Ah! I suspected as much!
I am certainly not against additional service son the line, and I am certainly not against the idea of limited stop services. It seems to me that all trains should stop at Pontardulais, Pantyffynon, Tirydail, Llandeilo, Llangadog, Llanwrda, Llandovery, Llanwrtyd, Builth Road, Llandod, Knucklas, Knighton,Craven Arms and Shrewsbury.
Something else I would like to see considered are additional trains on the southern and northern section for local journeys to and from Shrewsbury/Swansea.
You may be right, I don't know enough about the characteristics of the line, but I know that the Light Railway Order it operates under does limit speeds somewhat.
I think that the LRO also places restirctions on level crossings and signalling.
This is true. I don't think any improvements could be made to the timetable on the line without additional funding from somewhere. I can't imagine that any additional services would be revenue neutral.
The last time I looked it required a change in Pontardulais, but even then, it was a more attractive option than the train!
As I understand it although the HOWL was granted a Light Railway Order in 1972, Light Railways Orders as such no longer exist, however the line is still subject to the conditions….seems a bit ambiguous? Again, as I understand it, this places a restriction on:
- The number of trains. What that number it is I don’t know but 6 trains a day each way have run at times since 1972 which (IMO) is certainly sufficient in an improved tt.
- A max speed limit. Again I don’t know what it is but there is plenty of 60mph running which again is probably enough BUT could be more beneficial if, for example, along the Tywi Valley the crossing speed restrictions and Glanrhyd bridge speed restrictions were “rectified”. An “express” running restriction free between Llandeilo & Llandovery and between Knighton and Craven arms would be quite impressive in a HOWL perspective!
- Pantyffynon Crossing . Another requirement of the LRO was that a crossing keeper was employed at Pantyffynon level crossing ( at the north end of the station) which doesn’t really impose any constraint on speed as the train stops at the station and signal box to exchange token anyway.
There are presumably other LRO requirements which I can’t recall at the moment.
It’s also worth noting that many speed restrictions HAVE thankfully been lifted on the Multitude of occupation crossings and many of the crew operated crossings which restrict speed such as at Llandybie, Ffairfach exist NOT because of the LRO granted in 1972 but after introduction of NSKT introduced in1986 which abolished the signal boxes / ground frames at many locations such as, again, at Llandybie and Ffairfach among others, locations where trains would pass at reasonable speed unless required to stop. As far as I can think there is only one crossing FB crossing where trains pass at speed……Cilyrychen, between Llandybie and Ffairfach. So it is possible!
My point really is that I think the LRO is now largely irrelevant and that the key to improved speed is modernizing the level crossings and that comes down to CASH!!
As regards the service from GCG and the Amman valley, I agree with Chief Planner I cannot see how this could stack up. It was mooted by Railfuture in relation to construction a “new” link from the SDL to Gorseinon and then on to the S Wales main line at Gowerton. Like the thoughts of a two hourly service on the whole line PLUS hourly at the southern end, a great idea but must be so far in the future that I can’t see its possibility without some major shift in govt policy….or am I just negative???
Chief Planner……love the nostalgia! I can certainly remember travelling on the 301 (I think) from Llandybie to Cardiff (it originated in Carmarthen) in the 60s. A horrendous journey of 3h 20m which included a 20 m layover in Neath and then the possibility of being held up at Aberavon Town level crossing.
