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Conwy Valley Line - Now Reopened

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yorksrob

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Belperpete said:
RETB is now obsolete, and has been replaced by ETCS on the Cambrian. ETCS would be prohibitively expensive and would require dedicated stock fitted with ETCS as on the Cambrian.

As far as I am aware, there are two staff to operate the line, other than the train-crew and those needed anyway at Llandudno Jcn: a crossing keeper at TalyCafn and the signalman at Llanrwst.

I would have thought that the crossing at TalyCafn could be automated, or controlled from Llandudno Jcn signalbox, without too much difficulty, and am surprised it hasn't been done already. This is one of my reasons for thinking no-one dares to ask for investment, as doing so may result in unwanted attention being shone on the line's economics.

The simplest solution for Llanrwst would be to just close the box and make the whole line one single token section, as suggested by Bletchleyite. The passing loop can no longer be used for routine passing of trains anyway, due to the interlocking being life-expired. As far as I am aware, the only time there are ever two trains between Ll Jcn and Blaenau nowadays is when an excursion uses the line. Maintaining a passing loop where you can't actually pass trains, and keeping a signalbox open year round just for half a dozen or so excursion trains a year seems madness to me. I find it surprising that such a situation is allowed to continue, but again I think it is a case of best not prod the wasps' nest.
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As far as I'm aware, ETCS hasn't been installed on the other former RETB routes, so whatever they're using is fine.

We need the loop to run a usable service.
 
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Llanigraham

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Article on the lunchtime BBC Wales News, so may be a bit longer in this evenings programme. There is also said to be a meeting this evening in BF about the current situation.
 
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Belperpete

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Bletchleyite said:
I think it would be sensible to do some "basic railway" type investment to reduce staffing levels to driver and guard only (it's not like it's not had any investment over recent years - some platforms have been raised, for instance). Even sprung points or some kind of guard operated ground frame using a key on the train staff would allow the abolition of the box.
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The platform raising will have been part of a larger accessibility project, which will not have focused specifically on the Conwy Valley.

The easiest simplification would be to just plain-line the loop. The current two staff sections would then become a single Ll Jcn to Blaenau section.
This would require the token instrument at Llandudno Junction changed to work to the instrument at Blaenau (easiest would be to move the "Blaenau" instrument currently at Llanrwst to Ll Jcn). The associated controls and indications at Ll Jcn may also need amending to work with a "no signalman" instrument at the other end of the section.

Retaining the loop at Llanrwst using sprung points might mean the Blaenau-bound platform having to be moved back toward Ll Jcn (even further out of town!), to give room for an overlap beyond the loop-end stop board. It would also require a pair of instruments on each platform, one to deposit the token the train has arrived with, and one for the section ahead, as on the Central Wales line. S&T would need to attend regularly to move the tokens between the machines, as they steadily accumulate in the deposit machines. However, as it is highly unlikely that Network Rail has spare full-size staff instruments of the correct configurations to hand, it might mean changing all the staff instruments on the line, which in turn would mean amending all the token-locks on the ground-frames.
 
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Belperpete

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yorksrob said:
As far as I'm aware, ETCS hasn't been installed on the other former RETB routes, so whatever they're using is fine.
We need the loop to run a usable service.
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Agreed the obsolete RETB equipment has not been replaced elsewhere, but you can't buy a new system.

The Conwy Valley doesn't have a usable service now. As discussed earlier, maintaining a passing loop where you are not allowed to pass trains is just a waste of money.
 
yorksrob

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Belperpete said:
Agreed the obsolete RETB equipment has not been replaced elsewhere, but you can't buy a new system.

The Conwy Valley doesn't have a usable service now. As discussed earlier, maintaining a passing loop where you are not allowed to pass trains is just a waste of money.
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RETB isn't any more obsolete than any of the other older signalling systems on the network. With regard to the loop, if it's not suitable to run a decent service, they should replace it with one that is.
 
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Bletchleyite

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yorksrob said:
RETB isn't any more obsolete than any of the other older signalling systems on the network. With regard to the loop, if it's not suitable to run a decent service, they should replace it with one that is.
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It needs to be somewhere else to allow for two units doing two-hourly clockface - you can't quite do it with it where it is.
 
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Hoping to re-open as far as Llanwrst in time for the National Eisteddfod at the start of August, Blaenau Ffestiniog later.
 
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There’s a comprehensive film report 15 minutes into tonight's 1830 edition of BBC Wales Today, but it’s only available for 24 hours on the BBC iPlayer, and not the standard 30 days.
 
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How’s things progressing? Anyone got any news as 2 months since last posting.
I was on it during May regularly- the fast bus was generally quite full, the stopper empty so usually I got on that.
I’m back down in August, have noted Philipe’s post hoping the line will be open to Llanrwst by then - I hope so too.
 
Starmill

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Does anyone know the last day when trains ran on the line? Some time in mid-March of 2019? Thanks!
 
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Dai Corner

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Starmill said:
Does anyone know the last day when trains ran on the line? Some time in mid-March of 2019? Thanks!
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Either 15 or 16 March going by this Network Rail report. I don't know whether any trains ran on 16th

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/major-repair-work-to-begin-on-conwy-valley-line/

Network Rail has started work to repair the extensive damage to the Conwy Valley line this week. The line, which runs between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestniog, was closed on 16 March due significant flooding, caused by Storm Gareth.
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Y Ddraig Coch

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duffield said:
Has the line been further damaged by the current heavy rain?
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It hasn't been as bad as the some parts of the UK here in the recent down pours. Heavy but nothing too bad. I doubt enough to cause any new issues.
 
Starmill

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Y Ddraig Coch said:
It hasn't been as bad as the some parts of the UK here in the recent down pours. Heavy but nothing too bad. I doubt enough to cause any new issues.
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I guess even if there were further damage we probably wouldn't hear much about it for a while - it won't affect the service much!
 
Y Ddraig Coch

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Starmill said:
I guess even if there were further damage we probably wouldn't hear much about it for a while - it won't affect the service much!
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True!!

This heavy but not torrential weather could be a good test for any works they have done and see how they hold up.

They can't be far away from finishing up as far as Llanrwst now. The Eisteddfod isn't too far away.
 
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Quite interesting. While I don't think there's anything dodgy per-se in Network Rail's response, it is interesting that they are in effect protecting the branch lines by hiding their figures among the mainlines in the same area. A deliberate protective move, perhaps?
 
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Bletchleyite said:
Quite interesting. While I don't think there's anything dodgy per-se in Network Rail's response, it is interesting that they are in effect protecting the branch lines by hiding their figures among the mainlines in the same area. A deliberate protective move, perhaps?
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Oh no, it’s always been like that. The figures aren’t being hidden, it’s just to segregate it out from reams of data would be a laborious task. Of course the question was very broad and therefore the response is not particulalrly surprising.
 
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Dai Corner

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Bald Rick said:
Oh no, it’s always been like that. The figures aren’t being hidden, it’s just to segregate it out from reams of data would be a laborious task. Of course the question was very broad and therefore the response is not particulalrly surprising.
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Nevertheless, it would be an interesting figure to have when discussing whether north Wales gets its fair share of expenditure on railway infrastructure.
 
Y Ddraig Coch

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conwy valley .png

Network rail have released an update on the ongoing repairs to the Conwy Valley line. It seems they are on schedule to open up to Llanrwst in July ready for the Eisteddfod.

They also have announced a couple of drop in sessions where there will be an update questions can be asked.

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/news/...ongoing-work-to-repair-the-conwy-valley-line/


The line, which runs between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog, was closed in March due to significant flooding, caused by weather events that followed Storm Gareth. Since the temporary closure, teams have been working hard to repair the extensive damage. This has included significant repair work to six miles of track, embankments, ten culverts, eight level crossings and Dolgarrog station.

The line will reopen in July, ahead of the Eisteddfod. To date our engineers have removed 8000 tonnes of wash out material which will be recycled and have installed approximately 7500 tonnes of ‘rock armour’ to improve the resilience of the railway line. Network Rail has also been working in close partnership with Natural Resources Wales to obtain necessary licences and investigate solutions for the future resilience of the Conwy Valley.

Network Rail Wales and Borders is hosting community drop-in events on Wednesday 26 June at Ffestiniog Town Council, 5 High Street, Blaenau Ffestiniog, LL41 3ES ,from 3pm until 6.30pm and on Thursday 27 June at Glasdir Conference and Meeting Hall, Llanrwst, LL26 0DF, from 3pm until 6.30pm.

The Network Rail team will be on hand to provide an update on the programme and there will be an opportunity for the public to ask questions.

Kevin Collins route delivery director for Network Rail, Wales and Borders, said: “We would like to thank passengers and the local community affected by the closure of the Conwy Valley Line for their continued patience while this extensive programme of repairs continues. We understand the importance of this railway, and our teams have been working very hard so we can reopen the line as soon as possible.

“We continue to work closely with our partners, Transport for Wales, to keep passengers moving with rail replacement buses during the closure. I would encourage anyone wishing to find out more about the ongoing programme of repairs to attend one of the upcoming drop-in sessions.”

James Price, Transport for Wales CEO said: “We would like to thank all our customers and the local community for their continued patience while we work with our partners, Network Rail, to repair the damage on the Conwy Valley Line. Please could all customers check our website for travel updates and we will continue to keep the people of Wales moving with rail replacement buses. The drop-in events are a great opportunity for anyone who wants to find out more or has any questions regarding the repairs.”

Last week the Wales Route Supervisory Board, which was established to bring track and train closer together and represent rail customers in Wales and Borders, visited the site to see first-hand the progress being made to repair the railway line.

Chair of the Wales Route Supervisory Board Margaret Llewellyn OBE said: “It was really impressive to see the amount of work that has already been achieved towards restoring this vital railway line. We were also delighted to see the resilience work that has been built into the programme of repairs and we look forward to the line reopening next month.”
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ForTheLoveOf

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Y Ddraig Coch said:
It seems they are on schedule to open up to Llanrwst in July ready for the Eisteddfod.
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The press release suggests "the line will reopen in July" - i.e. it won't just be to Llanrwst. It would be very good if it fully reopens in July!
 
StoneRoad

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Drove up the Conwy valley and over the Crimea Pass late on Friday afternoon, will be pleased when then line re-opens. Just hope the repairs and improvements are at least as resilient as planned.
 
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StoneRoad said:
Drove up the Conwy valley and over the Crimea Pass late on Friday afternoon, will be pleased when then line re-opens. Just hope the repairs and improvements are at least as resilient as planned.
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It certainly seems they are trying - at least one new culvert has been installed, for instance.

They aren't going to stop it periodically ending up closed because the water level gets too high - the thing to aim for, just like with the design of houses on floodplains (e.g. you often don't have accommodation on the ground floor, or if you do you have a tiled floor and mains wiring and sockets a metre or two off the floor), is that once the water recedes very little needs to be done to reopen.
 
Xenophon PCDGS

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It is beginning to see this line offering only a part-yearly service to certain railway stations, having the part-year rail services to both the railway stations of Dunrobin Castle and Falls of Cruachan in mind as examples (even through their lines still remain open).
 
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