Valley Lines Electrification and Upgrade.

[lancastrian]

Did anyone see the article on page 6, of the May issue of Modern Railways. This is concerning upgrading the capacity in the Cardiff area. It talks about new/reinstated platforms at Cardiff Central and at Queen Street. All excelent to read about, but it say that there will be further improvements to the Valley lines. I quote from the article as follows:-

" The Treforest curve, south of Canton Depot, will be doubled to provide capacity for more Taff trains (Cardiff to Aberdare, Treherbert and Merthyr Tydfil) to operate via the City Line, thereby easing the pressure on the double track between Cardiff Central and Queen Street."

This is great news, should have been done years ago though, when they reopened the City Line in the 80's. It goes on as follows:-

"Additional tracks for turnback, alongside reinstated platform faces, will be provided at Barry, Caerphilliy and Pontypridd. A crossing loop and second platform at Tir-Phil will enable half hourly frequency to and from Rhymney."

Again excellent news, BUT yet again half hearted inprovements are being planned. At one time, not only was the Cardiff to Pontypridd line 4 tracks (now reduced to 2), all the other Valley lines were at least 2 track, if not more. But bad planning and little understanding caused most of the lines radiating from Cardiff to be singled. Yes there has been some redoubling, mainly as long loops to increase both capacity and services frequency, but very little.

If they are planning to electrify the Valley Lines, the politicans who will make this very important and NESSECARY decesion, need to bite the bullet and really do a propper job for once. This will mean redoubling all the Valley lines, extend all platforms to take 6/8 car trains. As well as electrifing them all, including a redoubled and extended Ebbw Vale line along with the route to Measteg.

I really hope that they do have the true courage to do this, but I wont be holding my breath.

 

[WatcherZero]

Their doing these because their resignalling arent they? A lot easier and cheaper to change the track layout if your altering the signals at the same time anyway.

 

[Bald Rick]

]

Again excellent news, BUT yet again half hearted inprovements are being planned. At one time, not only was the Cardiff to Pontypridd line 4 tracks (now reduced to 2), all the other Valley lines were at least 2 track, if not more. But bad planning and little understanding caused most of the lines radiating from Cardiff to be singled. Yes there has been some redoubling, mainly as long loops to increase both capacity and services frequency, but very little.

If they are planning to electrify the Valley Lines, the politicans who will make this very important and NESSECARY decesion, need to bite the bullet and really do a propper job for once. This will mean redoubling all the Valley lines, extend all platforms to take 6/8 car trains. As well as electrifing them all, including a redoubled and extended Ebbw Vale line along with the route to Measteg.

I really hope that they do have the true courage to do this, but I wont be holding my breath.

Given the choice of 'half hearted', or nothing, I'll take half hearted every time. Be thankful that some money is being spent, carefully, in these difficult times.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Given the choice of 'half hearted', or nothing, I'll take half hearted every time. Be thankful that some money is being spent, carefully, in these difficult times.

This.

Being from the area, I would love to see the track doubled again. But I really doubt that is on the cards at all. The single track areas already have the capacity to provide a half hourly service, which is more than enough IMO. Especially when you consider that from Pontypridd to Cardiff you are getting an even more regular service as the different lines join together.

Personally, electrification and resignalling should be the priority, then we can get new (or more likely old) rolling stock which should be better than the pacers currently used.

Also, maybe I am wrong, but I am pretty sure most platforms have already been extended to take 6 carriages? Certainly there was work done on the Rhondda platforms for this a year or so (maybe longer) back. ATW never got the extra carriages though.

 

[merlodlliw]

ATW never got the extra carriages though.

............................................................................................

Like the Cambrian, ATW will only supply extra carriages if someone else pays for them, a sad reflection on 15 years of a "No Growth clause" franchise.

 

[lancastrian]

This.

Being from the area, I would love to see the track doubled again. But I really doubt that is on the cards at all. The single track areas already have the capacity to provide a half hourly service, which is more than enough IMO. Especially when you consider that from Pontypridd to Cardiff you are getting an even more regular service as the different lines join together.

Personally, electrification and resignalling should be the priority, then we can get new (or more likely old) rolling stock which should be better than the pacers currently used.

Also, maybe I am wrong, but I am pretty sure most platforms have already been extended to take 6 carriages? Certainly there was work done on the Rhondda platforms for this a year or so (maybe longer) back. ATW never got the extra carriages though.

Well I certainly agree that any improvements are benefical, and that even half-hearted improvements are better than none at all. All I was saying is that I think if the actually did some real planning and try to plan for the future years and not for the last 10 years, as they seem to.

Yes it will be great if the improvemnets they are doing are completed, without being cut back due to increased costs. That the signalling is update well enough for all additional capacity to be properly used, and that they electrify the Valley lines, along with the Ebbw Vale, Maesteg & Barry - Bridgend lines as well, and the main line through to Swansea. Then I will be happy with that.

 

[Bald Rick]

Well I certainly agree that any improvements are benefical, and that even half-hearted improvements are better than none at all. All I was saying is that I think if the actually did some real planning and try to plan for the future years and not for the last 10 years, as they seem to.

Yes it will be great if the improvemnets they are doing are completed, without being cut back due to increased costs. That the signalling is update well enough for all additional capacity to be properly used, and that they electrify the Valley lines, along with the Ebbw Vale, Maesteg & Barry - Bridgend lines as well, and the main line through to Swansea. Then I will be happy with that.

I think perhaps that 'they' do indeed do real planning, and prioritise 'their' scarce capital resources (i.e. our taxes) where the best benefit is to be had. There is little point spending half a billion quid now on wholesale redoubling etc if it is not required for 20-30 years.

But three cheers for electrification, capacity upgrades where needed and some 'new' trains, even if they turn out to be older than the ones being replaced.

 

[lancastrian]

I think perhaps that 'they' do indeed do real planning, and prioritise 'their' scarce capital resources (i.e. our taxes) where the best benefit is to be had. There is little point spending half a billion quid now on wholesale redoubling etc if it is not required for 20-30 years.

But three cheers for electrification, capacity upgrades where needed and some 'new' trains, even if they turn out to be older than the ones being replaced.

I know, here in the North West where I live, we are having some lines electrified here as well, and we will be getting, we are told refurbished class 319's. But only when the new stock for the Thameslink services have arrived. I am not holding my breath, we could actually get all our lines that are promised to be electrified, finished and not actually have the EMU's to run the services. I hope that this does not happen but, it would not supprise me.

 

[krus_aragon]

Also, maybe I am wrong, but I am pretty sure most platforms have already been extended to take 6 carriages? Certainly there was work done on the Rhondda platforms for this a year or so (maybe longer) back. ATW never got the extra carriages though.

Abercynon doesn't seem to have room for six-car trains, and is constrained by the track layout. The Aberdare branch, by extension, hasn't been done either (not sure about Merthyr). Some stations south of Cardiff (e.g. Cogan, Eastbrook) are also too short.

 

[jw95]

Abercynon doesn't seem to have room for six-car trains, and is constrained by the track layout. The Aberdare branch, by extension, hasn't been done either (not sure about Merthyr). Some stations south of Cardiff (e.g. Cogan, Eastbrook) are also too short.

As far as I am aware, the platforms were only extended for six cars for the Rhymney and Treherbert lines. The Treherbert trains only go as far as Cardiff Central and avoid Abercynon, and the Rhymney line trains almost always go to Penarth (apart from on Sundays and the first train of the day which wouldn't need six cars), so they don't call at Cogan or anything past it. The Aberdare branch was only extended for four cars, as when it reopened in the 1980s, it was reopened for two car trains only. I would imagine the Merthyr line and the Barry line was four car anyway.

 

[anthony263]

I believ the Lines to Barry/Penarth/Bridgend/Treherbert & Rhymney are the only ones to have their platforms extended to acomodate 6 carriage trains.

There may be potential for the Ebbw Vale route to have the platforms extended but all the other valley line routes can only take a maximum of 4 carriages