Heart of Wales festers

[185143]

Doing the Heart of Wales line for another 5 shacks I require down there tomorrow.

Got around a 2 hour fester at each shack, any advice on how to use it?
Winning:
Llanwrda
Llandovery
Sugar Loaf (

 

[ChiefPlanner]

You can easily walk from Ffairfach to Llandeilo - (which in itself is a pleasant market town) - ditto Llandovery.....

Sugar Loaf is a Challenge - take some reading material ..... (and a flask / food !)

 

[crispy1978]

By looking at google maps, Llanwrda to Llangadog (next station up the line in the opposite direction) is about an hours walk - whether that would help with tying in with train times, I don't know - but obviously worth a look.

Ffairfach to Llandeilo is about 25 minutes walk.

I've heard stories about Sugar Loaf - seems very isolated, so you might be out of luck finding much there! 1 hour 25 mins seems the shortest connection (unless you can get there super early and catch the 0745 in and 0815 out?)

 

[Techniquest]

Don't walk Llandwrda to Llangadog, it's along a pavement-less A483 and that's a very busy road. As it's also a Bank Holiday weekend, you would be lucky not to get run over...

 

[185143]

By looking at google maps, Llanwrda to Llangadog (next station up the line in the opposite direction) is about an hours walk - whether that would help with tying in with train times, I don't know - but obviously worth a look.

Ffairfach to Llandeilo is about 25 minutes walk.

I've heard stories about Sugar Loaf - seems very isolated, so you might be out of luck finding much there! 1 hour 25 mins seems the shortest connection (unless you can get there super early and catch the 0745 in and 0815 out?)

18 minute connection at Sugar Loaf

Also, my rules mean that for a shack to count I have to board AND Alight, so walking between shacks is discounted straight away...

 

[Kite159]

Hopefully the weather in that part of Wales will hold out and you don't get soaked waiting for services.

If you don't count walking, how will you count the likes of Denton, Clifton, Pilning etc which only sees a very limited service (I.e. one train a day/week,)

 

[185143]

Hopefully the weather in that part of Wales will hold out and you don't get soaked waiting for services.

If you don't count walking, how will you count the likes of Denton, Clifton, Pilning etc which only sees a very limited service (I.e. one train a day/week,)

Weather has been lovely so far! Denton involved a bus and Clifton involved a walk to/from Swinton, via the Chippy. Still need Pilning though.

 

[Gathursty]

I doff my cap to anyone with such rules attempting any more than one shack scratch along the HOW line!

 

[185143]

I doff my cap to anyone with such rules attempting any more than one shack scratch along the HOW line!

Just been to Sugar Loaf...
According to the guard, its the third time he's stopped there in his 3 year career as a guard. A passenger on the train congratulated me for doing it, as did the driver.

The looks I got from passengers when I got on the southbound train though!

 

[Gathursty]

The looks I got from passengers when I got on the southbound train though!

What kind of looks?

 

[70014IronDuke]

What kind of looks?

forget the looks - rejoice that there were other passengers on the train

 

[Techniquest]

You make it sound like no-one uses the Heart of Wales!

On my last visit a fair few Mondays ago, the 09xx off Swansea was packed, and the one from Shrewsbury at about the same time was also pretty busy (felt a little less busy as it was a 150 so people spread out). I didn't do much of a count on the other moves I made that day, but the 05-bungle off Shrewsbury was remarkably busy beyond Llandrindod considering it was a February Monday.

Congratulations on Sugar Loaf, I assume you did one of the moves where trains cross at Llanwrtyd? I had a much longer fester there, but the time flew by as I had tons of bookwork to do. Bet no-one took a selfie at Sugar Loaf to commemorate their call there (obviously I did, but others did too)!

 

[krus_aragon]

My wife and I did a day trip to Llandeilo (from Llanelli) a few years back: it's a few minutes walk to the centre of town but you should easily be able to while away an hour or two.

 

[185143]

My wife and I did a day trip to Llandeilo (from Llanelli) a few years back: it's a few minutes walk to the centre of town but you should easily be able to while away an hour or two.

And quite a steep uphill walk too!

Tech, I know the Heart of Wales can be busy, but I was on the 05:56 off Shrewsbury and there was just me onboard until Llandrindod where about 6 people got on. Did pick up a few more further down though. Coming back on the last northbound, the single dogbox was around half full until Llandrindod where there was only one other passenger all the way to Shrewsbury.

If I make it sound like no one used the HoW on monday, thats because they weren't!

 

[Blindtraveler]

Id love to see the numbers in terms of how much the HOW makes a year out of enthusiasts vs normals

certainly cant c anyone other than a tourist or basher buying a Shrewsbury to Swansea route Landovery single when the marches are much faster

 

[mrben253]

Sorry for going a bit off topic, but I'm planning to do the HOWL next week and was wondering if anyone could tell me which side is the best to sit on and things to look out for scenery-wise please? I will be travelling on the 14:35 Swansea - Shrewsbury, also would it be a good idea to reserve seat?

 

[PaulHarding150]

You won't need to reserve a seat and you'll be able to move around quite a bit

 

[PHILIPE]

Busses being used today to supplement trains due high passenger loadings.

 

[PaulHarding150]

Wow never been like that when I've used the line!

Is it especially busy because of the school holidays?

 

[Techniquest]

Sorry for going a bit off topic, but I'm planning to do the HOWL next week and was wondering if anyone could tell me which side is the best to sit on and things to look out for scenery-wise please? I will be travelling on the 14:35 Swansea - Shrewsbury, also would it be a good idea to reserve seat?

In my experience the right hand side (after the reversal at Llanelli!) generates the nicer views, but there's nothing wrong with the left side either.

 

[70014IronDuke]

You make it sound like no-one uses the Heart of Wales!

On my last visit a fair few Mondays ago, the 09xx off Swansea was packed, and the one from Shrewsbury at about the same time was also pretty busy (felt a little less busy as it was a 150 so people spread out).
...

I'm genuinely pleased to hear it, but how many were left on north of, say, Llandovery?

... I didn't do much of a count on the other moves I made that day, but the 05-bungle off Shrewsbury was remarkably busy beyond Llandrindod considering it was a February Monday.

You mean the 07.35 (or so) ex Llandrindod? Again, i'm very pleased to hear it, but how many got on between Llandod and Llandovery? This is really THE key train of the day southbound for these stations - and if this train is not used, it might as well close.

Incidentally, I've noticed that the stations between Knighton and Craven Arms (Broome etc) showed significant growth in passenger numbers in 2014-15. OK, the base was quite small, but that is good to see.

 

[Greenback]

It can be cheaper to travel via the HoW, and from Llanelli there's actually very little difference in journey time between the two routes. I personally find the How more interesting, so while I;d agree that the through market between Swansea and Shrewsbury is pretty small, there will be those that just want to save a bit of money or just have a pleasant train ride whether they count themselves as enthusiasts or not.

I'm stating the obvious, but the higher frequency of services along the Marches and the higher populations served means that that route is always going to busier than the HoW. On the latter line the majority of users when I've travelled have been between intermediate stations. Much fewer have done a full trip, but there have been some, at least to and from Llanelli, where i usually board or alight.

 

[Techniquest]

I'm genuinely pleased to hear it, but how many were left on north of, say, Llandovery?

I was on it Pantyffynon to Sugar Loaf, and on the entire journey not many seats were vacant.

You mean the 07.35 (or so) ex Llandrindod? Again, i'm very pleased to hear it, but how many got on between Llandod and Llandovery? This is really THE key train of the day southbound for these stations - and if this train is not used, it might as well close.

0735 off Llandod aye. I think 4 of us got on that day, maybe 5, and it was pretty quiet at the time before that. Not massive numbers until Llandovery, but it has to be said with the delays that morning me and one other passenger there were of the same view. The unreliability of services on the line is so great at times that it puts you off using it. With rubbish connections by bus to/from Llandod you don't bother going that way so often.

 

[70014IronDuke]

.........
Not massive numbers until Llandovery, but it has to be said with the delays that morning me and one other passenger there were of the same view. The unreliability of services on the line is so great at times that it puts you off using it. With rubbish connections by bus to/from Llandod you don't bother going that way so often.

Pretty disastrous record yesterday and today on RTT

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...31/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=passenger&order=wtt

so far - a couple of trains appear cancelled and a few running 30 + late.

And of course, one cancellation on this line typically means a four-hour wait, and you have lost 25% of your service

Not a good advert on the Bank Holiday Monday.

 

[PHILIPE]

Pretty disastrous record yesterday and today on RTT

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...31/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=passenger&order=wtt

so far - a couple of trains appear cancelled and a few running 30 + late.

And of course, one cancellation on this line typically means a four-hour wait, and you have lost 25% of your service

Not a good advert on the Bank Holiday Monday.

There have been several part cancellations recently due to traincrew shortages, i.e. train runs to crossing point and turns back. Road transport is always provided.