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

[whole diary]

[anthony215]

ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) have annouced some changes to their south wales services from 14th May.

The 07:09 Pembroke Dock - Swansea service (Arr 09:20) is extended to Cardiff  Central (arr 10:40) calling Neath, Port Talbot, Pyle & Bridgend. This should make it easier for those passengers at Pyle as the 09:10 departure from Swansea to Cardiff is nearly always a class 153 and is  always overcrowded by the time it gets to Pyle at 09:44.

Also annouced  is that the 14:45 Cheltenham Spa - Maesteg service is replaced with a 14:50 Gloucester - Fishguard Hbr service with the 15:14 Cardiff - Fishguard service being cut back to Swansea. This does have the option of offering a reduction in journey time from Cardiff to Fishguard by 26 minutes. This service will be limited stop between Cardiff & Swansea only calling at Bridgend , Pyle, Port Talbot & Neath.

A further annoucement is that there is a 15:39 Cardiff -Milford Haven service (this being the retimed 16:04 departure from Cardiff which is replaced by the fishguard departure above) this service will also serve Pyle which is great and should help boost passenger numbers using the station.

[Jez]

Some unusual diagrams today;

A 150 on one of the Manchester-Carmarthen-Manchester trains (which included the 1355 off Swansea and will form the 1830 back from Manchester.

A refurbished 158 on the daytime swanline which ends up going from Swansea to Abergavenny at 1510.

It will be interesting to see what changes the new timetable will bring from Monday - I guess we will see pacers on most pembroke dock diagrams?

Its good that the first Pembroke Dock now continues to Cardiff as not only does that mean an extra train from Swansea-Cardiff at that time of the morning it also means that unit isnt sat in Swansea for 4 hours and another unit sat in swansea for another 4 hours until 17.10.  I notice the 09xx HOW Shrewsbury-Swansea is now a through train to Cardiff again arriving at 14xx.

[anthony215]

Seems the Maesteg - Cheltenham services are to be more closely interworked with the Cardiff - Ebbw Vale services.

Also the talk of the class 158's coming off the Maesteg - Cheltenham services may not actually be true now as the class 158 set to be used to provide extra capacity on the Holyhead - Birmingham/cambrian circuit is to come off the Chester - Crewe shuttle and be replaced by a class 150.

Also yesterday I noticed a class 158 was used on the Cardiff - Fishguard Hbr boatr train which I passed traveling on a hst just outside cardiff Central. I did think it was the Manchester service at first however I had just seen the Manchester service at central station formed a 175 and the next service from Maesteg wasnt due for about 18 minutes we passed the incoming service from Maesteg near Pontyclun and the swanline from Swansea just before we got to LLanharren

WAG2 is being withdrawn in september with WAG1 running via Wrexham and using WAG2's northbound path and should be 67 & dvt with mk3's no idea if they are going to bring back the 16:15 Cardiff - Abergavenny service to replace the loss of WAG1 departing around that time.

Hopefully we will see 175002 back soon after being repaired and that should provide some relief to ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) and get rid of the class 150's which are currently covering on the Cardiff - Holyhead route.

December 2012 is when we can expect some major shakeup's of ATW's .

Opening ceremony of Fishguard & Goodwick station is to be oat  around 13:00 on Monday and hopefully ATW will be able to muster up a  refurbished class 158  which would look good as it promotes ATW, the WG etc

The 1st train to call will be the 01:50 from Fishguard Hbr - Swansea

[phile]

The use of 150s to Holyhead has no direct link to 175002 as a 158 Diagram (from Maestegs and replaced by 150) has been amended to work a 175/0 diagram in lieu.
The reason is just day to day availability and units can fonosh in the wrong place at night as result of disruption thus affecting the following day.

[Jez]

How are the Ebbw Vale and Maestegs going to be interworked? Are some Maestegs going to run to Ebbw Vale on the hours when they dont go to Cheltenham Spa?

I was surprised to see a 158 on the 1510 Swanline today and a 150 on a Manchester - that sounds the wrong way around, but I guess as you say it depends where sets start/end and they have to use whats most convenient.  The 1510 Swanline is usually a pacer on a Sat but a pacer was on the daytime fishguard boat train via the Swansea district.

No idea what was used on Pemb Dock but I know 2 of the HOW diagrams were 150s today and 2 yesterday i think as well.

I imagine the 1510 swanline might be extended to Abergavenny on a weekday like a Saturday, assuming the 150 which usually runs that swanline diagram during the week isnt needed elsewhere after it arrives into Cardiff. 

[anthony215]

How are the Ebbw Vale and Maestegs going to be interworked? Are some Maestegs going to run to Ebbw Vale on the hours when they dont go to Cheltenham Spa?

I was surprised to see a 158 on the 1510 Swanline today and a 150 on a Manchester - that sounds the wrong way around, but I guess as you say it depends where sets start/end and they have to use whats most convenient.  The 1510 Swanline is usually a pacer on a Sat but a pacer was on the daytime fishguard boat train via the Swansea district.

No idea what was used on Pemb Dock but I know 2 of the HOW diagrams were 150s today and 2 yesterday i think as well.

I imagine the 1510 swanline might be extended to Abergavenny on a weekday like a Saturday, assuming the 150 which usually runs that swanline diagram during the week isnt needed elsewhere after it arrives into Cardiff. 

I think some services coming in terminating at Cardiff will do exactly that and work and Ebbw Vale service and back with a unit from the incoming service from Ebbw Vale instead of shunting out of cardiff central before returning to platform 0 to wait til the next ebbw vale departure at 35 minutes past the hour it will instead form a service to Maesteg which starts from Cardiff Central.

That said they could have interworked the Ebbw Vale services with the swanline since they dont have to wait in Cardiff as long as the units from Maesteg would have to.

An example being unit from Maesteg arrives into Cardiff at 08 minutes pas and would then have to wait til 35 minutes pas while the swanlines arrive at 15 minutes past also the swanline depart Cardiff at 14 minutes past rather than 20 past like the  Maesteg services

Either way I think we will have to wait see what happens and we will get the 175  off WAG2 back and the 175 that was damaged in west wales back in services soon so ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) should have more stock to play with.

also maybe a use for the mk2's once they are displayed by mk3's from the wag express?

Finally it wouldnt be the 1st time atw have used a class 158 on the 15:10 swanline service I had a 3 carriage class 175 a few years ago and had the front carriage to myself while the 14:55 Manchester train was  packed and formed of a 2 carriage class 175 pity they didnt swap the units at that time.

[Jez]

I see. I wonder if that will mean some 158s will end up on Ebbw Vale or if they will just use 150s on all Ebbw Vale and Maesteg services.

A 158 has appeared on swanline sometimes but its very rare in my experience.

[phile]

I was taking part in a bellringing at Peterston-super-Ely today and was in the churchyard when the 15 10 Swansea to Abergavenny passed.   (The line is adjacent to the church).   It was a Pacer.
If you read back on this page you will see 14 35 Gloucester to Fishguard in lieu of a Cheltenham which means there is a 16 18 Cardiff to Maesteg so there is an opportunity.    A set is saved (for Chester to Crewe local) by stepping the Ebbw Vale up instead of hanging around for nearly an hour to work other trains, ie. Fishguard Boat and 16 18 to Maesteg.    The 07 09 Pembroke Dock will form the 11 35 Cardiff to Ebbw Vale for example,  for the Ebbw Vale to form the Fishguard and be a 158 when 175002 returns.   158s will also be diagrammed to Ebbw Vale.
Pacers will work Pembroke Docks High Summer to increase capacity.

[Jez]

it must have been swapped then as it was definately a refurbished 158 at Neath.

it would be better to double up the 150s on the pemb docks in the summer as more room than a pacer.

[phile]

1 pair of 153s (displaced by Pacers) on Pembroke Docks.   Pacers are taken from Valleys and juggling done to provide more suitable although reduced capacity so not possible to take 150s from Valleys without reducing capacity further.  where aboutst at Neath were you on the platform or otherwise.  would not have swapped between Neath and Cardiff.   Or I could have mistaken it for the Fishguard.

[anthony215]

I was told a pacer was used on the Fishguard boat train today Phile so it may have been that you saw on its way back to Cardiff

[Jez]

I can see the railway line from where I live.  It was Manchester train first (refurb 158), then fishguard (pacer) then swanline (refurb 158).

I guess thats why a 153 is booked for Coryton on Saturdays, maybe it swaps with a pacer on Pemb Dock.

[Rhydgaled]

Opening ceremony of Fishguard & Goodwick station is to be oat  around 13:00 on Monday and hopefully ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) will be able to muster up a  refurbished class 158 which would look good as it promotes ATW, the WG etc

A blue & silver 158 would do nicely (as well as a refurbed one if it is clean) if refurbed ones aren't available. Sadly it will probably be a 150 or Pacer to spoil the party, come on ATW find us a 158 for Monday.

If you read back on this page you will see 14 35 Gloucester to Fishguard in lieu of a Cheltenham which means there is a 16 18 Cardiff to Maesteg so there is an opportunity.    A set is saved (for Chester to Crewe local) by stepping the Ebbw Vale up instead of hanging around for nearly an hour to work other trains, ie. Fishguard Boat and 16 18 to Maesteg.    The 07 09 Pembroke Dock will form the 11 35 Cardiff to Ebbw Vale for example,  for the Ebbw Vale to form the Fishguard and be a 158 when 175002 returns.   158s will also be diagrammed to Ebbw Vale.
Pacers will work Pembroke Docks High Summer to increase capacity.

Is the interworking with Ebbw Vale being introduced on Monday (meaning we'll have a 158 on the Fishguard boat train sometime between the end of June and the end of August when 175002 gets back), or do we have to wait until the September timetable for that?

The use of 150s to Holyhead has no direct link to 175002 as a 158 Diagram (from Maestegs and replaced by 150) has been amended to work a 175/0 diagram in lieu. The reason is just day to day availability and units can fonosh in the wrong place at night as result of disruption thus affecting the following day.

Ah, so Arriva's delay with getting the DVT^‡(resolve) LHCS^▸ (Locomotive Hauled Coaching Stock) together for WAG2 is what is causing 150s to appear on long-distance trains then, ATW are covering for 175002 with a 158 but not covering for the 175 lost to WAG2?

You may have told me before, but is there only one Holyhead - Cardiff class 158 diagram (the one covering for 175002's absence)? If so, how do 158s get switched between Cheltenham - Maestegs and north/mid Wales services when 175002 turns that back to a 175 diagram, do they run ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) to Machynlleth/Shrewsbury overnight?

[anthony215]

I think we  there maybe a bit of interworking starting from tommorow as others have said the unit on the  07:09 Pembroke Dock - Cardiff service  (arr 10:40) will then form the 11:35 Cardiff - Ebbw Vale service.

But I also think we are waiting on 175002 getting back into service I think it is currently under repair now i.e. getting a new cab etc.

I can see some of the class 153's being used on the Radyr - Coryton route to release some of the  pacers to go to west wales.


From what I have been able to work out the  unit used on the 09:40 Ebbw Vale - Cardiff will then work the Fishguard service with as mentioned above the unit coming in from Pembroke Dock  taking its place on the next departure to Ebbw Vale

[Jez]

Re swapping 158s between Shrewsbury/Holyhead etc and Maesteg/Cheltenham, isnt the early morning Chester-Cardiff-Maesteg a 158 or a 150? And doesnt a 158 or 150 get sent back up North on either the 20xx Chester service or 21xx Crewe service. I think this was the reason these are no longer through services from Milford/Carmarthen etc but start at Cardiff.

I think a 158 is covering for the 175 used on WAG2, on one Cardiff-Holyhead service (believe its the 1321 from Cardiff).  When both 175002 and the other 175 used on WAG2 are back in use on Milford/Cardiff/Manchester and Cardiff-Holyhead then we shouldnt see many sprinters used on these services hopefully.