South Wales local services - Pembroke, Fishguard, Swanline, etc.

[whole diary]

[anthony215]

Personally I prefer to drive to either Port Talbot or Neath rather than get a train from my local Swanline station. It seems easier to do that with a 2 hourly service from swanline and many more trains going from either Neath or Port Talbot. Other commuters without a car may not be able to do that. I guess doubling back or getting a bus is the only other option, but how much easier would an hourly swanline service be.

I agree just look at how passenger numbers have increased sharply at Pyle since ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) started stopping the Manchetser services there durring the peaks. This has offered commuters a half hourly service during the peaks  and this as well as Pyle station having  2 large free car parks it has attracted  commuters  & other passengers living in Porthcawl, and local villiages as well as 1 or 2 people from Margam who drive their cars to and use Pyle station instead of Port Talbot Parkway.

[Jez]

On Friday I travelled from Neath to Manchester using the 0756 departure (0745 from Swansea). The 0710 Swanline was late and was held at Swansea until after the 0728 Paddington had departed. The 0756 was on time at Neath but seemed to lose a few mins and arrived late at Cardiff. The swanline being late seemed to benefit the Manchester train in terms of space on board as hardly anyone got on at Pyle or Pencoed due to the delayed Swanline being about 5 mins ahead. Im not sure if the swanline was looped at Pencoed still as quite a lot got on at Pontyclun.

There seemed to be some engine problems on the 175 that was used on the 0756 as it really struggled to get going at almost all the stations from Hereford onwards. We were losing a minute or 2 at every station and arrived at Picadilly around 12 mins late. They made up some time as it was nearly 20 mins late at Wilmslow and some people werent happy about missing connections to Manchester Airport so were advised to stay on until Picadilly and connect there.


I notice the new timetable (which started yesterday) now has the 0855 Swansea-Manchester terminating in Cardiff and another train restarting from Cardiff-Manchester. Its still a connection but im wondering why its no longer a through train. All other trains leaving Swansea at xx55 are to Manchester with the 1755 being the last through service. I saw this morning that the 0855 from Swansea was a 175 as i wondered maybe if it would be a sprinter and they changed it due to ending the diagram in cardiff. Im guessing its a diagram change and perhaps that 175 is used elsewhere. Hopefully not a sign of things to come and more wont be through trains to Manchester.

One of the Cardiff-Portsmouths was a 5 car on Saturday - a 3 car 158 / car 150. Nice to see extra capacity on that line, Manchester-Cardiff could do with a bit more capacity as we know!

[Jez]

Looking at the journey planner it seems it was only today the 0855 was different and its a through service to Manchester other days. Very odd.

[phile]

On Friday I travelled from Neath to Manchester using the 0756 departure (0745 from Swansea). The 0710 Swanline was late and was held at Swansea until after the 0728 Paddington had departed. The 0756 was on time at Neath but seemed to lose a few mins and arrived late at Cardiff. The swanline being late seemed to benefit the Manchester train in terms of space on board as hardly anyone got on at Pyle or Pencoed due to the delayed Swanline being about 5 mins ahead. Im not sure if the swanline was looped at Pencoed still as quite a lot got on at Pontyclun.

There seemed to be some engine problems on the 175 that was used on the 0756 as it really struggled to get going at almost all the stations from Hereford onwards. We were losing a minute or 2 at every station and arrived at Picadilly around 12 mins late. They made up some time as it was nearly 20 mins late at Wilmslow and some people werent happy about missing connections to Manchester Airport so were advised to stay on until Picadilly and connect there.



I notice the new timetable (which started yesterday) now has the 0855 Swansea-Manchester terminating in Cardiff and another train restarting from Cardiff-Manchester. Its still a connection but im wondering why its no longer a through train. All other trains leaving Swansea at xx55 are to Manchester with the 1755 being the last through service. I saw this morning that the 0855 from Swansea was a 175 as i wondered maybe if it would be a sprinter and they changed it due to ending the diagram in cardiff. Im guessing its a diagram change and perhaps that 175 is used elsewhere. Hopefully not a sign of things to come and more wont be through trains to Manchester.

One of the Cardiff-Portsmouths was a 5 car on Saturday - a 3 car 158 / car 150. Nice to see extra capacity on that line, Manchester-Cardiff could do with a bit more capacity as we know!

You've got me chasing around for nothing to try and answer your qyery.     08 55 Swansea is 1W17 07 07 Milord Haven to Manchester through train as shewn ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) Timetable Book Section 2 and also in Journey Planner.    No query.  If you have seen somewhere thai it is not a through train, it is incorrect.

Edited to unmangle quote i_b

[inspector_blakey]

It is indeed shown as a through train on page 8 of timetable booklet 2 (incidentally, it's 0705 off Milford in the public timetable, at least, not 0707). The train does sit in Cardiff for 19 minutes which is shown in booklet 3 (again, page 8 ), arriving CDF^» (Cardiff - next trains) at 0946, departing 1005. This isn't shown explicitly in booklet 2 but is implied by an unusually long time between departing Bridgend and Cardiff.

Wonder if the long wait at CDF has resulted in the confusion here (e.g. a journey planner may suggest changing at Cardiff to catch a service that will arrive at some destinations more quickly rather than staying on the through train?).

[anthony215]

We may well see some changes to the timetables from 2013 now that the go ahead has been given to Gowerton to be doubled tracked:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-16147169

Good news that the go ahead has been given, this bottleneck frequently causes delays.

[Jez]

On Friday I travelled from Neath to Manchester using the 0756 departure (0745 from Swansea). The 0710 Swanline was late and was held at Swansea until after the 0728 Paddington had departed. The 0756 was on time at Neath but seemed to lose a few mins and arrived late at Cardiff. The swanline being late seemed to benefit the Manchester train in terms of space on board as hardly anyone got on at Pyle or Pencoed due to the delayed Swanline being about 5 mins ahead. Im not sure if the swanline was looped at Pencoed still as quite a lot got on at Pontyclun.

There seemed to be some engine problems on the 175 that was used on the 0756 as it really struggled to get going at almost all the stations from Hereford onwards. We were losing a minute or 2 at every station and arrived at Picadilly around 12 mins late. They made up some time as it was nearly 20 mins late at Wilmslow and some people werent happy about missing connections to Manchester Airport so were advised to stay on until Picadilly and connect there.



I notice the new timetable (which started yesterday) now has the 0855 Swansea-Manchester terminating in Cardiff and another train restarting from Cardiff-Manchester. Its still a connection but im wondering why its no longer a through train. All other trains leaving Swansea at xx55 are to Manchester with the 1755 being the last through service. I saw this morning that the 0855 from Swansea was a 175 as i wondered maybe if it would be a sprinter and they changed it due to ending the diagram in cardiff. Im guessing its a diagram change and perhaps that 175 is used elsewhere. Hopefully not a sign of things to come and more wont be through trains to Manchester.

One of the Cardiff-Portsmouths was a 5 car on Saturday - a 3 car 158 / car 150. Nice to see extra capacity on that line, Manchester-Cardiff could do with a bit more capacity as we know!

You've got me chasing around for nothing to try and answer your qyery.     08 55 Swansea is 1W17 07 07 Milord Haven to Manchester through train as shewn ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) Timetable Book Section 2 and also in Journey Planner.    No query.  If you have seen somewhere thai it is not a through train, it is incorrect.

Edited to unmangle quote i_b

Well both Live departure boards and journey planner yesterday showed it was indeed a split service between milford-cardiff and then cardiff-manchester. Im sure there was a reason for it that one day!

[Jez]

It is indeed shown as a through train on page 8 of timetable booklet 2 (incidentally, it's 0705 off Milford in the public timetable, at least, not 0707). The train does sit in Cardiff for 19 minutes which is shown in booklet 3 (again, page 8 ), arriving CDF^» (Cardiff - next trains) at 0946, departing 1005. This isn't shown explicitly in booklet 2 but is implied by an unusually long time between departing Bridgend and Cardiff.

Wonder if the long wait at CDF has resulted in the confusion here (e.g. a journey planner may suggest changing at Cardiff to catch a service that will arrive at some destinations more quickly rather than staying on the through train?).

No the journey planner and live departure boards yesterday showed the 07xx off Milford as terminating in Cardiff at 095x and then another train starting at Cardiff at 1005 to Manchester. Must have been a one off for some reason yesterday.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Admin request to all posters on this topic, in particular:

I say, chaps: could you please minimise the use of the 'reply with quote' feature, whenever possible - or at least, only quote the specific point upon which you want to comment?

Quoting and requoting whole posts does make the topic rather hard to follow - and I note that even an experienced moderator has found some difficulty, in untangling a few mangled quotes previously on this particular topic!

Thanks!

Chris. 

[Jez]

Signal problems between Newport and Cardiff yet again today, everything was being turned back at Newport apart from trains running through to Swansea/West Wales and Maesteg.

Regarding Maesteg, at least 2 refurbished 158s were used on the line today, so yes at the expense of services where 158s would be more suited!

[phile]

What services should they work if everything else is diagrammed ?   

[Jez]

I think they should swap them for 150s on Maesteg and then have the 158s on more longer distance services that 150s run such a Pembroke Dock/Fishguard/Heart of Wales maybe.

[phile]

Although nothing has happened yet, the 150s are spoken for but that is another story.    The Pembroke Docks are booked 153s and 158s are not authorised on the Hear of Wales Line due to a platform clearance issue..    In any case, not much difference in distance between Maesteg and Cheltenham and Swansea and Pembroke Dock.

[Rhydgaled]

Isn't there an ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) 150 leased to Northern, which ATW seem to have enough spares to be able to replace when it breaks, plus one on a Holyhead - Cardiff (or similar) diagram in lieu of the 175 that was taken for WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) express 2? If either of these 150s became available I think it should be put on the Maesteg service to release a 158. I'd then put that 158 on a morning express (ie. via Swansea District Line with stops west of Carmarthen at Llanelli, Port Talbot, Bridgend and Cardiff only) from Milford Haven or Fishguard to Cardiff. That 158 would then run the Fishgaurd boat train, with Carmarthen, Port Talbot and Bridgend stops added (should still be able to do Llanelli - Cardiff in the same time as a 150 despite the extra stops thanks to the 158's 90mph capablilty) and a service to Fishguard leaving Cardiff as close as possible to the 17:39 to provide some relief, again this would be an express via the Swansea District Line. The 150 that currently works the Fishguard boat train would then go onto the Maesteg - Cheltenham curcuit. I think you guys said it comes off a double unit sometime after the first two-hour gap in the Cardiff - Cheltenham service, but it should enable all the other two hour gaps to be filled.

Carmarthen gets two extra express services, with suitable rolling stock, and Fishguard gets suitable rolling stock on the boat train, while the Cardiff - Cheltenham line gets most of the gaps filled.

[anthony215]

ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)))' have a class 150 on hire to Northern and another class 150 is still with NXEA^▸ (National Express East Anglia)..

Speaking of the class 150's I think something will have to be done to get  some of them refurbished to meet DDA^» (Disability Discrimination Act - about) rules from 2020.