Cambrian Storm Damage / Conwy Valley Flooding 02/20

[Belperpete]

The provision of displays at every station and halt on the Cambrian and Conwy lines was one of the highlights of Arriva's tenure. I can remember waiting on Minffordd platform during severe disruption with no idea whether the next train was minutes or hours away.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The provision of displays at every station and halt on the Cambrian and Conwy lines was one of the highlights of Arriva's tenure. I can remember waiting on Minffordd platform during severe disruption with no idea whether the next train was minutes or hours away.

Indeed. I was pleased to find one at Tonfanau when I used that last year.

 

[tomwills98]

Unless I'm mistaken (which I probably am) I think every station on the Wales and Borders network has an electronic screen on the platform.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Hmmm... loads of people were grumbling at Northern for providing ticket machines and PIS at little-used stations like Ardwick and Ravensthorpe... but when such things are provided at sleepy Welsh hamlets its a "good thing"?

Seems like a double standard to me.

 

[mmh]

Hmmm... loads of people were grumbling at Northern for providing ticket machines and PIS at little-used stations like Ardwick and Ravensthorpe... but when such things are provided at sleepy Welsh hamlets its a "good thing"?

Seems like a double standard to me.

Many of these stations are not sleepy hamlets. Ardwick is not a fair comparison. It's surprising it's still open! I hadn't heard of Ravensthorpe but looking at its passenger numbers and location yes of course it should have PIS. All stations should. If they're worth keeping open, it's worth providing decent information at them.

Decent information is more important in a sleepy hamlet. Nobody is going to get stuck for 3 hours at Ardwick due to not knowing their train was cancelled.

 

[Belperpete]

Hmmm... loads of people were grumbling at Northern for providing ticket machines and PIS at little-used stations like Ardwick and Ravensthorpe... but when such things are provided at sleepy Welsh hamlets its a "good thing"?
Seems like a double standard to me.

Not disagreeing about double-standards. However, there is no reason why passengers at little-used stations should suffer a lack of information or inability to buy tickets, and such problems may actually deter people from using such stations. On a line such as the Cambrian, with a two-hourly service, knowing that your next train is cancelled could be quite important. And I am looking forward to TfW providing ticket machines on the Cambrian, as there are currently many journeys that I make where I currently have no way of buying a ticket either before boarding or on the train.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Not disagreeing about double-standards. However, there is no reason why passengers at little-used stations should suffer a lack of information or inability to buy tickets, and such problems may actually deter people from using such stations. On a line such as the Cambrian, with a two-hourly service, knowing that your next train is cancelled could be quite important. And I am looking forward to TfW providing ticket machines on the Cambrian, as there are currently many journeys that I make where I currently have no way of buying a ticket either before boarding or on the train.

Don't get me wrong, I think providing real-time information is important- and is worth investing in.

My comment was purely aimed at the difference in response on here between Ardwick and Dolgarrog receiving upgrades.

I'd definitely say that providing information is more important (and a better use of funds) than using card-only ticket machines and a needlessly complicated permit-to-travel scheme as a way of enforcing penalty fares and discouraging "false origin" fraud. But that's going off-topic...
It perhaps hints at differing mindsets in Wales compared to the North of England though.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Does anyone know what the state of play with the line is at the moment? Has any work been done during the lockdown, or is it being left until that is released?

 

[krus_aragon]

Does anyone know what the state of play with the line is at the moment? Has any work been done during the lockdown, or is it being left until that is released?

I haven't had reason or excuse to go down that way for the past month, but when I went down there in early March*, I couldn't identify (from the road) where the new washouts were. So while I could find the opportunity for a bike ride to Llanrwst and back, I wouldn't expect to be able to see anything on my travels. Some even-more-local individuals may have some more useful information to offer.

*The portakabins that had been situated near Dolgarrog during the ongoing work form last year were packed up and gone at that time.

 

[GCRS]

I've seen a few Network Rail vans on the A470 in the Conwy valley in the last couple of weeks. That suggests that something's going on with the line. All I can say for sure is that someone's replaced the handle on the gate at Glan Conwy in the last couple of weeks, which seems an odd thing to do right now.

 

[Whistler40145]

I've seen a few Network Rail vans on the A470 in the Conwy valley in the last couple of weeks. That suggests that something's going on with the line. All I can say for sure is that someone's replaced the handle on the gate at Glan Conwy in the last couple of weeks, which seems an odd thing to do right now.

Indeed, hardly a major engineering project replacing a handle on a gate

 

[Bletchleyite]

Indeed, hardly a major engineering project replacing a handle on a gate

I dunno, with "railway inflation" that must be at least ten grand

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

I dunno, with "railway inflation" that must be at least ten grand

Truest thing said today....

 

[PHILIPE]

TFW Journey Check says Conwy Valley re-open 0615 May 1st. I think this might be a good guide as it was only updated 2 days ago.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Cheers. It's certainly a line I'd love to go and revisit once this is allowed.

 

[Whistler40145]

TFW Journey Check says re-open 0615 May 1st. I think this might be a good guide as it was only updated 2 days ago.

Wonder if any TSRs will be in place around the areas where work has occurred or will line speed be available?

 

[PHILIPE]

Further update on NRE says at least 14th June for re-opening

 

[krus_aragon]

I drafted the below post yesterday, but it didn't manage to get published, for some reason. (I may have mashed the "preview" button by mistake.)

TFW Journey Check says Conwy Valley re-open 0615 May 1st. I think this might be a good guide as it was only updated 2 days ago.

The cynic in me wonders if this was just a rolling update of "it's still closed, and will remain so until at least the end of April" ...

Either way, given the very limited service along the coast at the moment (two-hourly all stops Holyhead - Crewe via Llandudno), I doubt whether they'd start running anything down to Conwy Valley too.

 

[the sniper]

Either way, given the very limited service along the coast at the moment (two-hourly all stops Holyhead - Crewe via Llandudno), I doubt whether they'd start running anything down to Conwy Valley too.

I imagine they'll want to run something, at least for train crew route knowledge retention purposes.

 

[Welshman]

Are they still running the rrbuses down the valley? I can find nothing on rtt at present.
If they are running, are they running to the normal weekday timetable, the Sunday timetable, or the Essential Workers' Timetable?
Perhaps they are too much of a pressure on Llew Jones/Arriva at the present time.

 

[krus_aragon]

Some pictures of ongoing repair work were posted on conwyvalleyrailway.co.uk yesterday.

 

[PHILIPE]

Are they still running the rrbuses down the valley? I can find nothing on rtt at present.
If they are running, are they running to the normal weekday timetable, the Sunday timetable, or the Essential Workers' Timetable?
Perhaps they are too much of a pressure on Llew Jones/Arriva at the present time.

Buses are running which should be near enough to the train times. The info is in TFW Journey Check.

 

[gazthomas]

Some pictures of ongoing repair work were posted on conwyvalleyrailway.co.uk yesterday.

That's a great website that's new to me

 

[Leslie Fletcher]

At least three round trips by an engineers vehicle through Dolwyddelan today. Maybe it a regular occurrence but I haven't seen anything like this recently.

 

[PHILIPE]

The latest update for re-opening is 07 September according to TFW Journey Check. This was only processed after I pointed out to TFW yesterday that according to their info it should have re-opened yesterday. There is a precise time, i.e. 1030, quoted so could be something just plucked out of he sky.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The latest update for re-opening is 07 September according to TFW Journey Check. This was only processed after I pointed out to TFW yesterday that according to their info it should have re-opened yesterday. There is a precise time, i.e. 1030, quoted so could be something just plucked out of he sky.

Just in time for this year's flooding to close it again

 

[davetheguard]

At least three round trips by an engineers vehicle through Dolwyddelan today. Maybe it a regular occurrence but I haven't seen anything like this recently.

When you say "an engineers' vehicle" do you mean some sort of on-track machine, or just a road van?

 

[Leslie Fletcher]

When you say "an engineers' vehicle" do you mean some sort of on-track machine, or just a road van?

On-track machine - sorry I am not familiar with the terminology.

 

[Penmorfa]

An engineering train has been to Llanrwst today, carrying spoil I believe. Locos were 70802 and 812. Another one booked to run on thursday. Ballast trains later this month planned

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I am reminded of Keynsian economics - to boost the economy , you pay people to dig holes , then ask them to fill them up.

Line re-opens for the Autumn storms then ?