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

[whole diary]

[animationmilo]

Unless of course they always form 04:36 with a 150, as they have enough to do that.

[Jez]

Yes but the first HOW is formed off the overnight fishguard which the day before works a Pembroke Dock diagram. Unless they just sent a 150 to Swansea every morning in time for the first HOW?

[phile]

The 01 50 Fishguard conveys an additional unit from Carmarthen to work 05 50 Swansea to Pembroke Dock.   They could easily be transposed and a 150 worked to Carmarthen the previous night.

[Jez]

A look at the Journey Planner on National Rail Enquries after the May timetable change shows that the 1900 and 1910 Cardiff services from Swansea (the 1900 being the fast train and the 1910 being the Swanline) have merged and will depart Swansea at 1859. This service will still run through from Milford at 1708 but will call at all Swanline station and arrive at Cardiff just after 8pm.

I guess this makes sense as its pointless running 2 services to the same destination 10 minutes apart at this time (after the main evening peak) and also the 1910 is currently formed off the 1804 Cardiff-Swanline-Swansea which means a very tight turn around at Swansea and the 1910 often being late leaving. This could often hold up the 1928 Paddington if the sprinter was more than a few mins late.

I remember a few years ago the 17xx Milford used to run through as the Swanline with the 1900 being formed by the sprinter which in those days departed Cardiff at 1738 and had a longer turnaround at Swansea. I seem to remember it went to Cheltenham at one point.

There is still a large gap in the Swanline timetable after this with the next service departing Swansea at 2145 and then a short gap with the final service at 2232 (2220 on Saturdays so a really short gap). Personally I would run the 2145 through to Cardiff as a fast train and have the 2055 make Swanline stops to even out the service pattern, but of course if that was to happen the 2055 would lose its connection on the marches/Crewe service with the last connection to Crewe from Swansea being the 2028.  In the other direction after the 1904 I dont think there is another Swanline stopping service until the last one at around 11pm, so a very long gap. I wonder when (if) Swanline will get a better service.

Also I assume another 175 doing a Swanline service, the 175s are starting to become more common on Swanline stops than the sprinters now!

Any more news on the Pembroke Dock services being 2 car all year? I can see Pacers being on them if thats to be the case and the 153s then being used elsewhere, possibly one booked onto Cardiff Bay and Coryton permanently? I wonder how they will work it.

[John R]

ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) announced the two car to Pembroke service on Friday, along with 14 more stops each way at Gowerton and a couple of additional services from Llanelli to Cardiff from May. Though reported in the press, there was nothing on their website by the end of the day, so the detail is still a bit sketchy.

[Jez]

I also noticed looking at the journey planner there is a new swanline service from Cardiff-Swansea leaving Cardiff at 0714 arriving into Swansea at 0830 so extra capacity for Swanline in the morning peak. The Milford Haven Service that leave Cardiff around 0750 also appears to still be making Swanline stops on weekdays but not on Saturdays. So on Saturdays a longer gap from 0714 to 0914 but in line with the 2 hour stopping pattern, whilst on weekdays it will be 0714, 0750ish and 0914.

This means the 0916 HOW is no longer a through service from Cardiff Central, on weekdays or Saturdays. I assume the set used for the 0714 Swanline will sit in Swansea from 0830 and then go on to form the 0916. So a set will still move from Canton to Shrewsbury via HOW but we lose the through journey opportunity. 

[Rhydgaled]

I went to do some videoing of the Swansea District Line (SDL) divertions on Saturday (6th April) and last Friday (29th March). Not sure if it counts as 'unusual movements' but on the Friday the Fishguard boat train was 4-car (2x 150), and on Saturday what I think was the boat train was 5-car (2x 150 again, but sandwiching a 153).

Are both tracks now in use between Swansea and Llanelli, and both platforms at Gowerton, or is it still single-line working while they finish off the second track? If they are using both tracks, did they start to do so today (Monday 8th April) or yesterday (7th April)?

[anthony215]

Both tracks are in use through Goweton now a certain enthusiast from Pembrey has been put with his camera filming

[Jez]

I noticed the 1435 Ebbw Vale service was a 3 car - 158 and 153 - today, didnt know they did that apart from weekends, thought it was booked 2 car.

Any news on what will be diagrammed for Pembroke Dock from next week as all services are meant to be increased to 2 car. I have noticed the Fishguard/Pembroke that splits at Carmarthen in the morning is more often than not a 150 and 153 which means at least one of the diagrams is usually already 2 car.

[Hafren]

Ebbw Vale trains have been strengthened during the peaks for a while now - since Feb I think. There's a news release on the ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) website which I think says they've doubled the capacity but in practice the 8.37 arrival has almost always been 150+153; I don't often see the 17.35 but on the one occasion I have recently it involved a 158. The 8.35  (ex Bridgend) which would become the 1435/1735 unless there's a Maesteg swap in the day is usually a single 150, but something must be added at some point for the evening peak, and before the 1735 cycle because that now goes via Bridgend so it's a bit tight for coupling. The 3 car formation in the morning peak often ends up on the 18.04 Swanline as one might expect but not always. With at least one 153 on Ebbw Vale and usually one giong to Cardiff Bay now, not many are left for their usual routes!

I travelled on the 'new' line the other week. There was a 50 or 60 TSR^▸ (Temporary Speed Restriction) along the redoubled section, which tallies with the extra 3 minutes in the timings for a couple of weeks after the 'reopening'. Any ideas if the 20 on the down approach to Cockett West has been removed? I don't remember noticing it that day. That might mean some early arrivals at Gowerton...

With all these extra stops (both this May and in recent years) I wonder if Gowerton will lose its 'x' soon. It certainly seems much busier than when I moved here around a decade ago.

[phile]

The 13 35 arrival from Ebbw Vale goes to Canton in it's lay over time and attaches strengthening 153 before working 14 35 Cardiff to Ebbw Vale because, as Hafren has said, it is too tight to attach later due to Bridgend trip.    It is booked 158 which works 20 17 Cardiff to Manchester after returning from Ebbw Vale.

[Jez]

I knew some/most Ebbw Vales has extra capacity on Saturdays but didnt know they did it during the week.

Is a 153 now "officially" booked for Cardiff Bay? I know when Bubbles was still around but often out of action a 153 would usually stand in but wasnt "officially" booked as the 121 was.  Its been a 153 every time ive seen it during the past few months but a pacer has been used in the past on occasions.

If a 153 is on Cardiff Bay and one on Ebbw Vale as you say there arent many left for elsewhere. My guess is if all Pemb Dock trains are going to be 2 car from next week then the remaining 153s would be 3 on HOW and 1 on Crewe local - not sure where the other 2 would go?  I think one is booked for maintenance and I know Coryton has one on a Saturday.

I could be wrong but arent some Gowerton stops no longer request stops but now just regular stops? I think the HOW ones are still request tho?

[Rhydgaled]

Any idea what the permenant 2-car Pembrokes will be formed of? 2 Pacers and a doubled-up 153 like as I think was booked in previous summer timetables?

[animationmilo]

I like the doubled up 153s on Pembroke Dock as it swaps to heart of wales. Makes it fun

[anthony215]

I could be wrong but arent some Gowerton stops no longer request stops but now just regular stops? I think the HOW ones are still request tho?

Gowerton is still show as a request stop but I have seen the trains from Milford Haven stop there without the passengers giving a hand signal to the drivers