Bow Street

anamyd · 21 Nov 2019

I couldn't find an existing thread on this, which is surprising!

The Aberystwyth-Machynlleth section of the Cambrian Line was closed from 12/11/19 or 16/11/19 and reopened on 21/11/19. I believe that this is due to actual platform construction at Bow Street having taken place. Does anyone know if this has actually been the case...? If so, has anyone taken any photos...? I've not actually been around there myself - no excuse really as it's about 3 miles from my way :lol:

Edit: I've just heard that work has been done to prepare the ground and that you can see where the platform's going to be.

RailUK Forums

Llanigraham · 21 Nov 2019

As your edit says, no actual construction has taken place yet but lots of surveying, including for any unknown underground services, assessing construction requirements and first prep of the ground.

And I see the "person" in one of the old railway houses has still got his "No station" sign on his wall.

Hwnt52 · 21 Nov 2019

anamyd said:
I couldn't find an existing thread on this, which is surprising!

The Aberystwyth-Machynlleth section of the Cambrian Line was closed from 12/11/19 or 16/11/19 and reopened on 21/11/19. I believe that this is due to actual platform construction at Bow Street having taken place. Does anyone know if this has actually been the case...? If so, has anyone taken any photos...? I've not actually been around there myself - no excuse really as it's about 3 miles from my way

Edit: I've just heard that work has been done to prepare the ground and that you can see where the platform's going to be.

I was in Bow Street today and noticed the extensive earthworks to prepare the platform base on the east side of the line. Unfortunately I did not have the camera to take a picture.

anamyd · 22 Nov 2019

Thanks guys

Tomos y Tanc · 22 Nov 2019

I'm sure Bow Street will be a busy little station that will help ease Aber's traffic congestion which can be very grim at times.

Personally I think the Carno development is more important given the 22 mile gap between Mach and Caersws.That one seems to be progressing as well though and both are to be welcomed.

The Planner · 22 Nov 2019

Tomos y Tanc said:
I'm sure Bow Street will be a busy little station that will help ease Aber's traffic congestion which can be very grim at times.

Personally I think the Carno development is more important given the 22 mile gap between Mach and Caersws.That one seems to be progressing as well though and both are to be welcomed.

Don't see how Carno can work, the timetable and infrastructure doesn't allow it. Bow St works as it's in marginal time at the start/finish of the run.

Llanigraham · 22 Nov 2019

The Planner said:
Don't see how Carno can work, the timetable and infrastructure doesn't allow it. Bow St works as it's in marginal time at the start/finish of the run.

Agreed, plus I cannot see that it has enough "draw" from the local very rural population.
What does need improving is car parking at Caersws.

Dr Day · 22 Nov 2019

Bow Street will still have a performance impact (with no other changes) in the short term but hopefully not too significant and one that can be absorbed by better acceleration of new rolling stock in the longer term.

Whether it will be a ‘busy little station’ will depend very much on whether the frequency is attractive enough for local commuting relative to a short if slightly congested drive. Longer distance travel I would hazard a guess will be abstractive from Aberystwyth itself.

We shall see...

61653 HTAFC · 23 Nov 2019

According to wikipedia (yes, I know...) Bow Street and the neighbouring settlements have a total population of just under 2,000 people (figure taken from the 2001 census, so quite possibly greater now). Meanwhile the town of Elland in West Yorkshire had a population of 11,676 at the 2011 census but has had its proposed station postponed since the original projected opening date of 2000. So the question is, what's the difference in approach that means a sleepy village in Wales gets a station but a market town in Yorkshire with roughly FIVE TIMES the population is still waiting? Perhaps regional devolution is the answer after all...

On Carno, if the current passing place (Talerddig?) which isn't at a station could be relocated to a station (be it Carno or Caersws) would that allow the timetable to work, as you're not adding an extra stop?

edwin_m · 23 Nov 2019

61653 HTAFC said:
On Carno, if the current passing place (Talerddig?) which isn't at a station could be relocated to a station (be it Carno or Caersws) would that allow the timetable to work, as you're not adding an extra stop?

For the timetable to work the loops need to be at places where the trains meet each other, so the timetable is effectively locked in by the loop positions and vice versa. So if the loop is optimally placed for the timetable, then moving it will stop the timetable from working.

Bow Street isn't so bad because, as mentioned, it's in the last single line section and the time penalty of stopping there is absorbed by shortening the turnaround at Aberystwyth with all passing places and times to the east being unaffected (apart from the performance risk). If new trains can shorten the time between one loop and the next by a few minutes, then this can't be captured as reduced journey time without re-positioning all the loops. But it might allow extra stops to be made within existing timings.

Doveymain158 · 23 Nov 2019

Moving Talerddig loop to Carno might be a good idea but on the grounds of cost it will also involve changing the level crossing at Carno from an AHB to maybe CCTV operated crossing as it’s a loop.

The Planner · 23 Nov 2019

You would need to find the best part of 3 minutes to get a Carno stop to work and with the best will in the world, you're not going to find that. No one is going to start moving infrastructure about either as it destroys the timetable.

Llanigraham · 23 Nov 2019

61653 HTAFC said:
According to wikipedia (yes, I know...) Bow Street and the neighbouring settlements have a total population of just under 2,000 people (figure taken from the 2001 census, so quite possibly greater now). Meanwhile the town of Elland in West Yorkshire had a population of 11,676 at the 2011 census but has had its proposed station postponed since the original projected opening date of 2000. So the question is, what's the difference in approach that means a sleepy village in Wales gets a station but a market town in Yorkshire with roughly FIVE TIMES the population is still waiting? Perhaps regional devolution is the answer after all...

Actually the population has probably dropped slightly, since Powys is currently suffering from de-population.
And because the Welsh Government is more pro-active about transport than yours?

On Carno, if the current passing place (Talerddig?) which isn't at a station could be relocated to a station (be it Carno or Caersws) would that allow the timetable to work, as you're not adding an extra stop?

From friends that work at Machy SCC, Talerddig loop works best and it certainly wouldn't work at Caersws, plus there is no room to do have one there now. Carno might work but the timetable would need a tweek, but is there the money for it.

Tomos y Tanc · 23 Nov 2019

Llanigraham said:
Agreed, plus I cannot see that it has enough "draw" from the local very rural population.
What does need improving is car parking at Caersws.

I bow to others in terms of knowledge of the problems involved!

However, 'deeply rural' communities have problems that need to be adressed not ignored. For instance, 'universal coverage' for services such as broadband and mobile telephony is defined as access for 98% of the population. Guess where most of the 2% live!

It's true that some people have moved to these communities because they enjoy the isolation, but many haven't. The small numbers of people involved is no excuse for ignoring the problems such communities face.

Llanigraham · 23 Nov 2019

Tomos, it might be useful to note that I live in the locality.

The Planner · 24 Nov 2019

Llanigraham said:
From friends that work at Machy SCC, Talerddig loop works best and it certainly wouldn't work at Caersws, plus there is no room to do have one there now. Carno might work but the timetable would need a tweek, but is there the money for it.

Would need more than a tweak, it just wouldn't work. The Cambrian has suffered from tail wagging the dog to the extreme where a service was mandated (ignoring any prospect of new intermediate stations) and the infrastructure was built around it with no leeway.

Tomos y Tanc · 24 Nov 2019

Llanigraham said:
Tomos, it might be useful to note that I live in the locality.

I don't doubt that.

I don't understand why you would find my comments unhelpful though. Are you saying that you have brilliant broadband, great mobile connectivity and a fabulous train service? I doubt it somehow.

Llanigraham · 24 Nov 2019

Tomos y Tanc said:
I don't doubt that.

I don't understand why you would find my comments unhelpful though. Are you saying that you have brilliant broadband, great mobile connectivity and a fabulous train service? I doubt it somehow.

Actually, considering where I live, our phone and broadband is more than adequate, and exceeds the service my daughter gets in Cornwall, my son near Frome, or our friends near the Stour in Essex.
However my point was that whilst I understand some of the reasons for the development of Bow St station, I can see absolutely no reason to reopen/rebuild/redevelop a station at Carno, which does not have a "draw" of population. Any money would be must better spent on improving Caersws station.

Bow Street

anamyd

On Moderation

RailUK Forums

Llanigraham

On Moderation

Hwnt52

Member

anamyd

On Moderation

Tomos y Tanc

Member

The Planner

Veteran Member

Llanigraham

On Moderation

Dr Day

Member

61653 HTAFC

Veteran Member

edwin_m

Veteran Member

Doveymain158

Member

The Planner

Veteran Member

Llanigraham

On Moderation

Tomos y Tanc

Member

Llanigraham

On Moderation

The Planner

Veteran Member

Tomos y Tanc

Member

Llanigraham

On Moderation