Jacob Didcote
Member
Yeah did see them about at Dinas Rhondda…got some odd looks as I was taking photos. BTP on the train when I got back on heading South from Llwynypia!
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South Wales 'Metro' updates
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I meant the new one at Dinas Rhondda. It's possible it's just the angle but the gap between yellow line and lampposts doesn't seem massive given all the space
59CosG95
Established Member
It's likely that it's just the angle. Everything would have had to go through the NTSN handover process before entry (back) into service, to ensure it caters for passengers with reduced mobility.
StripeyNick
Member
I noticed security on my dad's video. Did you get any grief for taking photos. I'd read either here or somewhere else that others had grief at Quakers Yard I think
Jacob Didcote
Member
Hi Nick, shame to hear people are getting grief for just taking photos. Didn’t get stopped but had some odd looks and saw some whispering but it is what it is. I was waiting for one of them to say something but they were staring like hawks as I was walking around. Did see quite a bit of security up Quakers Yard a few weeks ago. Primarily saw security up Treherbert and Dinas Rhondda
Avowedsevern
Member
I went onto Dinas Rhondda station the night they removed the fencing (last Friday) at around 8pm, spent a decent amount of time on both platforms taking videos etc. Halfway through security showed up. They didn’t say anything, they just shadowed me; felt like I was under government surveillance I think I was the first non-rail worker on that platform post renovation, so that was cool.
anthony263
Established Member
Realtime trains has the aberdare and merthyr services linked as well as all services stopping at Treforest Estate. Good news for the cityline especially getting a hourly Sunday service. Just need the Coryton branch to get a Sunday service
On the other hand, on weekdays it looks as if the City Line only has an hourly service northbound after 9 pm, whereas the Coryton line seems to stay half hourly until the last train.
I suspect that's more trains per day than the Coryton Line has ever had.
Last Hurrah
Member
Will evening service timings to/from Ninian Park for midweek games be more suitable, particularly post game, where currently trains to Fairwater/ Danescourt are either 9.35pm (5 minutes or so before game ends) or 11.00pm
Envoy
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I see a vacant patch of land in Cardiff between the Bay branch and where the valley lines approach Central near Bute Street. That land is currently being cleared presumably for another tower block? I really do wonder if a chord could have been inserted across this land to enable the tram-trains (Class 398) to get from Central to the Bay without having to cross any roads? I have marked such a chord in purple on the attached image.
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Brissle Girl
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That's a very good question. Given that there will be 6 tph fewer on that stretch of track than immediately south of Queen St I would have thought the capacity was there into Central. And given the additional platform 8 at Central, again, I would have thought that you could squeeze them in there.
Looks far too tight a radius to me
PaulHarding150
Member
Looks too tight to me to.
The proposed plan as part of the Central > Bay link includes a stop in Callaghan Square itself.
In the interim 398s will terminate at the new platforms (9&10?) at Central, with an aspiration to extend their services further West, either potentially through the Brians Brewery site or possibly up the ramp onto the mainlines.
I think the proposed and future services would also be too much for platforms 6, 7 and 8 at Central so the street running over Callagan Square to the rear of Cardiff Central is a good development.
Possibly not - the 398 depot in Taffs Well has some rather tight loops.
Though Queen Street has 2 platforms each way, whereas Central has one and a half available - and if you did this it would have to cope with trains turning round.
Also by changing the Bay services from a shuttle to a through service, the new service patterns already add one place where north and southbound services have to cross each others paths.
Adding another such place probably wouldn't do much for reliability.
But I think these dicussions should probably be in another thread.
CapitalStar378
Member
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That land has planning permission for phase 2 of the John Street development, it will be a c. 100m tower including a hotel, office space and apartments.
I used to think this too but part of the reason for the new route is for new platforms at central too as the existing ones can't cope with much more traffic.
"SWMetroUpdates" on Twitter has posted a drawing of the propose route across Callaghan Square:
They also have some nice drone shots of the construction work around Butetown station. The construction progress certainly suggests that the station may open with one platform and then gain the second one later.
They also have some nice drone shots of the construction work around Butetown station. The construction progress certainly suggests that the station may open with one platform and then gain the second one later.
anthony263
Established Member
Soon as they finish electrification work
Dai Corner
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Plus the 21st March
Rail services for Wales Euro 2024 play-off fixtures
Additional capacity and later services have been added for Wales’ Euro 2024 qualifying matches in Cardiff this March.
Markdvdman
Member
Post-Match
- Full reinstatement of Rhymney, Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr services for the evening. Additional capacity added where possible.
Envoy
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Looking at that map, it is not clear if the new tram route is elevated or crossing roads with traffic? Why does it spend so long on the road south of the Central station and not get straight off the road into what is now the car park? The last thing we need is on street running delaying services across the wider network.
I note that we don’t have a source for this map.
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I agree that it looks strange, and without the rest of the drawings and design notes its hard to fathom the intent. However, let’s have a guess: the tram tracks are shown in what appears to be one carriageway of a dual carriageway road (between Central and Callaghan Square). This can’t possibly be the design intent as otherwise trams would be running into oncoming traffic! So my interpretation is that the northern (city side) carriageway is actually a bi-directional bus/tram road, with other traffic having one lane in each direction on the southern (bay side) road. By phasing the lights at Herbert St/Lloyd George Ave junction (and similarly at the junction by Central), you can allow the traffic to split and reintegrate.
PaulHarding150
Member
Does anyone know who is behind that twitter account or where that map came from?
It doesn't appear to be anywhere else online and I'm intrigued to see the full map.
It doesn't appear to be anywhere else online and I'm intrigued to see the full map.
I'm not buying that this is authentic. For one the planning application for the original work (admittedly it was only placeholder but still) had the two tracks splitting off conventionally not going off either side for a grade separated crossing.
CapitalStar378
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I'm not sure that anyone would go to the considerable trouble of faking it!
Quite!
I can see the logic to a grade separated crossing.
Otherwise anything heading from the Bay to Queen Street has two potentially conflicting movements to deal with.
edwin_m
Veteran Member
From a study I was involved in many years ago, the existing line needs to stay above Herbert Street because there isn't enough length to get from street level onto the bridge over the main lines. That being so, if northbound trams for Callaghan Square didn't go down and under the Queen Street route as shown here, they would have to come off some way further south and run along Bute Street.
Some news on Crossrail (Cardiff Central to Cardiff Bay)
Multimillion pound Crossrail project set to take a major step forward
Ted Peskett, local democracy reporter The development of a multimillion-pound tram-train line in Cardiff is about to take a major step forward with a design and build partner set to be appointed. Cardiff Council cabinet members will be asked to approve a recommendation at a meeting on Thursday...
nation.cymru
Some news on Crossrail (Cardiff Central to Cardiff Bay)
Multimillion pound Crossrail project set to take a major step forward
Ted Peskett, local democracy reporter The development of a multimillion-pound tram-train line in Cardiff is about to take a major step forward with a design and build partner set to be appointed. Cardiff Council cabinet members will be asked to approve a recommendation at a meeting on Thursday...nation.cymru
I'm a bit confused by that.
The "business case" for phase 1 hasn't yet been made, but phase 1a is already fully funded?