Didn't Tower Colliery close in 2008? Has the timetable still not been adjusted?Also for Aberdare where the half hourly service has an hour gap due to a freight path for Tower Colliery.
A generation ago when it ran with the branch to Chester (bizarrely the most used part of the network, but closed) there were two-three trains per hour on both ends, two-car and occasionally four-car at steelworks shift change times. It also seemed to carry a lot of shoppers from North Wales to Liverpool, changing at Bidston and filling the electric unit from West Kirby there with Welsh speakers. These Modernisation Plan units used were high powered units with all cars motored, specifically ordered for this line and retained on it long term, to handle the substantial gradients up from the Dee crossing on both sides.It's not long since the hourly service was run by a single 153, which then went to a 2-car 150.
Line speeds are very low so journey times are long, with very short turnround times at each end.
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