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

[whole diary]

[Hafren]

I assume the 150s on Wrexham will need to go back to Cardiff at some point tho so they would be swapped?

That seems to be done on the morning peak Chester-Maesteg service. And I guess one of the evening trains from Cardiff takes one back up, hence not running through from West Wales...?

Any ideas what is actually booked for the aforementioned Chester-Maesteg (8.20ish CDF^» (Cardiff - next trains))? A couple of years ago it sometimes seemed to be 150+158 which split at CDF, allowing both types to circulate into the south, but it seemed to vary a bit.

[Jez]

Shrewsbury Crewe Local 150 Wunter 153 Summer
Blaenau Ffestiniog 153 Winter 150 Summer.     They change over seasonally to provide more carriages to Blaenau Ffestiniog
150 works 21 50 Shrewsbury to Crewe to work North (Bidstons also)  and 23 08 Shrewsbury Cardiff in opposite direction.

If 150s alternate with 153's on the Crewe local services and Conwy Valley then that would mean the 8th 153 could be used on Cardiff Bay!

[Jez]

I assume the 150s on Wrexham will need to go back to Cardiff at some point tho so they would be swapped?

That seems to be done on the morning peak Chester-Maesteg service. And I guess one of the evening trains from Cardiff takes one back up, hence not running through from West Wales...?

Any ideas what is actually booked for the aforementioned Chester-Maesteg (8.20ish CDF^» (Cardiff - next trains))? A couple of years ago it sometimes seemed to be 150+158 which split at CDF, allowing both types to circulate into the south, but it seemed to vary a bit.

True. I think the morning Chester-Maesteg is often a 150

[anthony215]

I havent heard anything about the ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) class 121, last i heard it was a shorttage of parts which was delaying it being out back into service. I hope they can get it out by sepetmber that should free up a pacer or class 153 which is currently being used.

[phile]

Morning Chester to Maesteg is 158 and northbound balance is 20 17 Cardiff to Manchester.
after working Maesteg to Cheltenhams over three day period.   Chester Crewe locals are 158 (SX) 150 (Sat), the latter going up Attached Friday night on 21 50
Hafren, I have already explained how the 150s change over.  Swanline booked Pacer Sats when not so many Units on Valleys, some 2 cars instead of 4.

[anthony215]

Slightly off topic but 153303 had to be used to cover for a class 175 at Whitchurch (Brakes not releasing or something) tonight.

This formed the 19:31 Crewe- Manchester Piccadilly & the 20:30  Manchester - Cardiff Central (Ow joy for anyone doing the full trip)

I look forward to seing how ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) cope with extra passengers traveling to/from swansea when swansea city are playing/


I had an idea while waiting for the train this afternooon. my idea is:

15:05 Cardiff Central - Swansea ( Arr 16:05) WAG2 stock - makes additional call at Pyle at 15:34. Then forms a  17:10 Swansea - Cardiff- Holyhead service which will call at the swanline stations but not Pyle. This should alow this service to reach Bridgend at 17:50 and keep out of the way of the London service following behind.

Whilst the WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) to is formed of a DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) till at least december it should be able to cope with the timings, a loco hauled set would require slighly extra time to cope with all the stops, so the idea of missing out Pyle should allow for this.


15:14 swanline service from Cardiff would  depart at 15:34 and run to Swansea missing out Pyle allowing it to arrive into Swansea at 16:30. this would then form the 16:40 service from Swnasea to Fishguard Hbr.

The 16:55 & 17:55 departtures from Swansea to Manchester Piccadilly will be retimed to depart Swansea at 16:53 & 17:53 with  them calling at Pyle at 17:18 & 18:18. and still reach Cardiff before 17:50 & 18:50. to do this these service's would have to leave Carmarthen a few minutes earlier and possibly skip out Ferryside, kidwelly etc with the 16:29 service from Carmarthen - Swansea covering for this.

[Rhydgaled]

I look forward to seing how ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) cope with extra passengers traveling to/from swansea when swansea city are playing.

Simple answer, they'll do nothing. I had a trip to Cardiff a few days back, boarding the 2-car 175 on the Milford Haven - Manchester service at Whitland. All went well until just before Pembrey and Burry Port where a manual anouncement asked everyone to remove their bags from seats as they were expecting a large number of passengers to board at Pembrey and Burry Port. This turned out to be an understatement, as after alot of passengers crammed aboard the staff decided they'd have to leave a large number of passengers behind on the platform. Alot of passengers where left sitting on the platform at Llanelli also.

I found out later that some event (a concert of some sort I think) was on which has been running for a few years. If Arriva knew far enough in advance (which they should have done, otherwise it is the event's organisers who are at fault and should have informed ATW), couldn't they have at least diagramed a 3-car 175 rather than the 2-car set we were landed with? Even better, they could have hired some locomotives (perhaps the 2 class 50s I saw while passing Canton) or used the loco off the WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) express and put on a extra service using their stored mark2s, ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) Canton to Pembrey or Carmarthen via the Swansea District Line then back to Cardiff with the passengers). Surely with the number of passengers involved (at least if they used the WAG express 57 they are paying for anyway) the ticket revenye would cover the cost of the extra service. Instead, everyone had to try and squeese onto that 2-car 175.

[matt473]

The problem with strengthening services from West Wales is that services will have to be cancelled elsewhere just like FGW^▸ (First Great Western) cancelled many Cardiff services for Glastonbury services. I don't think it would have been possible to cancel services without causing problems for many day to day users of the railway. Then the problem of hiring in stock would be who would be willing to provide stock to transport thousands of students covered in mud to wherever. However I will say that maybe a few extended HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s could have been a good idea starting to/from Carmarthen next year when the Beach Break festival returns. Could even travel via Swansea District line so that it could return within reasonable time to reduce numbers of canellations in the South Wales area

[anthony215]

ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) class 121, is now back in action , finally

[Lee]

Is it? Excellent stuff. I was hoping to get the opportunity to ride on it at some point 

[anthony215]

 seems that once word got out a lot of train enthusiasts decended onto the line to have a trip on it.

Ow yes network rail has a test train hauled by 2 class 37's which is running around swansea & the district line tommorow and is expected to visit all the west wales branches on wednesday

I only have timings for when it is expected through Claberston Road:  these are: 07.20, 08.02 and 10.20

[Hafren]

The test train was in Maliphant sidings this afternoon; I think I saw a yellow flash passing near Cardiff around midday.

Re the extras for Beach Break, it's worth noting that ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) does quite well with providing stock for Royal Welsh Show, although it does seem to involve a bit of juggling in the Valleys, with 153s giong to Coryton and some Pacer-vice-150 swaps. However, that probably involves a bit of planning in terms of ensuring maximum availability for the week, and the RWS specials are a long-established provision and so the momentum is already there. And of course RWS has a bit more political value than Beach Break. Also, on a line with a relatively frequent service, it might be hard to ensure people travel on the one or two extra or strengthened journeys, but would be ways to encourage it.

The endless supply of 153s has been going strong: not only one on the Coryton/City route on Saturday, but one on Friday as well.

[Jez]

Interesting to know the 121 is back in service. Perhaps I will have a ride on it.

[anthony215]

doesnt work on sundays be warned.

[Jez]

What was being used on Pembroke Dock and HOW today? I noticed one of the Swanlines, the 11xx from Cardiff which goes on to form the 13xx HOW was a 153 and 150.  A pacer was on the other swanline diagram.

The 1455 from Swansea-Manchester was a 158 - thats a popular one for 158s to run.

I noticed a lot of 150s today on Maesteg - surprising for a Saturday when the 150s are needed for extra capacity on the Valley's/Ebbw Vale/Pembroke etc. Where were the 158's apart from that one I saw on the Manchester service.