Valley Lines electrification project...or not as may now be the case

[krus_aragon]

SEWTA do claim in the study that another problem is due to the number of trains reversing at Cardiff Central however electrifiction could mean some of these services being linked to provide cross city connections.

Who was it that decided that there was no need to rebuild platform 5, as there would be sufficient capacity for western terminators without it? :roll:

On the topic of electrification, the only cross-city link-up I can foresee this creating would be with the current FGW Cardiff terminators, transmogrified into a Cardiff-Bristol-Bath EMU service. All other mainline services terminating from the east will continue to operate on non-electrified routes.

 

[Envoy]

I would have thought that with electrification, a service from Maesteg to Ebbw Vale would be the easiest for routing through Cardiff Central.

 

[Gareth Marston]

SEWTA and the other Welsh transport consortia are being wound down so I wouldn't get your hopes up on any reports of theirs!

 

[krus_aragon]

I would have thought that with electrification, a service from Maesteg to Ebbw Vale would be the easiest for routing through Cardiff Central.

Sorry, that one seemed to be in the "already running" column in my head. I don't know how I missed it out.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
On further consideration, as the Maesteg services are due to go half-hourly, it could be an additional Maesteg-Ebbw EMU service, with the existing Maesteg-Cheltenham service remaining as a DMU.

 

[Envoy]

Sorry, that one seemed to be in the "already running" column in my head. I don't know how I missed it out.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
On further consideration, as the Maesteg services are due to go half-hourly, it could be an additional Maesteg-Ebbw EMU service, with the existing Maesteg-Cheltenham service remaining as a DMU.

It might be more likely that a half hourly electric service would run from Maesteg to Ebbw Vale but I guess that would depend upon fitting in an Ebbw Vale to Newport service - unless the Newport service could be joined/split with that to Cardiff & Maesteg.

The Cheltenham > Maesteg service will surely not remain once the wires are up. According to the Great Western Route Consultation Document, it is suggested that a Cardiff to Worcester DMU service operate. I would like to see this extended to Droitwich & Kidderminster so that these towns have direct access to Cheltenham for trains to/from the south-west. Likewise, it would improve access to the important tourist attractions of The Severn Valley Railway & West Midlands Safari Park.

Regarding my earlier suggestion of Swanline services proceeding to Cardiff via Rhoose, we perhaps could even see these them continue east of Cardiff as electric stoppers all the way to Bristol or even Bath. If that happened, they would probably be instead of the present Cardiff to Taunton diesel stoppers. (No plans to wire Bristol to Taunton would mean diesel power would remain if these services are retained and hence, we would not be getting best value from the Bristol to Cardiff electrification).

 

[krus_aragon]

It might be more likely that a half hourly electric service would run from Maesteg to Ebbw Vale but I guess that would depend upon fitting in an Ebbw Vale to Newport service - unless the Newport service could be joined/split with that to Cardiff & Maesteg.

That will require further redoubling on the Ebbw Vale to achieve a half-hourly frequency. I'm not aware that that has been funded yet.

 

[quarella]

The main issue does seem to be the freight services particulary along the stretch between Bridgend and Cardiff this could be sorted somewhat by routing more via the Vale of glamorgan etc.

Which will then cause more problems for Valley Lines services to/from Penarth and Barry Island which are delayed by the existing freight.

 

[anthony263]

I still wonder how these Caerphilly - Barry local services which have been proposed will fit between existing services

 

[Rhydgaled]

That will require further redoubling on the Ebbw Vale to achieve a half-hourly frequency. I'm not aware that that has been funded yet.

If it did go half-hourly, I would have thought it would make more sense for the extra trains to work to Newport rather than more to Cardiff (if it wasn't for the planned extent of wiring, I would further suggest that service continue to Hereford as an all-stops, including new stations not served by the other marches trains).

Regarding my earlier suggestion of Swanline services proceeding to Cardiff via Rhoose, we perhaps could even see these them continue east of Cardiff as electric stoppers all the way to Bristol or even Bath. If that happened, they would probably be instead of the present Cardiff to Taunton diesel stoppers. (No plans to wire Bristol to Taunton would mean diesel power would remain if these services are retained and hence, we would not be getting best value from the Bristol to Cardiff electrification).

My idea for the Cardiff-Taunton service would be to replace it with a Bristol - Taunton DMU service and a Swansea-Bristol EMU service calling at Neath, Port Talbot Parkway, Pyle and Bridgend before picking up the current Cardiff-Taunton stopping pattern between Cardiff and Bristol. Along with the Swanline, that would give Pyle 2tph without slowing the London, Carmarthen or Manchester trains (although the Manchester trains are the first I would drop if there isn't enough capacity between CDF and Bridgend, in which case I might suggest losing the Pyle stop on the Bristol service to replace the Manchester as the second fast-ish service between CDF and SWA.)

 

[Envoy]

Can't see a service from Swansea terminating at Bristol going down too well as many people commute between say Keynsham or Bath and Filton Abbey Wood for the MOD complex plus the University of The West Of England. We must surely also have quite a number of leisure passengers travelling from south Wales to Bath who would be more inclined to travel by train if they did not have to change at Temple Meads.

We really have one 'super region' of population stretching all the way from Swansea to Bath. The trouble is that with the Welsh Government and the people running the proposed Bristol Metro, they might not see it like that.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Can't see a service from Swansea terminating at Bristol going down too well as many people commute between say Keynsham or Bath and Filton Abbey Wood for the MOD complex plus the University of The West Of England. We must surely also have quite a number of leisure passengers travelling from south Wales to Bath who would be more inclined to travel by train if they did not have to change at Temple Meads.

We really have one 'super region' of population stretching all the way from Swansea to Bath. The trouble is that with the Welsh Government and the people running the proposed Bristol Metro, they might not see it like that.

The Swansea-Bristol I proposed above would replace the Cardiff-Taunton so it wouldn't have gone to Bath anyway. I want to see the Cardiff-Portsmouth service retained, which would keep the Bath-Filton link. If there are enough paths to have that AND extend the Swansea-Bristol through to Bath it may not be a bad idea but then where do you stop? If there's to be a Bristol-Oxford-Milton Keynes service does it make sense for that to originate at Swansea? Be spawing the Great Way Round spoof acrynym again.

 

[Class 170101]

SEWTA do claim in the study that another problem is due to the number of trains reversing at Cardiff Central however electrifiction could mean some of these services being linked to provide cross city connections.

Wasn't that due to be resolved with Cardiff Area Resignalling?

As I recall on my last visit most of the platforms at Central are uni-directional and that to change ends requires ECS moves via sidings at the western end of the station?

 

[quarella]

Yes, a bus service run by NAT still links Rhoose station with the Airport terminal. Passengers must now pay £1 each way for the trip. It remains the quickest way by public transport to/from get from the Airport to Bridgend & points west. Unfortunately, no clear signs appear by the level crossing at Rhoose station telling travellers which side of the line they need to go for Bridgend & points west / Barry, Cardiff & the east.

Last time I checked the Airport, no clear signs marked which bus stop served the different services. A bus arrived marked 'Shuttle'. I said to the driver "What Shuttle are you? The one to Cardiff or the one to Rhoose station"? He said, "neither, I am the car park shuttle". No wonder this airport is going bust!
.

The one bus stop was as well signposted as other airports and easily seen from the door exiting the arrivals hall. Timetables for all routes in the shelter although the timetable for the 905 is at least 2 operators out of date. The car park is a shuttle. The other routes, 905 to Rhoose and T9 to Cardiff are both numbered routes. Better station signage at Rhoose would certainly be desireable.

 

[krus_aragon]

Wasn't that due to be resolved with Cardiff Area Resignalling?

As I recall on my last visit most of the platforms at Central are uni-directional and that to change ends requires ECS moves via sidings at the western end of the station?

Yes. In addition to platform work, bidirectional signalling is being installed for a short distance on all four lines east of Cardiff.