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FGW HST to Pembroke Dock

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ValleyLines142

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How busy is the FGW HST which runs to Pembroke Dock and back on summer Saturdays? Considering trains are two carriages at the most on the Pembroke Line at all other times. I wondered if it was quite busy with eight carriages available (three of which are first class!).

Never actually travelled west of Swansea on the train, despite only living in Cardiff, so purely wondered!
 
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Greenback

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I travelled on the Paddington 0845 departure from Swansea to Tenby a few years ago, and I was surprised how well loaded it was in standard.

This was in early July, before the school holidays begin, and I imagine that it would be even busier then.

On the way back, the three car 175 was heaving from Tenby. But it had been a nice day so there were plenty of day trippers going home.
 

Jez

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How funny, i was just about to start a thread about this. I travelled on the FGW service to Tenby (from Neath) for the first time today as it was a nice sunny day to go to Tenby.

The FGW service was fairly busy but plenty of room, i was in carriage A and id say there was only about 8-10 others in there the entire way. The other carriages looked busier. On getting off the train at Tenby there were lots of people getting off, at least 40-50 id say.

obviously all of the platforms west of Swansea aside from Carmarthen are too long for the FGW High Speed train, at Llanelli they announced the front 6 carriages would open and at Pembray and Whitland and Saundersfoot the front 4. At Tenby it was the back 5 so we had to move to carriage D. It must be a pain the train guard having to make sure everyone does this every time. It also felt odd going on such a long train down a branch line.

The FGW services arent really timed well for day trippers - unless you want 2 hours in Tenby. I guess they have to go at those times as they cant really stable a set at Pembroke dock for long as they would need the platform space. The return journey was a pacer (1655 off Tenby) and then change at Carmarthen to get on the 1807 for Swansea and beyond. Not sure why that happens when the pacer was going to Swansea but had a wait of around 45 mins at Carmarthen? The pacer was very busy, id say all but 3 or 4 seats were taken in the carriage i was in. So if it had been a single 153 it would have been full and standing. I guess it will get even busier further into the summer, weather permitting!

With the FGW Pembroke Dock departure around 1155 from Swansea, does the ATW that would usually go about then not run? Or does it go a bit later. There was a pacer sat on Platform 3 of Swansea station when i was there.
 

1adamstephen

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I did it last year on the 1st September and it's packed to Swansea, fairly busy to Carmarthen, pretty empty to Tenby, then you have the train pretty much to yourself to Pembroke Dock.
 

animationmilo

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The 11:50 Arriva service the 142 Jez saw goes to Carmarthen at 12:35.

And the HST wasnt too busy, surprisingly. Thought it would have been completely packed
 

EltonRoad

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Would make more sense to run one or both of the Pembroke Dock trains to Fishguard, I would have thought, and ensure it connects with a ferry.
 

Rhydgaled

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The Pembroke-bound Pacer I went on one summer Saturday (I alighted at Whitland) was pretty well packed. I've seen rather alot of passengers alighting the Pembroke Coast Express at Tenby too. An entire 8 coach 125mph train might be slightly more than necessary, but I think a loco plus at least 5 or 6 mark3s is needed (but why only summer Saturdays, why not summer Fridays Sundays and Mondays too?).
 

83G/84D

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Wasn't there a HST out of Fishguard on a Sunday night / Monday morning at one time?

Shown as 1B39 0150 Fishguard Hbr to Swansea DMU now, connecting with 1L05 0357 Swansea to Paddington.
 

Flamingo

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That train has two guards on it, specifically to work the short platforms.

It's a nice run on a sunny day, and the First Class weekend upgrade is great value if you think how long the journey is, and how nice it is to look out at the view.
 

PHILIPE

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The FGW HST on the night Fishguard was all week, but FGW pulled out some years ago and ATW took it over. Re 125s to Pembroke Dk on Fridays, Sundays and Mondays also where are FGW going to get them from. Also, Rhydgaled can go on and on re Loco & Coaches we are NOT going to get them without any major policy decisions which are very unlikely.
 

Rhydgaled

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I think IC125s were on both the day and night Fishguards at one point (in British Rail days).
 

Flamingo

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Just had a look, Cdf to Tenby, no railcard, £43.10 return 1st class this Saturday. Nice run to Tenby, and two hours for fish & chips and an ice cream in Fecchi's! This is cheaper than the weekend supplement on a Saver Return.
 

anthony263

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The last time I used teh FGW hst to Pembroke Dock it was packed until Saundersfoot and Tenby and was still relatively full with a lot of the remaining passengers alighting at Manorbier. The trains are pretty quiet to Pembroke Dock.

Sadly the bakery in Pembroke Dock closed last summer and I know was popular with a few railway enthusiasts traveling down on the afternoon hst. There is still a Woolworths open in town however (That caught my eye last summer)

There really isnt much to do in Pembroke Dock compared to Tenby.

Coming back the other way the 10:00 Pembroke Dock - London Paddington service can be a nightmare as that tends to be the one the holidymakers use to return to Cardiff and stations to London.

The afternoon departure from Pembroke Dock at 14:55 is generally very busy but not as busy as it is when is comes down from London nor the morning hst from Pembroke Dock.

Sadly I am going to the transport festival in Swansea on sunday 16th June so I will not be able go on the hst on saturday. Make the most of it as I ighly doubt the summer saturday hsts to Pembroke Dock will last after 2017 when electrification is complete and IEP is introduced.
 

swcovas

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There is still a Woolworths open in town however (That caught my eye last summer)

There really isnt much to do in Pembroke Dock compared to Tenby.

On the surface Pembroke Dock does look a bit drab but if you make the effort and if you have any interest in Maritime/naval/military history there's quite a lot to see. Down at the far end of the town is the old naval dockyard with some fine georgian buildings and the recently established Sunderland (flying boat) museum. Amazing to think that 4,000 people once worked here. Even the virtually intact dockyard walls are of interest. Front St was the old boat building area with a martelo tower and a great little pub called the Shipwright. Bits of the old line to the Dockyard can also be follwed with some track and pointwork still intact down in the Dockyard itself.

It's worth seeking out but you do have to make an effort......however there is definitely NO Woolworth's!

As a variation, and something I have down a few times, is take the train to Pembroke Dock and return from Milford, Johnston or Haverforwest......there are are frequent buses from Pembroke Dock (Or vice versa, of course) and that way you get the great views of the Milford Haven waterway from the Cleddau Bridge. You can actually walk accross it if you have a head for heights!

I am beginning to sound like a representative of the local tourist board..........
 

merlodlliw

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I am wondering are the two FGW services to the Dock on Saturdays in FGWs contract as must run, also there are several FGW HSTs running to Carmarthen on Sundays, but only one FGW service Mon/Fri to/from Carmarthen which I know is in the conditions FGW must comply with.
 

Rhydgaled

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Re 125s to Pembroke Dk on Fridays, Sundays and Mondays also where are FGW going to get them from. Also, Rhydgaled can go on and on re Loco & Coaches we are NOT going to get them without any major policy decisions which are very unlikely.
An IC125 is Loco & coaches anyway. I was meerly pondering that a 6-coach LHCS might be a better fit for the passenger numbers than the current 8-coach LHCS. I would guess though that anything less than 5 coaches doesn't have a hope of being enough. IF the stock was to switch from class 43s plus eight trailers to some other loco and six trailers then that stock would probablly be available on more days of the week. I guess Saturday must be the the busiest day, hence why that's when the IC125 vists, so I wasn't suggesting IC125s on Fridays, Sundays and Mondays. My idea was, if you had a slightly shorter train than an IC125, it could be justifiable on more days of the week, and a better fit for the requirements.

The last time I used teh FGW hst to Pembroke Dock it was packed until Saundersfoot and Tenby
When you say packed, does it need a full 2+8 IC125 then?

Make the most of it as I ighly doubt the summer saturday hsts to Pembroke Dock will last after 2017 when electrification is complete and IEP is introduced.
I do wonder what DaFT think is going to run the service, which was still specified as a requirement in the franchise docs before the abortion, despite the fact IEP can't go into Pembrokeshire as thinks stand.

That's another reason for my suggestion of replacing IC125s with 6-coach LHCS. It wouldn't do 125mph, so wouldn't go to London, but it could be able to run to Bristol or something like that and maintain the capacity which might otherwise be lost.
 

Bald Rick

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Just had a look, Cdf to Tenby, no railcard, £43.10 return 1st class this Saturday. Nice run to Tenby, and two hours for fish & chips and an ice cream in Fecchi's! This is cheaper than the weekend supplement on a Saver Return.

Fish & Chips in Fecci's, Ice Cream in Fecci's, if only they did beer.... (Hope and Anchor will have to do!)
 

shaun

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I really want to try this out, but 5 minutes (if it still is that) turnaround at Pembroke Dock doesn't even give enough time for a pint break! A Sunday service would be nice like with Newquay, i would assume that once IEP comes in HSTs will still be running Summer Saturday services? They're staying on the West of England main line so don't see why one set per week wouldn't run to Pembroke Dock as well? Think i'll upgrade to Weekend First seeing as people are saying it's busy most of the way.
 

Rich McLean

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Looking at it, there could be scope for a Plymouth - Pembroke Dock HST Sunday Service, via Bristol Temple Meads where it meets a service from Paddington and also connects to another Service from London at Cardiff Central and vice versa on the way back. "Seaside Express" prehaps, has a ring to it.

Calling Points: Plymouth - (Ivybridge) - Totnes - Newton Abbot - Teignmouth - Dawlish - (Dawlish Warren) - Exeter St Davids - Tiverton Parkway - Taunton - Weston-Super-Mare - Bristol Temple Meads - Newport - Cardiff Central - Bridgend - Port Talbot Parkway - Swansea - then current calling pattern to Pembroke Dock.

I would then work the return run, missing out Ivybridge and Dawlish Warren on the return run.

Would work quite well I imagine, providing good connections from the London IEP (both BTM and CDF Terminators) and the South West, without getting in the way of IEP's on the Mainline.
 

PHILIPE

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How many times would it be able run throughout on a Sunday with Engineering Work here there and everywhere on different parts of the route.
 

anthony263

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I really want to try this out, but 5 minutes (if it still is that) turnaround at Pembroke Dock doesn't even give enough time for a pint break! A Sunday service would be nice like with Newquay, i would assume that once IEP comes in HSTs will still be running Summer Saturday services? They're staying on the West of England main line so don't see why one set per week wouldn't run to Pembroke Dock as well? Think i'll upgrade to Weekend First seeing as people are saying it's busy most of the way.

The afternoon hst arrives into Pembroke Dock at 14:15 although it can arrive a little earlier than that and the return working departs Pembroke Dock at 14:55.

that should give some time for a quick pint
 

Rich McLean

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How many times would it be able run throughout on a Sunday with Engineering Work here there and everywhere on different parts of the route.

I would imagine during the summer months quite frequently, as I find down in those neck of the woods engineering work normally takes place during the winter months where at all possible. However, if there is a block between Taunton and Bristol, it could still go via Westbury and miss out Weston-Super-Mare
 

johnnychips

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I suppose there is no obligation on Mr Lewis to take the old sign down if Woolworths' receivers couldn't be bothered...
 

Jez

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Calling Points: Plymouth - (Ivybridge) - Totnes - Newton Abbot - Teignmouth - Dawlish - (Dawlish Warren) - Exeter St Davids - Tiverton Parkway - Taunton - Weston-Super-Mare - Bristol Temple Meads - Newport - Cardiff Central - Bridgend - Port Talbot Parkway - Swansea - then current calling pattern to Pembroke Dock.

I would then work the return run, missing out Ivybridge and Dawlish Warren on the return run.


No stop for Neath?

I also wonder what will happen when the Swansea-London service goes electric, will they bother with HST service to Tenby and Pembroke.
 

Dreadnought

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The afternoon hst arrives into Pembroke Dock at 14:15 although it can arrive a little earlier than that and the return working departs Pembroke Dock at 14:55.

that should give some time for a quick pint

Maybe even 2, especially if the station pub is open, which fortunately it was when I went there in June 2011 :D
 

DarloRich

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Looking at it, there could be scope for a Plymouth - Pembroke Dock HST Sunday Service, via Bristol Temple Meads where it meets a service from Paddington and also connects to another Service from London at Cardiff Central and vice versa on the way back. "Seaside Express" prehaps, has a ring to it.

Calling Points: Plymouth - (Ivybridge) - Totnes - Newton Abbot - Teignmouth - Dawlish - (Dawlish Warren) - Exeter St Davids - Tiverton Parkway - Taunton - Weston-Super-Mare - Bristol Temple Meads - Newport - Cardiff Central - Bridgend - Port Talbot Parkway - Swansea - then current calling pattern to Pembroke Dock.

I would then work the return run, missing out Ivybridge and Dawlish Warren on the return run.

Would work quite well I imagine, providing good connections from the London IEP (both BTM and CDF Terminators) and the South West, without getting in the way of IEP's on the Mainline.

never, ever going to happen!

I do like the sound of this run down to Tenby. I might have ot look into it!
 
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