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Extra Cambrian and Heart of Wales servies -your experiences

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Gareth Marston

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Well it seems to have started well today with 1G18 the 1030 Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury running to time and arriving Shrewsbury one minute early.

Tomorrow will see more trains and I notice on RTT that theirs a tamper drag from Coleham to Tywyn that will test things out in addition to the extra ATW trains. Leave Coleham 0820, due Tywyn 1039, returns 1414.
 
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The Planner

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Should technically all arrive 1 early without TSRs as there is a minutes engineering allowance at Sutton Bridge.
 

Tracky

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My concern is finding the rolling stock on a day to day basis for these additional services without leaving North Wales / Manchester with 150s and Birmingham trains short formed. Only time will tell...
 

Gareth Marston

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My concern is finding the rolling stock on a day to day basis for these additional services without leaving North Wales / Manchester with 150s and Birmingham trains short formed. Only time will tell...

No units have been "taken" from elsewhere so in theory there should be no impact. See the consultation thread.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Should technically all arrive 1 early without TSRs as there is a minutes engineering allowance at Sutton Bridge.

I'll sue if the 0630 ex Aberystwyth is not early tomorrow morning:p
 

berneyarms

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You're going to have to explain that one - that's a generic link that only gives live info.
 

Gareth Marston

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You're going to have to explain that one - that's a generic link that only gives live info.


1st UP from Pwllheli was cancelled 0629 to Birmingham International.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Met 0625 ex Salop @ Newtown this morning , two friends got off and 4 people continued on journey.
0630 ex Aber was much better used, my two friends got off in Welshpool. 57 was the headcount on arriving at Salop
 

PHILIPE

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1st UP from Pwllheli was cancelled 0629 to Birmingham International.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Met 0625 ex Salop @ Newtown this morning , two friends got off and 4 people continued on journey.
0630 ex Aber was much better used, my two friends got off in Welshpool. 57 was the headcount on arriving at Salop

Journey Check states 06 29 Pwllheli cancelled again tomorrow with bus from Barmouth. Traincrew issues making me wonder if enough were recruited at Pwllheli.
 

NeilWatson

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Journey Check states 06 29 Pwllheli cancelled again tomorrow with bus from Barmouth. Traincrew issues making me wonder if enough were recruited at Pwllheli.

06.29 now reinstated (if I've understood Journeycheck correctly).
 

Starmill

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The press releases, news articles etc calling it an 'hourly service' starting Monday make me somewhat uneasy. OK, a train leaves Aberystwyth every hour between 0530 and 2340, except that there isn't at 1030, 1430 and 1630. Will people mistakenly just assume there is one at half past every hour now?
 

PHILIPE

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1730 ex ABR joined up with 1538 ex Pwllheli and went forward from Mach as 4 car today, not planned as that or in public tt.

I have had a look and find advertised as through on Journey Planner and also shown on Real Time Trains. Must be a unit off maintenance to go ECS from Machynlleth for 18 30 ex Aberystwyth.
 

davetheguard

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Do any of the new services on the Cambrian mean that a) the loop at Dovey Jcn. and b) double track at Fron that were both re-instated a couple of years ago are brought in to regular use?

While on the subject, are any of the crossing loops on the Central Wales Line at which nothing was booked to cross, now also regularly needed for the latest timetable?
 

berneyarms

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Yes, both the Dovey loop and double track at Fron are now in daily use to cross trains when the hourly service is in operation.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I have had a look and find advertised as through on Journey Planner and also shown on Real Time Trains. Must be a unit off maintenance to go ECS from Machynlleth for 18 30 ex Aberystwyth.

And yet in the Cambrian hourly service consultation thread, there's a report of the 17:30 ex-Aberystwyth only being a 2-car at Shrewsbury.
 
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craigybagel

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While on the subject, are any of the crossing loops on the Central Wales Line at which nothing was booked to cross, now also regularly needed for the latest timetable?

On the Heart of Wales, the extra morning down Llandovery crosses the first up through train at Llandeilo. Also, the extra morning up Llandrindod crosses the first down through train at Knighton. Neither loop saw crossing services before.

Also, the first and third pair of through services now cross and change crews at Llanwrtyd instead of Llandrindod, and vice versa for the second pair.
 

PHILIPE

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Yes, both the Dovey loop and double track at Fron are now in daily use to cross trains when the hourly service is in operation.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


And yet in the Cambrian hourly service consultation thread, there's a report of the 17:30 ex-Aberystwyth only being a 2-car at Shrewsbury.

It was also only 2 in the last Timetable.
 

berneyarms

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It was also only 2 in the last Timetable.

I'm not doubting that - but the post above says that it and the train ex-Pwllheli joined up at Machynlleth to form a four piece set, yet the post in the other thread states that the train was only a 2 piece at Shrewsbury, leading to your own speculation about another set coming out of the depot.

Something is not quite right!!
 

PHILIPE

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I'm not doubting that - but the post above says that it and the train ex-Pwllheli joined up at Machynlleth to form a four piece set, yet the post in the other thread states that the train was only a 2 piece at Shrewsbury, leading to your own speculation about another set coming out of the depot.

Something is not quite right!!

I'm inclined to believe the eye witness who was on the WAG. Looking through RTT, Journey Planner and other sites, I have discovered there are many trains and stock shunts that don't seem to add up. I won't list them individually as there are so many.
 
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Gareth Marston

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Do any of the new services on the Cambrian mean that a) the loop at Dovey Jcn. and b) double track at Fron that were both re-instated a couple of years ago are brought in to regular use?

While on the subject, are any of the crossing loops on the Central Wales Line at which nothing was booked to cross, now also regularly needed for the latest timetable?

The crossings at Dovey junction are into double figures but nearly all are before 0900 or after 1800. About 8 on the double track from Welshpool to Fron.
 

mikestone1952

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I was on the WAG on Monday which stood at Sutton Bridge, perusal of RTT suggesting the 17.30 Aberystwyth was at English Bridge awaiting the 18.09 Birmingham- Aberystwyth to arrive in 4.
Unless there was a set swop at Salop, which I discounted because then both trains could have run straight in, the 17.30 ex Aber was a single set.
'
17.20 Crewe-Swansea was a 150, noted waiting to cross over at Craven Arms..
 

craigybagel

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1720 Cre-Shr is booked 150. Interestingly enough it means that Chester drivers no longer have any 153 work on weekdays.

From what I've pieced together the cycle is as follows.

153

Set 1
0714: CDF-SWA
0933: SWA-SHR
1405: SHR-SWA
1821: SWA-SHR

Set 2
0445: SHR-LLO
0618: LLO-CRE
0914: CRE-SWA
1435: SWA-CRE

Set 3
0405: CRE-SHR (ECS)
0542: SHR-CDF
and then remains in South Wales.

150

Set 1
0453: CMN-LLV
0642: LLV-SWA
Then various trips between Swansea and Fishguard or Pembroke until it does the night Fishguard where it becomes:

Set 2
0150: FGH-SWA
0603: SWA-CRE
Then Crewe-Shrewsbury locals until
1720: CRE-CDF

CDF: Cardiff Central
CMN: Carmarthen
CRE: Crewe
FGH: Fishguard Harbour
LLO: Llandrindrod Wells
LLV: Llandovery
SHR: Shrewsbury
SWA: Swansea
 
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Gareth Marston

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I was on the WAG on Monday which stood at Sutton Bridge, perusal of RTT suggesting the 17.30 Aberystwyth was at English Bridge awaiting the 18.09 Birmingham- Aberystwyth to arrive in 4.
Unless there was a set swop at Salop, which I discounted because then both trains could have run straight in, the 17.30 ex Aber was a single set.
'
17.20 Crewe-Swansea was a 150, noted waiting to cross over at Craven Arms..

Saw 1730 from Aber last night was 2 car.
 

PHILIPE

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I think I've got the Cambrians right now from info received so here goes to dispel the doubts:-

06 40 Crewe to Shrewsbury 4 Cars combines with 05 30 ex Aber (2 Cars) forward 6
07 30 Aberystwyth 2 Cars to Shrewsbury attaches 2 off 06 30 ex Aber (no attachment Machynlleth off Barmouth which is Mtce Unit)
18 09 Birmingham Intl to Aberystwyth 4 Cars, detaches 2 at Shrewsbury for 19 22 to Chester
17 30 Aberystwyth to Birmingham Intl 2 Cars throughout
18 31 Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury 2 Cars form 20 32 Shrewsbury to Crewe
19 30 Aberystwyth to Birmingham New St 2 Cars throughout but also conveys further 2 Cars (off Coast) between Machynlleth and Shrewsbury for balancing purposes.
 

Gareth Marston

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I think I've got the Cambrians right now from info received so here goes to dispel the doubts:-

06 40 Crewe to Shrewsbury 4 Cars combines with 05 30 ex Aber (2 Cars) forward 6
07 30 Aberystwyth 2 Cars to Shrewsbury attaches 2 off 06 30 ex Aber (no attachment Machynlleth off Barmouth which is Mtce Unit)
18 09 Birmingham Intl to Aberystwyth 4 Cars, detaches 2 at Shrewsbury for 19 22 to Chester
17 30 Aberystwyth to Birmingham Intl 2 Cars throughout
18 31 Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury 2 Cars form 20 32 Shrewsbury to Crewe
19 30 Aberystwyth to Birmingham New St 2 Cars throughout but also conveys further 2 Cars (off Coast) between Machynlleth and Shrewsbury for balancing purposes.

That agrees with my observations. I'm told theirs been no overcrowding problem with the 0730 ex Aberystwyth so far but we have the first weekend and the half term upon us so will find out soon!
ECS from Mach to Salop running at moment according to RTT.

A pity that the 1709 and 1909 ex INTL are not being advertised as being through trains to Aberystwyth likewise with the 1830 from Aberystwyth being a direct service to Crewe.
 

PHILIPE

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That agrees with my observations. I'm told theirs been no overcrowding problem with the 0730 ex Aberystwyth so far but we have the first weekend and the half term upon us so will find out soon!
ECS from Mach to Salop running at moment according to RTT.

A pity that the 1709 and 1909 ex INTL are not being advertised as being through trains to Aberystwyth likewise with the 1830 from Aberystwyth being a direct service to Crewe.

ECS from Machynlleth to Salop only STP today for some reason or other. Not a regular.
 

40129

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10:33 ex-SHR to BHM was only 2-car today. Caused chaos at WVH as reduced frequency from there to BHM due to engineering work at STA. Large numbers were directed on to the following LM local which was full and standing WVH-BHM
 
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