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Title: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: Graz on February 06, 2008, 10:51:53 The Ebbw vale line has finally opened for passengers.
'The first train left Ebbw Vale at 0640 GMT, with transport minister Ieuan Wyn Jones on board, and arrived early.' http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7228772.stm Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: Lee on February 06, 2008, 11:15:01 I'm sure i've seen the unit pictured in the BBC article somewhere before....
Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: Graz on February 06, 2008, 12:05:50 BBC have changed that photo- previously it was of an empty looking Ebbw Vale station!
I would love to take a trip up there sometime. Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: Lee on February 06, 2008, 14:17:02 The people of Tredegar are hoping to benefit from the Ebbw Vale rail link.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7183976.stm Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: eightf48544 on February 06, 2008, 15:38:04 I would love to take a trip up there sometime. [/quote] I've been up there on a railtour and teh scenary after Aberbeeg is superb. Do you realise that the lower end of this line from Basseleg to Park junction (Cardiff, Newport Docks and Neport Station) was six tracks. It was called the Park Mile and made the landowner the very rich. In selling the land he got the railway comapny to pay him 1d for every ton of coal that passed over the line. Even at 240d to the ^ he made a lot of money! The GWR finally had to buy him off I don't know for how much. It's also a pity that Crumlin Viaduct on the Pontypool Neath line (another very scenic line) has gone. Ther use to be a High and Low Level staion here literally. The High level being a 200' above the low level. It will be intersting if they get the line to Abertillery as unlike to Ebbw Vale the track has been lifted from Aberbeeg. Who knows they may even get back to Brymawr. Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: Jim on February 06, 2008, 15:43:52 Nice to see a Ex FGW 150 there!
Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: devon_metro on February 06, 2008, 16:37:16 With Arriva seat covers
Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: Graz on February 07, 2008, 13:41:35 Quote I would love to take a trip up there sometime. I've been up there on a railtour and teh scenary after Aberbeeg is superb. Do you realise that the lower end of this line from Basseleg to Park junction (Cardiff, Newport Docks and Neport Station) was six tracks. It was called the Park Mile and made the landowner the very rich. In selling the land he got the railway comapny to pay him 1d for every ton of coal that passed over the line. Even at 240d to the ^ he made a lot of money! The GWR finally had to buy him off I don't know for how much. It's also a pity that Crumlin Viaduct on the Pontypool Neath line (another very scenic line) has gone. Ther use to be a High and Low Level staion here literally. The High level being a 200' above the low level. It will be intersting if they get the line to Abertillery as unlike to Ebbw Vale the track has been lifted from Aberbeeg. Who knows they may even get back to Brymawr. It is a shame about these lines closing, the viaduct in particular. Although with the rise of public transport we'll hopefully see the reopening of many other lines, this is epecially looking the case in south Wales. Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: Lee on February 12, 2008, 10:23:39 A protest about how long it will take to set up a working rail link between Rogerstone and Newport is planned (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7239470.stm Politicians and city leaders are angry the ^30m train link between Ebbw Vale and Cardiff calls at Rogerstone but not at Newport Central. Newport West MP Paul Flynn and AM Rosemary Butler want the passenger services to start as soon as possible. But the assembly government said the line needed a signalling upgrade which was not possible until 2009. The link goes through Rogerstone but passengers heading for Newport have to transfer to a shuttle bus. On Tuesday, Ms Butler, Mr Flynn and three Newport councillors will go to Rogerstone station where they plan to hold up enlarged images of return tickets from Rogerstone to Newport with the valid date left blank. They say it is a protest about the time it is going to take to carry out engineering work on the line between the two stations. I wonder where they got that idea from.... Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: John R on February 12, 2008, 18:19:14 Yes, I thought that, but there weren't as many witty comments on their ticket as on the MTLS version. It does seem odd that the service runs to Cardiff, and even when they resignal the connection, there isn't the capacity on the line without further work if a half hourly service is to run. I guess ideal if hourly is into Newport, reverse and onto Cardiff.
Still, at least they have 18 miles of new railway. What would the good citizens of Portishead give for 3 miles. And on Saturday at Central they had added another large banner for the post match queues, London, Bristol, Swansea, Ebbw Vale. I wouldn't have nevisaged that a few years ago. Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: signalandtelegraph on February 13, 2008, 20:29:09 But the assembly government said the line needed a signalling upgrade which was not possible until 2009. It would be relatively simple to alter the existing signalling for passenger operation but given that the entire area is due to be resignalled in the next couple of years then no one wants to stump up the cash. Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: Lee on June 01, 2008, 08:14:25 A bus link helping commuters use the new ^30m railway line from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff has been abandoned (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7427491.stm The Welsh Assembly Government said a shortage of passengers meant it ended the service from Rogerstone to Newport. But one, Val Ashdown, from Ebbw Vale, said it meant she would go back to using her car to get to work. Labour AM Rosemary Butler said the bus could not go on being subsidised, but she will press for a quicker start to a rail link from Rogerstone to Newport. Mrs Ashdown, 60, had been using the train and bus link for six weeks to reach work at the defence company EADS on the Celtic Springs business park. But when she boarded the bus to go home on Saturday she was told the service would end after this weekend. The journey took 50 minutes and at ^2.95 a day, using monthly and weekly train ticket offers, meant it was cheaper than using her car, which uses ^35 a week in petrol to make the same journey. An assembly government spokeswoman said it had agreed to help fund the bus link between Rogerstone and Newport as an interim measure until a rail link into the city opens in 2010-11. She said it agreed to provide a subsidy of ^230,000 for 2008-09 to Newport Council on condition that passenger numbers were monitored to ensure it provided value for money. There are a number of frequent privately-operated bus services through Rogerstone, the spokeswoman said. Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: grahame on June 01, 2008, 08:46:15 A bus link helping commuters use the new ^30m railway line from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff has been abandoned (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7427491.stm The Welsh Assembly Government said a shortage of passengers meant it ended the service from Rogerstone to Newport. Sadly, the majority of people will not use a bus in place of a train over a journey of more than a handful of miles. There are many instances of rail replacement bus services that have quickly floundered - I was reading about the Uckfield to Lewes line the other day, when that was closed about 40 years ago. And I was up at Chippenham Station a couple of weeks ago and intentionally compared the bus and train leaving for Trowbridge within a few minuts of each other at aound 7 p.m. ... bus, 3 passengers, train around 20. That's why it's so good to see the trains back during the day at Severn Beach - even if just every 2 hours. And why the Ebbw Vale to Newport train service supporters should not see the failure of the bus to generate traffic as a reason to rethink the plans for the train. Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: John R on June 01, 2008, 13:42:28 It took around 50 mins to get from Rogerstone to Newport, so was no use for passengers connecting into services at Newport. It went "round the houses" instead, which clearly was the wrong decision in hindsight.
Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: Chris from Nailsea on November 05, 2011, 20:32:16 Some good news, to justify resurrecting this old topic - from the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-15605674):
Quote Bus-rail link between Ebbw Vale and Newport returns A subsidised express bus linking the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff rail line with Newport is being re-introduced three years after a previous service ended. It will connect with trains at Rogerstone and run every hour. There have been longstanding calls to improve rail services between Newport and Ebbw Vale. The Welsh government, which will initially fund the bus for a year, said it was the first step in improving transport links between the two towns. A previous bus service on the route was scrapped in 2008 because of a lack of passengers. Local Government Minister Carl Sargeant said the new bus service would be piloted for a year. "As a result of recent collaboration with Newport council, I'm pleased to confirm my support for . . . the new trial service," he said. "I see this as the first step towards improving rail services between Ebbw Vale and Newport. I welcome Newport's implementation of the trial express service to cater for demand and look forward to it being successful." Passengers on the new service will be able but rail tickets on the bus and Arriva Trains Wales will sell through tickets to Newport. It is expected the journey time will be around 16 minutes. Newport council leader Matthew Evans said: "We would welcome this as a first initial step being taken to improve the rail link between Ebbw Vale and Newport. Following a successful pilot of this link, Newport city council has been assured by the Welsh government that the next step of opening the rail link between the two areas will be fully considered. The council will continue to campaign vigorously for this to happen as however welcome a new express bus route is, it is clearly not a long term substitute for a rail service." William Graham, Conservative AM for South Wales East, who has been campaigning for a rail link between Ebbw Vale and Newport, said it was desperately needed to help regenerate Newport city centre. "Any improved transport link is to be be welcomed but it is not a substitute for the railway line," he added. "It must be well publicised unlike the previous service." Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: anthony215 on November 05, 2011, 23:47:52 Good, lets hope this bus link is better used than the previous 1.
I very much look forward to the day when there is a direct train service between Ebbw Vale & Newport. Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: eightf48544 on November 06, 2011, 10:17:05 As a matter of interest what's holding up the reinstatement of the Newport service?
Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: paul7575 on November 06, 2011, 10:49:16 As a matter of interest what's holding up the reinstatement of the Newport service? Earlier removal of passenger quality signalling, I think - post #11 in this thread refers... Paul Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: anthony215 on November 06, 2011, 14:58:09 As a matter of interest what's holding up the reinstatement of the Newport service? Signalling, which is being replaced, plus the have to close the signal box at Park junction and transfer to the signalling centre in Cardiff. Another problem will be the lack of stock, especially with 2 units away on hire to Northern and NXEA. Also I think the double track section midway on the Ebbw Vale line needs to be extended to allow for a half hourly service between Ebbw Vale & Rogerstone. Finally we have to see the extension from Ebbw Vale Parkway to Ebbw Vale Town. Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: phile on November 06, 2011, 18:19:45 Yes, track capacity at tne Northern end preventing 2 trains per hour to Ebbw Vale. We are waiting an announcement from the Welsh Assembly Government re Strategic Trans port Policy including a mention of Ebbw Vale to Newport. Tis should have been on Thursday last November 3rd. Representatives of stake holder Groups were invited to the Senedd and the Agenda was revised to create a 20 minute slot. But nothing happened !!!
The December Timetable is being delayed as the question of the WAG North to South services could be affected in this review which should have been available in the Spring but the Assembly dithered, the came the Assembly elections but they dithered again and decided to review again. Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: Chris from Nailsea on July 29, 2012, 22:17:22 From the South Wales Argus (http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/gwentnews/9843994.Only_700_use_Newport_rail_bus_link/?ref=nt):
Quote Only 700 use Rogerstone to Newport Rail Linc bus Only around 700 passengers used the Ebbw Valley railway line bus link in the first few months of its operation, the Argus has learned. Newport West AM Rosemary Butler said the figures for the Rail Linc bus from Rogerstone to Newport railway station were "extremely disappointing" and reiterated her call for people to use or lose the service. Welsh Government officials are using the pilot service to test demand for a permanent passenger rail link between Ebbw Vale and Newport which the Argus has campaigned for for many years. According to the figures obtained from Rosemary Butler's office 705 passengers used the service between January 23 and May 5. The busiest week was the week ending April 28, when 81 people used the service. Ms Butler said: "These figures are extremely disappointing and the take-up of this service has not been as high as we had hoped." She said it was important the pilot scheme was publicised extensively and she welcomed a planned marketing campaign. "The minister and I are committed to making this scheme a success, and I urge passengers to use it or lose it," she said. Councillor Ken Critchley, cabinet member for infrastructure, said a marketing campaign is being launched next month to raise awareness of the service. He said the city council still wants a passenger link opened up to the city centre and that the pilot service is just one element in assessing the need for restarting trains between Ebbw Vale and Newport. But he added: "I would encourage people to use rail link bus as this would help towards the already strong case for reopening the line." The Newport council-contracted service, which received ^119,000 in funding from the Welsh Government for a 12-month pilot, is timed to connect with trains at Rogerstone. A previous bus link in 2008 was axed as few people used it. Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: matt473 on July 30, 2012, 12:05:40 The problem with the bus service is why would people catch a train to connect with a bus when there are direct bus services available that run from the same places without requiring a change that are reasonably priced. A direct service to Newport would be attractive as lack of change and quicker journey times would be attractive. A direct servicve would also enable connections to Bristol, Gloucester etc. allowing for better long distance opportunities to compete with the car which people will not consider requiring a train-bus-train combo. The bus service was to a certain extent always doomed and hopefully it won't be used as ammo by accountants in the WAG to say Ebbw Vale to Newport does not require a direct service.
Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: phile on July 30, 2012, 21:04:38 The problem with the bus service from Rogerstone to Newport centre ran all around the houses calling several times. I believe it has now been re-instated for a trial period and running direct.
Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: eightf48544 on July 30, 2012, 21:21:36 Isn't Ebbw Vale due to get wires? So presumeably considerabe upgrades as well to loops and signalling to increase service frequency.
Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: anthony215 on July 31, 2012, 19:12:05 Isn't Ebbw Vale due to get wires? So presumeably considerabe upgrades as well to loops and signalling to increase service frequency. I have been thinking about this and I wouldnt be surprised if they do the work to extend the double track section of the Ebbw Vale branch around the same time they are putting up the wires and hopefully we willl see the extension to Ebbw Vale town completed as well.I am not sure if any signalling needs doing as I think that work has already been completed. Title: Re: Ebbw Vale train service resumes 46 years on Post by: Chris from Nailsea on September 25, 2012, 22:22:55 From the South Wales Argus (http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/9948143.Assembly_drops_Abertillery_rail_station_plan/):
Quote Assembly drops Abertillery rail station plan A new railway station at Abertillery will not be considered until at least 2015, the transport minister has confirmed. In a letter to South Wales East AM Mohammad Asghar, Carl Sargeant said the matter is not a priority for delivery within the next three years. Blaenau Gwent council are involved in a multi-million pound regeneration of the town and it had hoped a new station on the Ebbw Valley Line would further enhance its ability to attract jobs and further investment to the area. Back in October 2010, transport consultant Capita Symonds recommended that a new station be built in Abertillery, with a new hourly service introduced between the town and Cardiff. Members of the South East Wales Transport Alliance approved this, with negotiations taking place with Tesco to buy land that would also fit 80 car parking spaces. However, the final decision rested with the Welsh Government and all went quiet on the issue. South Wales East AM Mohammad Asghar wrote to transport minister Carl Sargeant recently asking for an update on the situation. Mr Sargeant replied this week, saying: "The Welsh Government published its prioritised National Transport Plan last December, which details the Welsh Government^s core funding priorities for transport until 2015. "As a new station at Abertillery was not included in the original National Transport Plan, it was therefore not prioritised for delivery in the period to 2015." Mr Asghar said he is disappointed, saying it shows a "lack of ambition for rail services in south east Wales". Leader of Blaenau Gwent council Hedley McCarthy said: "I understand money is tight and while we weren^t really expecting anything sooner than this, we are anxious as a council to keep the aspiration alive." This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |