Something else I've noticed reading through
Ken's speech for later, is that it seems 25kV might still be what goes up in the Valleys "The tri-modes trains will bring together three well proven technologies – diesel, batteries and 25kV electric traction" - no mention of 750V DC tramlines. With my cynical hat on I suppose that could be why these units have batteries, so that they can meet the promise of "100% electric traction on all trains operating on valleys line services which pass through Cardiff Queen Street." whilst also utilising wires at Cardiff Central but everywhere being strung up with tram wires, but that'd seem a very daft system to adopt.
Can you provide a source for that map please?
I'm really confused this morning. On the one hand TfW are saying the links between Barry, Penarth and VoG to 'stations north of Cardiff' will be retained, on the other hand it appears that this only means on the Penarth - Rhymney line.
So the Barry & VoG link to Cathays, Llandaf, Radyr etc will be severed? Or will 'tri-mode' trains from Barry & VoG be running through Central, Queen St & Cathays say as far as Radyr alongside tram-trains, or these mysterious 'Metro Vehicles'
There will be 9 tph coming from Penarth, Barry & VoG by 2022, that's too many to send them all up to Rhymney.
That map was lifted from
this video about the franchise (2:05 minutes in). Confusion is par for the course, we've seen a bunch of documents and gone into speculation overdrive - once we start seeing more information and speeches start being delivered, things should start to become clearer.
Links don't have to be direct - they are trumpeting a "multi-modal" system, so it'll be a case of Tri-mode to Queen Street and then change onto a tram (hopefully in a simple and easy fashion)
So green is CAF DMU, red is FLIRT, blue is tram?
Seems to be (although it isn't necessarily a given that the DMUs will be CAFs, after all as detailed in the rolling stock thread it is proving difficult to get the 50% split in terms of welsh built, you would think that if it was higher than 50% they'd be shouting it from the rooftops - unless they're also going to be importing some units from Spain, does anyone know what the capacity of their welsh plant will be in terms of output)
But it does seem that city centre running isn't part of this - the only time they will run as trams seems to be down to the Bay. That's better than expected. I'm just waiting to hear what facilities these tram-trains have, how they will operate and how journey times will be affected
For now! Quoting from Kens speech as linked at the top of this post:
"The Metro Vehicles will use a technology often referred to as Tram-Train. They will operate under Heavy Rail regulations on conventional railway, but will be capable of use in Light Rail (or Tram) mode for extendibility. To ensure all bidders offered a future–proof solution from the outset, the contract requires a short section of on-street running in Cardiff Bay. This is intended as a trial with a view to utilising this increasing flexibility to then expand the network in future."
&
"As I have said previously, on-board toilets will be retained on all new and existing trains. On the new Metro Vehicles which will operate a turn up and go service featuring level boarding on the Taff Vale and City lines (i.e. services to Merthyr, Aberdare and Treherbert), the maximum travel time to a universally accessible toilet will be 14 minutes, with 95% of journeys being within 10 minutes.
Furthermore, the last services each day will include provision for a break in service mid-point for passengers to use the facilities should they wish to do so. This will be advertised and be part of the formal service provision."