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Back in 2008, the Rhondda and Rhymney routes were upgraded for 6 car trains. To the best of my knowledge, this facility has never been used on a scheduled basis (though maybe on match days). Can anyone confirm this? 

Given that the current work is aimed at enhancing facilities to turn back part way up the valleys, it would appear as though the current strategy is to increase capacity where it's needed most, not be running longer trains all the way from the tops of the valleys.   

In which case, the money has been wasted. Or what am I missing here?

I also notice that ATW are hardly rushing to utilise the long awaited Tir Phil loop, (commissioned recently to enable half hourly services to Rhymney), judging by realtime trains services post the timetable change. 

WAG also paid for the signalling of the curve that gives access to Newport from the Ebbw valley line to be brought up passenger standard a couple of years ago. Guess what? No sign of any regular usage.

And finally, further up wales, the infrastructure is now in place and working well to enable hourly services on the Cambrian, but there's no sign of the Welsh Government agreeing to them happening.

The problem is the lack of dmu's which is the reason why we will end up waiting for additional services. This should happen electrification starts in south wales.

The problem with the Ebbw Vale - Newport service is that this requires a 2nd loop at Llanhilleth which is  going to be constructed in the new couple of years along with the extension to Ebbw Vale Town.

Network rail have stated in my local newspaper that they are going to start construction on the loop north of Tondu close to Llangynwydd to allow a 30 minutely interval to Maesteg. This new loop will be better placed than the currently Lynfi goods loop at Tondu.

The Wrexham re-doubling and speed increases north of Wrexham will help reduce Cardiff - Holyhead journey times to 4 hours 30 minutes allowing trains to have a 15 minutely turnaround at Cardiff Central meaning ATW will save 1 unit which can be deployed elsewhere.

Otherwise the only way we are going to get stock for services is to hire in loco hauled stock to work on certain routes at least until dmu's or emu's are available

Has the signalling of the Newport - Ebbw Vale curve been done then? I had assumed the Ebbw Vale - Newport service was still awaiting that resignalling.

Do all the Holyhead - Cardiff workings (except 17:16 arrival from Holyhead, which goes to Maesteg) currently wait 2 hours in Cardiff then? The 11:15 arrival in Cardiff looks like it might just have enough time (6 minutes) to reverse and head back up to Holyhead on the 11:21.

Assuming they do all wait in Cardiff, don't they do anything with them during those two hours? Sending the 17:16 arrival onto Maesteg looks like a really neat trick, as it gets back in time for the next 21mins past odd hour departure for Holyhead (though in that case the Holyhead train is later than xx:21) so I'd be supprised if the others sit doing nothing for almost 2hrs.

The non-use of infrustructure upgrades certainly does seem to be partly the result of funding decisions for rolling stock and service operations not being aligned with funding for infrustructure. Not enough additional rolling stock has been funded and that which has been funded (a small number of additional class 150s I believe) has been put to other (perfectly worthy) causes.

I wouldn't say the money had been wasted, but if the WAG's funding arrangments were more joined-up things might look a little better.

If I recall, the lack of rolling stock was down to the fact the around 5 units were leased to FGW around the time the platform extensions were finished. Given they've long gone back, that excuse doesn't hold any more.  Besides, if the problem had been a lack of units then it was silly to build the extensions with no obvious rolling stock lined up to use them.

I didn't see any commitment in the announcement confirming construction of Ebbw Vale Town to build the passing loop,  so don't believe WAG have funded this yet.

Re the Wrexham re-doubling, WAG are having second thoughts, and have ordered a review of the work required and cost benefits.  So this is no longer the done deal it appeared to be a couple of years ago.

It was confirmed locally that the passing loop would be constructed at the same time as the extension to Ebbw Vale Town.

ATW have already run some services from Ebbw Vale to Newport during periods when the line to Cardiff has been shut (There are photos on Flickr if you have a look)

The 5 class 150's ATW had back from FGW have been deployed to strengthen services elsewhere and run additional services to places such as Fishguard Hbr.

As for the Holyhead - Cardiff services yes the dmu's do shunt to Canton where they have some work doen on them and refueling before returning to work the next departure to Holyhead 2 hours later. That said during those two hours the units act as cover if another unit should fail. I have seen this happen when a incoming service from Milford Haven has had issue's and the units have been swapped.

A unit can quickly turn round at Cardiff if they are short of a unit although that is depending on whether or not the unit is signalled into Platform 4 as platform 3 at Cardiff Central is not bi-directional.

In my local newspaper Carwyn Jones my local AM and 1st ministor has said that the WG are looking at taking on additional dmu's on a temporary basis until electrification of the Cardiff Valley Lines network is completed.

Additional DMUs? From where? Aren't there none off lease? And what sort of DMUs would they be?

Can you provide a source? It seems highly surprising that such a significant infrastructure improvement was not mentioned in the press release, so maybe it was just speculation.  The question of units to provide a half hourly service will also be an issue given their scarcity.

As an aside, is the junction on to the main line towards Cardiff still 15mph? It seems a real shame if the resignalling hasn't been used to increase it, particularly as not only would it reduce journey times, but Ebbw Vale trains must need an extra couple of minutes headway because of the effect of approach controlling down to such a low speed.

The extra units I was on about were the 4 or 5 class 150's that were hired to FGW before FGW got the class 150's from London Overground and London Midland.

The think the junction between the SWML and the Ebbw Vale branch is still 15mph although this maybe because of the curve as you  are off the SWML and onto the branch. That said there is a problem when single class 158's or 175's are used nad that is that they end up sitting at Rogerstone for up to 6 minutes when they arrive from Cardiff as the timetable is set up for a class 150 which can only do 75mph.

Of course if the proposed station at St Mellons gets the go ahead then Ebbw Vale servies can call at the station easily on the current timetable without holding up other services behind.

Anyway the suggestion that the loop at Llanhilleth was going ahead was made in the free local newspaper in Ebbw Vale. There was also a mention about it in one of the railway magazines published shortly after the annoucement was made

Following the announcements of the new stations at Ebbw Vale Town and Pye Corner, SEWTA (South East Wales Transport Alliance) made the following statement, which seems to confirm that funding for the Newport service and passing loop is still an aspiration rather than a fact.

^These projects are identified as high priorities by South East Wales Integrated Transport Task Force in which Sewta has played a leading role. We will now be working towards further enhancements of the Ebbw Valley Line, and in particular the extra track needed to form a seven-mile passing loop in the Llanhilleth area, which will allow more frequent services and direct trains from Ebbw Vale to Newport. We also have proposals for a further new station at Crumlin, and the opening of a new spur line and station for Abertillery.^

The 17 16 arrival at Cardiff from Holyhead  goes to Maesteg and is formed 3 Car 175 on which was previously one of the top 10 ten overcrowded trains on the system.  It does not go back to Holyhead on it's return at 19 21 but goes to Canton.   The 19 21 starts at 19 34 and formed off the incoming Holyhead at 19 16.   5 minutes turn round time at Cardiff Cen is not a robust allowance for turning round a long distance service and was unacceptable so far as Rules of the Plan allow.    That's assuming such Rules are still in existance which focused on Performance issues.

Well the Wrexham redoubling has finally been givern the go ahead which will please many of us. The WG are also doing another consultation on additional Cambrian Line services (A waste of time as others on UK railforums have pointed out as you only have to look at the existing Cambrian line services to see the trains are packed)