Evansthomos
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Hi im just wondering is 5 minutes is nomal to change train from pwllheli line to aberystwyth line
Thanks
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Dovey Junction change
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The Planner
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Its 5 seconds to cross the platform, so 5 minutes is plenty.
berneyarms
Established Member
A bit longer than that to walk the length of the platform to get to the Aberystwyth bound train but as you say 5 mins is adequate.
The one danger being presumably that if the train in from Pwllheli is late, the Aberystwyth-bound one can leave as it’s already past the junction. Doubt it would for the sake of a couple of minutes, though.
Hey, I was a Cambrian line Conductor until 6 months ago. It’s Perfectly adequate and we do it all the time.
Not sure how familiar with the line you are but due to the fact that line has so many request stops, conductors are very proactive and busy Checking tickets.
My advice would be just to ask The conductor if everything is still ok for you to change at Dovey Junction.
Chances are there will be a few looking to change there but if the conductor knows they will keep an eye out and if your service starts to run late will usually contact the conductor on the Aber service to make them aware that there’s a few changing so they don’t go with you.
Likewise if the Aber service is running late they may advise you to stay on until Machynlleth and change there just incase the Aber service was to get terminated at Machynlleth then passengers are not at risk of being stuck in the middle of nowhere (Dovey Junction) where there is a long walk to the nearest road and subsequent road transport.
In short, yes it’s plenty fine, speak with the conductor to check it’s ok
Not sure how familiar with the line you are but due to the fact that line has so many request stops, conductors are very proactive and busy Checking tickets.
My advice would be just to ask The conductor if everything is still ok for you to change at Dovey Junction.
Chances are there will be a few looking to change there but if the conductor knows they will keep an eye out and if your service starts to run late will usually contact the conductor on the Aber service to make them aware that there’s a few changing so they don’t go with you.
Likewise if the Aber service is running late they may advise you to stay on until Machynlleth and change there just incase the Aber service was to get terminated at Machynlleth then passengers are not at risk of being stuck in the middle of nowhere (Dovey Junction) where there is a long walk to the nearest road and subsequent road transport.
In short, yes it’s plenty fine, speak with the conductor to check it’s ok
Western Gaffer
Member
Hopefully '...so they don't go without you'!
LOL! Yes that is what I meant haha!!
izvor
Member
I made this connection a couple of months ago. As stated above, it's 5 seconds to cross platforms, but 2 or 3 minutes to walk down the (now very long) main line platform for the Aberystwyth train. The signage is not very clear either, and it was only when I saw the Aber train standing in the outside loop that I worked out where it was going to stop! When it did so then there was a further delay of a couple of minutes, waiting for other connecting pax to realise and walk down to the train.
Mcr Warrior
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Are there normally ever any occasions when cross-platform connections between the Pwllheli and Aberystwyth lines, aren't held at Dovey Junction?
izvor
Member
Yes it would be interesting to know if there is a "maximum wait time" for the Aber train to be held, balancing the delay to on-train passengers, against the horror for any pax missing the connection having to wait up to 2 hours in a lonely, god-forsaken place with no egress (or a twitcher's paradise, delete as applicable) and no human contact for miles!
As an after-thought, is there any mobile reception there?
As an after-thought, is there any mobile reception there?
Western Gaffer
Member
As mentioned in an earlier post, if there's a significant delay, then the advice would be to change in Machynlleth instead, less than ten minutes away.
The Planner
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Turnaround time at Aberystwyth is around 10 minutes, so you haven't got a lot of slack to play with. You had more time up your sleeve before Bow St opened.
jfowkes
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There is an exit at Dovey Junction that leads to the main road, so I guess worst-case if you do end up stranded would be you ring for a taxi from Machynlleth and you can at least get somewhere more useful/comfortable. The phone reception at Dovey Junction is good enough to make a call (at least on O2).
izvor
Member
New? Used to be famously a "no access" station.
Belperpete
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Just to confirm what Lurcheroo said, as a regular traveller on the Cambrian I can confirm the staff are very good at ensuring that connections are made, and where they can't be, that passengers are kept informed. Just make sure that the guard knows what you are doing when he/she comes round checking tickets.
If the train from Pwllheli is running late, that will impact on the connecting service from Aber. Which will impact on subsequent services in both directions. So there may be no point in sending the service to Aber away on time. As a network of single lines, everything is interconnected.
If the train from Pwllheli is running late, that will impact on the connecting service from Aber. Which will impact on subsequent services in both directions. So there may be no point in sending the service to Aber away on time. As a network of single lines, everything is interconnected.
jfowkes
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No idea how new it is, but it certainly exists!
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It's a fairly long walk (roughly 1km) - you cross the line at a barrow crossing at the end of the long platform then follow a track alongside the line. I don't know how long it's existed but it does have a sign!
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Depends whether TfW have "connectional hold" policies for certain branches lines that allow Control/train crew to hold trains if one train is up to [insert number] minutes late. Normally branch lines with limited traffic aren't badly affected and it is something GWR does relatively well in Cornwall & Devon, but each situation is different.
Llanigraham
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"No Access" as in vehicular. There has been a footpath from the road to the station for years.
Interestingly today, the 18:28 from Aber was delayed by 29 minutes due to an unwell passenger. This usually connects with the 19:04 Machynlleth to Pwllheli service at Dovey Junction. As the next service is almost 3 hours later at 21:47 the 19:04 was held at Dovey Junction to make the connection and departed about 15 minutes late.
Evansthomos
Member
So it guarantee connect train you might get it or not basically what all said I all in up to transport god
It 2 weeks old you can check the date of the video by it under the name of video
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Belperpete
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How many pints did you have before sending that?
What Lurcheroo's post shows is that the Cambrian staff will do their utmost to make sure that people make the connections. I have even known guards to carry people's luggage from one train to another at Dovey Jcn.
Glad you said it and not me haha!
We’re fortunate on the Cambrian to have a close-knit workforce who care about the railway and it’s passengers.
I used it in 1971. Up until 1965 passengers would have used Glandyfi.It's a fairly long walk (roughly 1km) - you cross the line at a barrow crossing at the end of the long platform then follow a track alongside the line. I don't know how long it's existed but it does have a sign!
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birchesgreen
Established Member
Yes i think so, i tweeted from there when i visited last december.
This is the path, nice and bracing on a wet windy day.
DelW
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Agreed, on my occasional holidays on the Cambrian coast I've generally found the conductors both friendly and helpful. I've usually been staying in places like Barmouth or Aberdyfi, and by about the third day of local trips on the train they're quite likely to recognise me, and ask how my holiday is going and where I'm off to today
.The footpath was certainly there in the 1970s.
And (speaking as the one-time Depot Editor for the traincrew depots involved - albeit a long time ago) the crews have always been excellent and really wouldn't leave people marooned!
SuspectUsual
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Is the Aber platform at Dovey Junction the longest platform with very low usage? [Passengers per metre of platform or whatever]
Oh lovely ! Can certainly say that I’ve done the same they’ve then even noticed me on a Cambrian Facebook group haha!!Agreed, on my occasional holidays on the Cambrian coast I've generally found the conductors both friendly and helpful. I've usually been staying in places like Barmouth or Aberdyfi, and by about the third day of local trips on the train they're quite likely to recognise me, and ask how my holiday is going and where I'm off to today
The mentality has certainly stuck around. Out of curiosity, how long ago ?
FormerBritInMe
Member
When I rode the Cambrian Coast line in 1971 to Portmadoc/Porthmadog (to visit the Ffestiniog Railway) my ticket from London had specified changing at Wolverhampton and Dovey Junction. However the guard on the Aberyswyth train recommended I change at Machynlleth instead so that's what I did. When we passed Dovey Jct I saw what an isolated and lonely spot it was so that made sense.
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