South Wales 'Metro' updates

[MikePJ]

That section is entirely within network rails remit so it's possible they're just taking their sweet time with it all. I suspect TfW would have preferred it be done by now. Unless of course plans have changed behind the scenes and they've decided they don't need it but I can't see how. The turnarounds are far too tight

Here’s the planning application, which was approved in January 2024.

Copyright & Disclaimer - Application search - Vale of Glamorgan District Council

I suspect it’s been postponed to help TfW’s cashflow. Having the 756s with better acceleration than the Sprinters might also buy a bit more timetable resilience in the interim.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

Yet another decision by TfW that on the face of it seems rather odd. But there's probably a good reason for it.

Maybe they're stopping at the new platform as part of driver training? It's just a thought. According to the website, passengers can choose to end (but not start) their journey at either platform so essentially it's a slightly strange way of creating a passing loop.

The whole Aberdare line is a mish-mash of different railways joined up when passenger services were restored by the old Mid Glamorgan County Council. I'm guessing that makes the infrastructure a bit ad-hoc and difficult to modernise!

 

[AdamWW]

Maybe they're stopping at the new platform as part of driver training? It's just a thought. According to the website, passengers can choose to end (but not start) their journey at either platform so essentially it's a slightly strange way of creating a passing loop.

I think it somewhat unlikely that a guard would complain should someone choose to board at the arrivals platform, though.

 

[tigermonstera]

I think it somewhat unlikely that a guard would complain should someone choose to board at the arrivals platform, though.

Would that be the shortest possible journey on the Metro — Aberdare to Aberdare?

 

[John R]

Maybe they're stopping at the new platform as part of driver training? It's just a thought. According to the website, passengers can choose to end (but not start) their journey at either platform so essentially it's a slightly strange way of creating a passing loop.

The whole Aberdare line is a mish-mash of different railways joined up when passenger services were restored by the old Mid Glamorgan County Council. I'm guessing that makes the infrastructure a bit ad-hoc and difficult to modernise!

Not really at the time of the passenger restoration - it became a mish-mash as various collieries closed in the seventies and eighties. The passenger service simply used the line available at that time.

As a child going up from Cardiff to visit grandparents in Aberdare I used to love to see the industrial steam locos working at Mountain Ash long after the end of steam on BR.

 

[Tumbleweed]

The new platform at Aberdare could be to allow trains to terminate there while another train is still occupying the old platform. Especially when the frequency is doubled in case of late running. As for Hirwaun, in my opinion the major stumbling block is the Roberttown crossing/roundabout. It can be overcome but it would be expensive.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 May 2025 ==


As for the line, I always thought the section between Fernhill and Cwmbach looks out of place, it does resemble an old colliery line!

 

[AdamWW]

The new platform at Aberdare could be to allow trains to terminate there while another train is still occupying the old platform. Especially when the frequency is doubled in case of late running.

Yes that is presumably what it's for.

But it's not immediately obvious (to me anyway) what the rationale is for bringing it into use now, when they haven't been able to provide a PAYG reader for it yet.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

I think it somewhat unlikely that a guard would complain should someone choose to board at the arrivals platform, though.

You're probably right, although it would mean going the (slightly) long(ish) way round since southbound trains won't call at the arrivals platform.

 

[Jantra]

You're probably right, although it would mean going the (slightly) long(ish) way round since southbound trains won't call at the arrivals platform.

Tell me, when I visited there this week I saw the train just pulling out of the normal platform and ran to the new arrivals platform to catch it, but only to see it pass by on the south bound track. Felt a bit of a fool as should have realised it wouldn't stop.

There hasn't been too many cancellations on the Penarth to Coryton line this week and I have made a few trips and was shocked to see how little room for error there is with the timings into the Penarth single track section. The out bound and inbound trains pass each other by the old pumping station halfway between Grangetown and Cogan. This leave so little room for delays when they are running 4TPH

Serious suggestion; why not reduce it to 3TPH as this would reduce the likelihood of cascading delays and cancellations. Penarth/Coryton trains are not exactly packed most of the time.

I for one would sooner wait another 5 minutes rather than, has been the case over the past few months, find the train has been yet again cancelled at very short notice and have to wait another 15 minutes.

 

[56xx]

I travelled Rhymney - Caerphilly & return today. I expected to see work at least started on the Tirphil dual track extension and the new bay platform at Rhymney, both essential for 4tph to Rhymney but was disappointed. Quite a few masts out reachers and wire hangers between Caerphilly and Ystrad Mynach and bored pile foundations further north.
7 weeks total possession gone, 6 weeks due in July-August and 2 weeks due in late October. Not much time left.
Probably (hopefully) means there will be spare 756s about well into next year for TAM lines.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

I travelled Rhymney - Caerphilly & return today. I expected to see work at least started on the Tirphil dual track extension and the new bay platform at Rhymney, both essential for 4tph to Rhymney but was disappointed. Quite a few masts out reachers and wire hangers between Caerphilly and Ystrad Mynach and bored pile foundations further north.
7 weeks total possession gone, 6 weeks due in July-August and 2 weeks due in late October. Not much time left.
Probably (hopefully) means there will be spare 756s about well into next year for TAM lines.

You're probably right. I count myself as a TfW supporter given what they inherited and what is promised. The frustation is growing though.

 

[Iddybiddy05]

Tell me, when I visited there this week I saw the train just pulling out of the normal platform and ran to the new arrivals platform to catch it, but only to see it pass by on the south bound track. Felt a bit of a fool as should have realised it wouldn't stop.

There hasn't been too many cancellations on the Penarth to Coryton line this week and I have made a few trips and was shocked to see how little room for error there is with the timings into the Penarth single track section. The out bound and inbound trains pass each other by the old pumping station halfway between Grangetown and Cogan. This leave so little room for delays when they are running 4TPH

Serious suggestion; why not reduce it to 3TPH as this would reduce the likelihood of cascading delays and cancellations. Penarth/Coryton trains are not exactly packed most of the time.

I for one would sooner wait another 5 minutes rather than, has been the case over the past few months, find the train has been yet again cancelled at very short notice and have to wait another 15 minutes.

A delay of 2-4 minutes will lead to a knock on the branch, as you say it’s extremely tight. A switched on signaller during disruption will put the down Penarth train the Cogan loop to allow a barry or Bridgend train to pass whilst the Penarth branch is occupied.

Personally I think there should be a reduction in services off peak rather in an increase. Passengers versus revenue can’t match I wouldn’t have thought.

 

[John R]

Isn’t the main reason for running so many services to Penarth to avoid having more services terminating at Cardiff Central? So reducing the number may not have the desired improvement in performance.

 

[Jantra]

Isn’t the main reason for running so many services to Penarth to avoid having more services terminating at Cardiff Central? So reducing the number may not have the desired improvement in performance.

I think you are right, I often get the 18:50 from Penarth, which terminates at Cardiff. Meeting a friend in town who is coming from Barry who is always delayed by my stuck train on the platform. The Penarth train sits on platform 7 for ages until they can find a crew to take it to the depot. It always delays the Aberdare service and even delays terminating Barry services 20 minutes later.
I have joked to him it would be easier if they ran my train straight to the Canton depot and get the 3 or 4 passengers a taxi the rest of the way in to Cardiff!

 

[AdamWW]

Isn’t the main reason for running so many services to Penarth to avoid having more services terminating at Cardiff Central? So reducing the number may not have the desired improvement in performance.

I have always assumed the idea behind running four trains per hour was to provide four trains per hour to Penarth, which results in a service frequent enough to encourage people to use it.

I think it's hard to get people out of cars for a journey that takes just over 10 minutes and only runs every half hour (and less when one is cancelled).

Serious suggestion; why not reduce it to 3TPH as this would reduce the likelihood of cascading delays and cancellations. Penarth/Coryton trains are not exactly packed most of the time.

I for one would sooner wait another 5 minutes rather than, has been the case over the past few months, find the train has been yet again cancelled at very short notice and have to wait another 15 minutes.

And then Coryton goes down to a train every 40 minutes presumably. I suppose if the idea is to reduce ridership further to justify saving a lot of money by closing it this would be an excellent start.

I'm not sure anyway how moving Coryton and Penerth to 3 trains per hour would fit with the rest of the timetable which generally repeats every half hour.

Personally I think there should be a reduction in services off peak rather in an increase.

If you're talking about Penarth, it's been 4 trains per hour for a long time. There's been no recent increase.

If the wider network, are you proposing going down to 1 train per hour (as post-Covid) to the Heads of the Valleys rather than up to 4?

Passengers versus revenue can’t match I wouldn’t have thought.

It's not clear to me that if you cut services you would get the same number of people willing to travel, now conveniently all getting on the trains you're still willing to run.
I can see that it would probably end up losing less money than it saves, but if all you're interested about is saving money then shut the whole thing down and let the bus services improve for the people who don't just switch to the car.

 

[positron]

I travelled Rhymney - Caerphilly & return today. I expected to see work at least started on the Tirphil dual track extension and the new bay platform at Rhymney, both essential for 4tph to Rhymney but was disappointed. Quite a few masts out reachers and wire hangers between Caerphilly and Ystrad Mynach and bored pile foundations further north.
7 weeks total possession gone, 6 weeks due in July-August and 2 weeks due in late October. Not much time left.
Probably (hopefully) means there will be spare 756s about well into next year for TAM lines.

Iirc the Tirphil dual track is expected to be one of the last bits commissioned, so it's not too bad that it's not progressed yet.

What is concerning is the amount of stations that still have far from level boarding even with the new trains. I was under the impression platform works were a core part of the metro works. Yet Radyr for example is still beyond a joke.

 

[AdamWW]

Iirc the Tirphil dual track is expected to be one of the last bits commissioned, so it's not too bad that it's not progressed yet.

What is concerning is the amount of stations that still have far from level boarding even with the new trains. I was under the impression platform works were a core part of the metro works. Yet Radyr for example is still beyond a joke.

I don't think even Queen Street has level enough boarding on all platforms to prevent wheelchair ramps from being required, which is a bit disappointing.

I presume that being partly on a curve Radyr is never going to be great.

 

[Daniel Boone]

Will Cardiff Bay have 3 Platforms after the Metro and later Crossrail phases are complete? I'm struggling to make sense of what's going on.

 

[tigermonstera]

Will Cardiff Bay have 3 Platforms after the Metro and later Crossrail phases are complete? I'm struggling to make sense of what's going on.

The Cardiff Bay Line Transformation will bring the number of platforms up to 2, with platform 2 opening tomorrow so platform 1 can be rebuilt. Both of these platforms will be 160 metres long. Cardiff Crossrail 1a will then add an 84-metre long platform 3 opposite platform 2 and adjacent to Lloyd George Avenue. You can see a diagram of what the layout will look like once Crossrail 1a is finished here, under "Cardiff Bay Station Design Drawing".

In future, the extension to Pierhead street will see platform 3, and potentially also platform 2, become through platforms with tracks continuing on to Pierhead street. Platform 1 would remain a terminus platform either way.

TL;DR: Yes, after the current phase of the metro is completed and after Crossrail Phase 1a is built, Cardiff Bay will have three platforms.

 

[John R]

Iirc the Tirphil dual track is expected to be one of the last bits commissioned, so it's not too bad that it's not progressed yet.

What is concerning is the amount of stations that still have far from level boarding even with the new trains. I was under the impression platform works were a core part of the metro works. Yet Radyr for example is still beyond a joke.

But the trains that will exclusively use Radyr are not the ones currently running, so the current position isn’t representative of what the interface will be once the rolling stock roll out is complete.

 

[AdamWW]

But the trains that will exclusively use Radyr are not the ones currently running, so the current position isn’t representative of what the interface will be once the rolling stock roll out is complete.

True but I unless they have steps that come out a lot further (and maybe angle themselves to deal with the superelevation) I don't think they are going to get gap-less boarding throughout at Radyr.

I suspect that while the situation with the 756s might not be exactly the same, it probably is representative.

 

[positron]

But the trains that will exclusively use Radyr are not the ones currently running, so the current position isn’t representative of what the interface will be once the rolling stock roll out is complete.

I think it actually will be Nye on identical tbh. They're both stadler units with seemingly identical platform gap fillers. They're designed to fit a standard platform - track interface after all. It's just that TfW have seemingly done very little work to actually meet that standard. While it's true that Radyr is curved which can cause extra issues it's not a tight enough curve that it should be much of an issue except possibly the very front of the train.

It actually seems to be somewhat the track cant that's the main issue at least on the island.

Also Radyr is just one example as you say Queen street isn't perfect, Heath High Level seemed very bad last I checked too (which do have flirts running so are definitely representative)

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One thing they could do at Radyr is just move the stopping point further back (depending on how much leeway they have) because it's only the southern portion that curves.

 

[CapitalStar378]

Quite surprised that at the end of the end of the consultation document, it states that if the TWAO is granted, construction on the central to Bay link will begin in 2028. Seems like a long time away!

 

[positron]

I think they know the existing works will likely run into 2026, and they probably wouldn't be able to do masses until lots of road works are done, possibly they could build platform 3 at the bay earlier? But yeah I would still have expected 2027 start

 

[MikePJ]

The new platform at Cardiff Bay this morning. It’s huge!

 

[AdamWW]

The new platform at Cardiff Bay this morning. It’s huge!

I suspect the full timetable is going to be a bit fragile, and I've wondered if the plan is that during disruption they can take advantage of line of sight running on the Bay line to stack trains up there until things have recovered a bit.

 

[MikePJ]

I suspect the full timetable is going to be a bit fragile, and I've wondered if the plan is that during disruption they can take advantage of line of sight running on the Bay line to stack trains up there until things have recovered a bit.

Yes, I was thinking along similar lines. The Bay is also likely to handle a lot of very "peaky" event traffic - what with the existing Millennium Centre and the new indoor arena and theatre being built nearby - so I might even expect to see 2 x 6-car 398s stacked up at busy times.

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Looking out of the train as we went north, a metal grid structure has been placed under the trackbed for the future Up line just north of Butetown station - I'd guess this is to support the track over a weak section of viaduct.

 

[Philip Roberts]

The new platform at Cardiff Bay this morning. It’s huge!

I assume space has been left for a third section of track? Is this for now or some point in the future?

 

[MikePJ]

I assume space has been left for a third section of track? Is this for now or some point in the future?

Yes - see this picture:

You can see how the cantilevers for the overhead wires are reaching over empty space - that's where the third track and the new platform will go.

I didn't photograph the circulating space for passengers at the Bay end of the line, but that's been built to allow passengers to step down from the street, cross over the future lines on the level, and then step back up to the platforms again. There are also ramps for those who need to use them.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 May 2025 ==

Here’s a video showing the trackbed for the Up line, the work on Butetown’s up platform and the new grid structure.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 May 2025 ==

Just a quick addition to say that a new consultation has appeared to close the Cwmbargoed line for a minimum of three years. This will include disconnecting the remaining signalling on the branch. There's no immediate plan to do anything further with the branch - it's well down TfW's list of priorities for a passenger service, and given the drama over the closure of the mine and lack of promised land restoration, it seems extremely unlikely that it will be used to bring in landfill material.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The new platform at Cardiff Bay this morning. It’s huge!

It's looking great. I used to commute there until about eighteen months ago and I was always excited to see the second platform completed. When the third track and platform come about it will look brilliant, like a mini third city centre hub.