South Wales 'Metro' updates

[Envoy]

Depends on how you define "near".

There are toilets c. 200m away in the Pleasure Park opposite the station (available to the public by agreement with the Council), and there are two more sets of toilets, at either end of the Promenade - so at least two within an easy 5 minute walk. Those visiting the beach effectively walk past them on their way to the station. Plus those in the all the eateries people might be using - many will prefer to use them before they leave. That's much better availability than lots of other places in the valleys, especially those to be served by tram-trains without loos.

Barry Island these days is effectively a small, unstaffed halt - which makes access to, and maintenance of, toilets more problematic.

They should re-open the historic station building at Barry Island, get it painted and remove the railings that indicate that this place is so rough that we have to have it secure. Then they should let someone take over the building and run it as a cafe which includes toilets and perhaps let them sell tickets for a commission. So, someone gets the building rent free in exchange for looking after the place day to day and providing a service to passengers.

As things are today, the place is a disgrace for the main beach resort nearest to Cardiff & the valleys as well as a good bit of nearby England. Is Weston-super-Mare station also reduced to having the main building sealed off by railings and no staff present as surely that serves a similar seaside town across the channel?

 

[Dai Corner]

They should re-open the historic station building at Barry Island, get it painted and remove the railings that indicate that this place is so rough that we have to have it secure. Then they should let someone take over the building and run it as a cafe which includes toilets and perhaps let them sell tickets for a commission. So, someone gets the building rent free in exchange for looking after the place day to day and providing a service to passengers.

As things are today, the place is a disgrace for the main beach resort nearest to Cardiff & the valleys as well as a good bit of nearby England. Is Weston-super-Mare station also reduced to having the main building sealed off by railings and no staff present as surely that serves a similar seaside town across the channel?

Weston-super-Mare is staffed and last time I was there (a few years ago) a cafe/bar occupied part of the buildings.

It's busy all the year round though, not just on sunny summer days.

I dare say TfW or Network Rail would consider any enquiries to let parts of Barry Island.

 

[AdamWW]

As things are today, the place is a disgrace for the main beach resort nearest to Cardiff & the valleys as well as a good bit of nearby England. Is Weston-super-Mare station also reduced to having the main building sealed off by railings and no staff present as surely that serves a similar seaside town across the channel?

It's amusing seeing staff with portable ticket machines standing directly in front of the old ticket window.

 

[Brissle Girl]

Many thanks everyone for your recent responses regarding the toilet issue. So, clearly TfW have done nothing about providing the promised new toilets at various locations. The issue at Radyr is particularly concerning being as it is often used as a transfer point to buses. The fact that no toilets exist at Barry Island station is appalling in view of the number of people using this station in summer. This is forcing people to use the toilets on the trains - surely an undesirable outcome as no toilets exist near to the station.

At this stage in the Metro project, one would have expected TfW to have had these new toilet facilities completed.

But the trains serving Barry Island will continue to have toilets, so the provision of additional toilets is a much lower priority, surely?

Weston-super-Mare is staffed and last time I was there (a few years ago) a cafe/bar occupied part of the station

Not any more. Been gone a while.

 

[WesternBiker]

They should re-open the historic station building at Barry Island, get it painted and remove the railings that indicate that this place is so rough that we have to have it secure. Then they should let someone take over the building and run it as a cafe which includes toilets and perhaps let them sell tickets for a commission. So, someone gets the building rent free in exchange for looking after the place day to day and providing a service to passengers.

As things are today, the place is a disgrace for the main beach resort nearest to Cardiff & the valleys as well as a good bit of nearby England. Is Weston-super-Mare station also reduced to having the main building sealed off by railings and no staff present as surely that serves a similar seaside town across the channel?

I agree: the "local war museum" that has occupied much of the original station building does not add much to the immediate area. The Vale of Glamorgan Council has been trying to market the building (a 2020 online newspaper article here - text below). I don't know what came of that. It's a great pity, since it is one of the few original buildings on the Valleys network in something like its original condition - canopies and all - and could be a real asset. Despite is busyness, the immediate area is still quite scruffy and in need of improvement. In contrast, the area around the old Pumphouse (closer to the town and part of the Barry Waterfront development area) is now doing well.

Barry Island Station regeneration plans

The Barry Island Station building has been marketed for a mix of restaurants, shops, business units and residential tourism properties.​

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has agreed to market the building with the aim of complementing Barry’s seaside resort and to further capitalise on the success of the rejuvenated Island and the regenerations of the nearby Barry Waterfront and the Innovation Quarter. The new proposals will see Cambrian Transport, who run the Barry Tourist Railway, stay at the station.

Hood Roads, former railway storage building, The Goodsheds, has been converted into a shopping container village of office space, retail units, restaurants and a coffee shop, complete with an apartment complex. The 19th century Pumphouse building has been turned into the award-winning Hang Fire Southern Kitchen, Academy espresso bar and a number of other businesses.

Vale of Glamorgan Council cabinet member for education and regeneration, Cllr Lisa Burnett said: “This is a hugely exciting opportunity to redevelop one of Barry’s most iconic buildings.
“Following on from the success of similar regeneration projects at nearby locations, we hope this can be another project that turns an underused site into something vibrant and modern that will be of significant benefit to the local community.

“I can’t wait to study the proposals we receive and discover what the future could hold for Barry Island Station.”

Other developments are planned for the waterfront’s Innovation Quarter which include proposals for a new college campus, primary school and further office accommodation in The Engine Room.

 

[Envoy]

ITV Wales’ ‘Sharp End’ on June 5 dealt with city congestion. A discussion followed which included Prof. Mark Barry talking about The Metro.

https://www.itv.com/walesprogrammes/tags/sharp-end

 

[stevieinselby]

ITV Wales’ ‘Sharp End’ on June 5 dealt with city congestion. A discussion followed which included Prof. Mark Barry talking about The Metro.

https://www.itv.com/walesprogrammes/tags/sharp-end

Good to see that they have got on three people who are positive about solving the traffic problem and not the usual pro-car lobby.
One point they missed when going with the trope of the tradie who has to carry a load of big, heavy stuff in his van is that sure, depending on the implementation, he might end up paying cash up front to be able to drive that van around ... but if the roads are quieter because lots of car drivers have shifted to car-shares, public transport or active travel, he'll spend less time sitting in queues, which will make his business more efficient, potentially fitting in more jobs in a day or at least wasting less of his own time.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I agree: the "local war museum" that has occupied much of the original station building does not add much to the immediate area. The Vale of Glamorgan Council has been trying to market the building (a 2020 online newspaper article here - text below). I don't know what came of that. It's a great pity, since it is one of the few original buildings on the Valleys network in something like its original condition - canopies and all - and could be a real asset. Despite is busyness, the immediate area is still quite scruffy and in need of improvement. In contrast, the area around the old Pumphouse (closer to the town and part of the Barry Waterfront development area) is now doing well.

I'd be amazed if anyone could make Barry Island look anything other than dilapidated and run down, frankly.

 

[Envoy]

I'd be amazed if anyone could make Barry Island look anything other than dilapidated and run down, frankly.

The station is the original Victorian building and should really be listed and renovated.

Barry Island must have been lovely before the humans arrived. I have left the station to be confronted with the direct route through the funfair to the beach with a mound of trash. I dare say that a lot of people like the funfair but I can’t help thinking that the place would look a lot better if the land was cleared and planted with a mini forest with the kind of vegetation found west of the promenade. As the southern terminus of The Metro network and the nearest proper beach to major population centres, the Island (& station) could be so much better. The way things are at present, I guess a lot of people would rather go to Cardiff Bay - where I note that work to provide extra capacity is now making excellent progress at that line.

 

[Llanigraham]

Barry Island, before the Docks were built and the humans arrived, was a grassy knoll surrounded by stinking mud flats. It is only the geographic "southern terminus" and certainly not on passenger numbers. And whilst the station may be Victorian, it has no special architectural features that need it listing; it is typical of many other stations of the same era and built by the Barry Railway (Where my uncle was a draughtsman)

 

[m79900]

Sorry if its a silly question, but will the Tram-Trains run on the street at all?

 

[anthony263]

Sorry if its a silly question, but will the Tram-Trains run on the street at all?

Eventually plus the aberdare to Hirwaun section is supposed to be converted to a tramway when the extension opens to get round the issues with the level crossings

 

[AdamWW]

It is only the geographic "southern terminus" and certainly not on passenger numbers.

Across a year, perhaps not. On a sunny Summer Saturday, I think it does OK for numbers.

Sorry if its a silly question, but will the Tram-Trains run on the street at all?

My understanding is that the original plans were for a small amount of "street running" in the Bay as a demonstration, though segregated from road traffic. This is now on hold.

There is a separately funded plan for a direct link from the Bay to Cardiff Central which I think involves some type of street running.

The line from Queen Street to the Bay, although heavy rail, will run under tramway style line of sight rules.

I think at present the wheel profile on the 398s is not appropriate for street running.

 

[anthony263]

Across a year, perhaps not. On a sunny Summer Saturday, I think it does OK for numbers.



My understanding is that the original plans were for a small amount of "street running" in the Bay as a demonstration, though segregated from road traffic. This is now on hold.

There is a separately funded plan for a direct link from the Bay to Cardiff Central which I think involves some type of street running.

The line from Queen Street to the Bay, although heavy rail, will run under tramway style line of sight rules.

I think at present the wheel profile on the 398s is not appropriate for street running.

Supposed to be a link.cominng off the Bay branch near callanghan Square dropping down to road level before running on street to a new set of platforms in the car park on the southern side of Cardiff Central Station

 

[WesternBiker]

Barry Island, before the Docks were built and the humans arrived, was a grassy knoll surrounded by stinking mud flats. It is only the geographic "southern terminus" and certainly not on passenger numbers. And whilst the station may be Victorian, it has no special architectural features that need it listing; it is typical of many other stations of the same era and built by the Barry Railway (Where my uncle was a draughtsman)

My great-great grandfather was the gamekeeper for the estate that included Barry Island before it was developed in the 1860s, and took my great-grandfather to shoot rabbits there. My great grandfather later became a driver on the Barry Railway...

I'm sure the station, if given a proper clean up and found a decent use, could be an asset - but I agree with others that the funfair - a pale shadow of its former self - is past its use-by date now.

 

[CapitalStar378]

Am home for a few days and have noticed that TfW seem to be re-wilding the Coryton line, this is at Rhiwbina.

Are they no longer spraying weedkiller since they took over from NR?

 

[Markdvdman]

Well the Merthyr bus replacement to Ponty has been extended to next Friday. It is shocking they keep on changing dates due to incompetence! As it is THEIR fault they should give us reduced travel costs! This is 7 weeks of it now! The bus replacements are a joke too - hourly instead of half hourly and sometimes minibuses or not turning up at all! I am really cheesed of with TFW!

 

[Dai Corner]

Well the Merthyr bus replacement to Ponty has been extended to next Friday. It is shocking they keep on changing dates due to incompetence! As it is THEIR fault they should give us reduced travel costs! This is 7 weeks of it now! The bus replacements are a joke too - hourly instead of half hourly and sometimes minibuses or not turning up at all! I am really cheesed of with TFW!

Will you forgive them when the shiny new 398s are running,or will you have bought a car and given up on public transport by then?

 

[Llanigraham]

Well the Merthyr bus replacement to Ponty has been extended to next Friday. It is shocking they keep on changing dates due to incompetence! As it is THEIR fault they should give us reduced travel costs! This is 7 weeks of it now! The bus replacements are a joke too - hourly instead of half hourly and sometimes minibuses or not turning up at all! I am really cheesed of with TFW!

How do you know it is due to incompetence and not some unforeseen technical problem?

 

[Markdvdman]

It is incompetence they are saying a railway embankmet issue but remember this is now TWO weeks overdue. I would love to see people having to lose loads of work time that I have to due to their lies! It IS lies as they PROMISED it would be over then extended it, and yesterday, said it is over, and now extended again! It is the sheer joke that they promise, backtrack, apologise, etc that gets to me and many others! Trust me plenty of commuters are really cheeded off like myself!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

It is incompetence they are saying a railway embankmet issue but remember this is now TWO weeks overdue. I would love to see people having to lose loads of work time that I have to due to their lies! It IS lies as they PROMISED it would be over then extended it, and yesterday, said it is over, and now extended again! It is the sheer joke that they promise, backtrack, apologise, etc that gets to me and many others! Trust me plenty of commuters are really cheeded off like myself!

This is what happens when a major upgrade is put in place. I live on the same line and it's frustrating, but having a tantrum and using caps is absolutely to neither your benefit or anyone else's. And as @Llanigraham says, what expertise makes you so certain you know that the delays are down to "incompetence?"

Before I left for Australia in January, I was getting really sick of having to use buses all the time too, but I know it's down to a big, big project being put in place which many people are working very hard on, so I deal with it. I'm personally just grateful that the line is getting the upgrade at all! Clitheroe/Huddersfield-Sheffield/South Manchester/Atherton routes up in the North West, much of the North East and routes in the West are stuck unelectrified and shall be worked by nasty, old, diesel Sprinters for ages. Some of those I'd consider far more important routes than the Valleys lines too.

You're enraged at the works required to make Metro happen, and yet I bet you (and the other "really cheeded off" commuters you refer to) will still use Metro very regularly when it's finally here. That doesn't sit right with me to be honest. It comes across as a bit spoilt.

 

[Markdvdman]

You forget one thing! The new Metro has no toilets and I travel to Cadoxton so will have to split journeys! Progress? Hmm I beg to differ! Also, my mates bro is a driver for TFW and he has said the last train back from Cardiff will be 1:30am - with no toilets!!! also, he believes the chances of them sticking to 4 trains an hour is a joke and I agree - I can see once it goes live it will be a disaster!

 

[AdamWW]

You forget one thing! The new Metro has no toilets and I travel to Cadoxton so will have to split journeys! Progress? Hmm I beg to differ! Also, my mates bro is a driver for TFW and he has said the last train back from Cardiff will be 1:30am - with no toilets!!! also, he believes the chances of them sticking to 4 trains an hour is a joke and I agree - I can see once it goes live it will be a disaster!

If the last trains back are well after midnight that will be a huge improvement over the current timetables.

 

[Parham Wood]

A lot of things that are managed by the Welsh Government or pseudo agencies of them are a disaster at present in my opinion.

 

[Llanigraham]

It is incompetence they are saying a railway embankmet issue but remember this is now TWO weeks overdue. I would love to see people having to lose loads of work time that I have to due to their lies! It IS lies as they PROMISED it would be over then extended it, and yesterday, said it is over, and now extended again! It is the sheer joke that they promise, backtrack, apologise, etc that gets to me and many others! Trust me plenty of commuters are really cheeded off like myself!

WOW!!
Your first sentence is an admission that you know this is NOT incompetence but a technical problem, so I suggest that the rest of your rant is pointless.

 

[Parham Wood]

WOW!!
Your first sentence is an admission that you know this is NOT incompetence but a technical problem, so I suggest that the rest of your rant is pointless.

I think the point that is being made is that to discover an embankment problem so late in the work, or so it would appear, after several extensions to the finish date asks the question how could this be discovered so late? Or on the other hand why do you keep giving new completion dates, surely you should be at a stage when you know what is left to do and the issues that may affect this work. I can see why the travelling public would not be impressed.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

A lot of things that are managed by the Welsh Government or pseudo agencies of them are a disaster at present in my opinion.

Well, it's an opinion and you're entitled to it. Every survey and poll though shows that people in Wales have far more confidence in the Welsh government than the UK one. Out of interest, why do you use the term "pseudo agencies"? I'm not sure what you mean by that.

 

[Parham Wood]

Well, it's an opinion and you're entitled to it. Every survey and poll though shows that people in Wales have far more confidence in the Welsh government than the UK one. Out of interest, why do you use the term "pseudo agencies"? I'm not sure what you mean by that.

Pseudo agencies - sorry I was meaning things under Welsh government influence/control but not part of government so NHS, TfW. We could discuss the polls further but that would be to go off topic.

 

[Dai Corner]

I think the point that is being made is that to discover an embankment problem so late in the work, or so it would appear, after several extensions to the finish date asks the question how could this be discovered so late? Or on the other hand why do you keep giving new completion dates, surely you should be at a stage when you know what is left to do and the issues that may affect this work. I can see why the travelling public would not be impressed.

Compare this with Network Rail's repair of the bridge over the Thames between Didcot and Oxford. They gave an accurate estimate of when it would be completed and the line actually opened a day earlier.

 

[56xx]

How I agree with @Markdvdman . We have not had any train for 6 weeks now in Merthyr Tydfil.

I worked in Civil Engineering for over 45 years on major projects including rail and highways.

I have never seen such a lack of progress on a project given a total now 6 weeks block possession as that on the upper valley lines.

Geotechnical issues with the embankment are a further worrying issue.

The frightening prospect is now that Merthyr Tydfil will be isolated from the railway network even longer than the Rhondda Valley.