and the Cheltenhams with a semi decent connection the time savings will be big and may see an increase in longer distance journeys as much as if not more than from Newport itself.

 

[Dai Corner]

There are quite a few tickets we see in the Marches for stations on the Ebbw Vale line. For connections off those, the Londons and the Cheltenhams with a semi decent connection the time savings will be big and may see an increase in longer distance journeys as much as if not more than from Newport itself.

Don't forget Bristol Temple Meads and beyond. Presumably the fares should come down a bit too.

 

[Cardiff123]

Meanwhile in the press release no mention of when the pre Covid timetables are going to be restored, this is of far more relevance than possible improvements in 3-4 years time.

Currently
There are only a couple of trains per day from the north Wales coast extending beyond Chester towards Manchester, instead of hourly.
Llandudno-Bleanau Ffestiniog, last train 4pm instead of 7pm
Chester - Runcorn- Liverpool, roughly every 2 hours instead of hourly, last train missing

A gentle reminder that some TOCs in England and of course Scotrail, won't commit to restoring full pre-Covid timetables, and are actually planning permanent cuts to services. The fact that TfW are still fully committed to all of the service improvements that were announced in 2018, I think proves that the intention to restore full pre-Covid TT's is there, and will happen eventually. But at the moment, there's the small matter of there being an enormous staff training backlog to get through, which is greatly impacting current staff availability, along with TfW being desperately short of trains until the new fleet starts to enter service.

The fact that TfW are still committed to all of the long-term service improvements they set out in 2018 is hugely positive. I don't think that can be said about another other TOC in England or Scotland at present.

 

[woolos]

Still no 2305 to Ebbw vale from Cardiff. It seem like tfw prefer people to take car to go for a evening out

 

[PHILIPE]

Still no 2305 to Ebbw vale from Cardiff. It seem like tfw prefer people to take car to go for a evening out

It's not mentioned because it is not a new service which is what the statement is about. Mention can be found in this thread here in Post #42 regarding restoration of services. It could be in the December Timetable subject to review

 

[wobman]

A gentle reminder that some TOCs in England and of course Scotrail, won't commit to restoring full pre-Covid timetables, and are actually planning permanent cuts to services. The fact that TfW are still fully committed to all of the service improvements that were announced in 2018, I think proves that the intention to restore full pre-Covid TT's is there, and will happen eventually. But at the moment, there's the small matter of there being an enormous staff training backlog to get through, which is greatly impacting current staff availability, along with TfW being desperately short of trains until the new fleet starts to enter service.

The fact that TfW are still committed to all of the long-term service improvements they set out in 2018 is hugely positive. I don't think that can be said about another other TOC in England or Scotland at present.

Many depots are struggling to cover the reduced services, plus as you say there's a huge training backlog then there's the added introduction of so many new trains.
The 230's need staff to test / train people as do the the 197 units, for TFW it makes Sence to retain a reduced timetable for now.

I'm glad they have kept to the 2018 committments and have a clear plan even if dates are set back. Covid has had a big impact on the railway and it takes time to catch up with the effects it's had on training.

 

[PHILIPE]

It's not mentioned because it is not a new service which is what the statement is about. Mention can be found in this thread here in Post #42 regarding restoration of services. It could be in the December Timetable subject to review

I find I omitted to quote the link referred to:-

www.railforums.co.uk/threads/tfw-restoring-most-of-its-pre-march-2020-tt-from-13-9.221961/page-2#post-5307531

Apologies

 

[cle]

Still not clear if Shrewsbury/Cardiff will be a split from Llandudno hourly, or another frequency entirely - which would be great. Especially given the vague mention there of a North Wales Metro - including Wrexham. Not quite sure what that is referring to, but maybe Borderlands.

But Liverpool - Runcorn - Chester at 2tph would be a good service. Curious how it works with the Cardiff-Chester/North Wales services, given a good amount of overlap, and might the Manchester then speed up on the southern half, with the fancy new stock.

 

[krus_aragon]

Still not clear if Shrewsbury/Cardiff will be a split from Llandudno hourly, or another frequency entirely - which would be great.

I'm pretty sure that original franchise documents, outlining the routes and frequencies Westminster would allow the new franchise to operate in England, only listed up to 1tph for Chester-Runcorn-Liverpool.

(Having said that, I've had a few goes in recent years at drawing up a timetable for that Liverpool split/merge service along with the other promised services, and haven't come up with anything that looks better than a compromise along the coast.)