If the train is in the correct formation (First class at the buffers at Paddington) then you will be able to get off without walking through the train. However if the train is in reverse (First class not at the buffers at Paddington) you will need to walk through the train to Coach E. Tenby in the Pembroke direction is always rear 5 coaches.
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Narberth Tunnel
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I’ve been on what was the direct train from Paddington on its return journey back from Tenby twice in the last three Saturdays, and the train was in a different formation on both occasions. First class would have been at the rear arriving at Tenby in the first time, then would have been in the front the next time.
keredsonej
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Pretty much straight? I can assure you from personal experience that with the cures and restricted space in there, it is one of the scariest tunnels I ever worked in. Once inside and any daylight is extinguished by the curvature, even with an occupation of the line, it is still not pleasant at all. There are all sorts of strange noises and wind movements that get you really on edge.
Gareth Marston
Established Member
Pembroke Dock branch wasn't even mentioned in all the stuff about the new Wales and Border franchise.
On the service page (18) of the Keolis/Amey document it is a mid-blue dashed line between Swansea and Pembroke Dock.
Gareth Marston
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The existing two hourly service so no change.
Envoy
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I was at Penally (west of Tenby) on Saturday 23 June 2018 and saw both the eastbound morning (Pics 1 & 2)‘Pembroke Coast Express’ and the westbound PCE (3 -rear). Both HST’s had first class at the eastern end of the trains.
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Envoy
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Which is a pity as Tenby is an important resort town. (It takes twice as long to get to Tenby by train from Cardiff v driving - assuming no hold-ups).
Gareth Marston
Established Member
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
That's correct. After reversals at Carmarthen and Swansea leading heading to London
Leisurefirst
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Thanks for all your replies, much appreciated!
james60059
Member
Off topic, I'm having a trip to Pembroke at the end of July, boarding the HST at Bristol Parkway, hope the weather is just as decent 
Location report Saturday 30 June - arriving in Tenby, First Class was at the rear of the train.
Assuming I am looking at the same document, I'm not sure what the lines on the map are supposed to represent. For the most part, it seems to show the current service pattern (eg. Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury shown as a dashed line; assumed to mean 2-hourly service, with upgrade to hourly described in text) but Cardiff to Cheltenham is a solid line (which I guess means hourly) despite the current 2hr gaps in the timetable.
Regardless of the map, regrettably there doesn't seem to be any enhancements planned for Pembrokeshire in the new franchise beyond reinstatement of the community rail partnership. Fishguard could well be left with the gap of over 5 hours in daytime services and Haverfordwest with the current 2-hourly service that does not feature an arrival from Milford Haven in the morning peak despite the traffic jams that frequently build up (Haverfordwest seriously needs some bus lanes which given the lack of space probably means closing certain roads to private motor vehicles). Even the key interchange station, Whitland, seems likely to be left as a windswept halt with no facilities despite being over the border in Carmarthenshire.
I don't think the Pembroke & Tenby (P&T) is an easy route to timetable; I'd like to see the following services between Carmarthen and Llanelli, with most of these continuing at least as far as Whitland:
- 1tph FAST to/from Cardiff (calling only at Port Talbot and Llanelli)
- 1tph Semi-Fast to/from Swansea (calling at Gowerton, Llanelli, Pembrey & Burry Port)
- 1tph All-Stops to/from Swansea
The P&T has alot of stops, which don't help, and going via Tenby is quite indirect compared to the road if you're going between Pembroke and Carmarthen. The slow journey times make it probably harder to justify an hourly service, because you've lost some of the potential traffic already due to the slowness. Once you get to Carmarthen, rail is at a further geographical disadvatage at the moment since almost all the trains go via Swansea which adds 15 minutes at least. That's why I have the hourly Cardiff-Carmarthen FAST on my list above.
On the topic of the London - Pembroke Dock services; when I was at Carmarthen earlier there was quite a crowd waiting on platform 1, with the staff making manual announcements for everyone to stay behind the yellow line. The heavily delayed (35 late according to Real Time Trains) 12:47 GWR service to Pembroke Dock eventually arrived and when it was gone most of the crowd had too.
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Envoy
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Rhydgaled - I agree with what you say - especially the need for a fast service to/from Cardiff missing out Swansea. Presumably this could use the Swansea District Line - especially if they could raise the speed limits? However, I would add a new station at Morriston by M4 J45 - which could be called Morriston or Swansea Parkway. (I would also like to see the the SDL used as a short cut to the Heart of Wales route as this would induce more passengers to use the HoW rather than the 40 minute longer route via Llanelli).
Yes, the westbound ‘Pembroke Coast Express’ was 35 late yesterday into Tenby having been running late for most of the trip from London via the longer Gloucester route. I also noticed quite a number of people using this service to get to Tenby from Carmarthen and Whitland when I was on board a couple of years ago. On Saturday 23 June, I also noted the fact that some ATW services were cancelled on the Pembroke branch and the same thing happened yesterday with the 15.22 fro Swansea to Pembroke Dock cancelled along with the return service (16.53 off Tenby). This is appalling given the wonderful weather and the lack of services on this line. You can’t trust the railway on this line = best to use the car! Let us hope that the new operator can get things sorted out.
Yes, the westbound ‘Pembroke Coast Express’ was 35 late yesterday into Tenby having been running late for most of the trip from London via the longer Gloucester route. I also noticed quite a number of people using this service to get to Tenby from Carmarthen and Whitland when I was on board a couple of years ago. On Saturday 23 June, I also noted the fact that some ATW services were cancelled on the Pembroke branch and the same thing happened yesterday with the 15.22 fro Swansea to Pembroke Dock cancelled along with the return service (16.53 off Tenby). This is appalling given the wonderful weather and the lack of services on this line. You can’t trust the railway on this line = best to use the car! Let us hope that the new operator can get things sorted out.
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The 1535 service to Paddington on Saturday, which is the lesser used of the two direct trains to That London, had 60 or so passengers join it at Tenby.
As mentioned, ATW had a mare on the line on Saturday - the 1056 from Catmarthen had to be held for 40 minutes or so for a late connecting service and the need to clear the other platform, and the mid afternoon service to and from Pembroke Dock was bustituted - all on the busiest day so far of the summer.
Gareth Marston
Established Member
Still quite a bit of detail to be finalised about West Wales services in the new franchise however what we do know is that
There is no upgrade of the SDL or Swansea Parkway planned.
The current two hourly to Milford & hourly to Carmarthen service is retained and will be worked by Civitys that will join up / detach with a first class portion at Swansea and continue to Manchester.
The current Pembroke Dock service at two hourly frequency will continue. Though not officially confirmed what will work it.
The current less than 2 hourly frequency service to Fishguard is retained though not officially confirmed what will work it.
Southern end of Heart of Wales wil be 5 through trains to Shrewsbury and 1 short working a day operated by 2 car class 170's.
If the summer Saturday IEP's can be additional to and not in lieu of some of the two hourly trains to Pemroke it would be a big improvement.
There is no upgrade of the SDL or Swansea Parkway planned.
The current two hourly to Milford & hourly to Carmarthen service is retained and will be worked by Civitys that will join up / detach with a first class portion at Swansea and continue to Manchester.
The current Pembroke Dock service at two hourly frequency will continue. Though not officially confirmed what will work it.
The current less than 2 hourly frequency service to Fishguard is retained though not officially confirmed what will work it.
Southern end of Heart of Wales wil be 5 through trains to Shrewsbury and 1 short working a day operated by 2 car class 170's.
If the summer Saturday IEP's can be additional to and not in lieu of some of the two hourly trains to Pemroke it would be a big improvement.
Another ATW mare on the line today - for the second Saturday running a bustitution has been necessary. This time the 1330 Manchester Piccadilly to Pembroke Dock has terminated at Carmarthen due to a lack of drivers.
I have asked ATW on Twitter why this problem has recurred, but they haven’t given an explanation.
I have asked ATW on Twitter why this problem has recurred, but they haven’t given an explanation.
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
There have been more than an ideal number of cancellations in West Wales recently due to a train crew shortage.
Fair play to ATW for sourcing a 52 seater coach to go from Carmarthen to Whitland and Tenby, and a minibus for the intermediate stations to Tenby and then beyond at short notice, but the cancellations are becoming quite frequent.
It was suggested that there was a shortage of both a driver and a guard at Carmarthen this evening.
It was suggested that there was a shortage of both a driver and a guard at Carmarthen this evening.
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/F53958/2018/11/12/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/F53961/2018/11/13/advanced
IET Tests so looks next Summer Saturdays GWR Pembroke Docks will be catered for
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/F53961/2018/11/13/advanced
IET Tests so looks next Summer Saturdays GWR Pembroke Docks will be catered for
I did post in the GWR 800 thread - albeit without RTT links - but it got lost in the whining about seat fabric I think.
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
Missed it. Think I got fed up with seeing post after post about seats which we've been through all before that I must have skipped some posts
Looking at RTT it got through the tunnel, although perhaps arriving 25 minutes or so late at Tenby after being on time at previous points, suggests they had a few goes at getting through, or got the local Chips Away franchisee to do a quick repair job to the scratched paintwork before anyone important noticed?!
Has anyone heard how it went?
Has anyone heard how it went?
berneyarms
Established Member
Well the return working had no such issues - so I would assume it’s ok to fit through the tunnel.
I suspect the delays are more likely to have been platform validation measuring taking longer than planned - either to stop the train to accuracy of a few cm or the physical measuring of stepping distances taking longer.
The train fits through Narberth Tunnel without any restriction or modification work necessary to train or tunnel. As I said it would several months ago!
The train fits through Narberth Tunnel without any restriction or modification work necessary to train or tunnel. As I said it would several months ago!
swt_passenger
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Any posts about them actually being designed to go anywhere an HST could go seem to have been forgotten. Anyone might think there was an ongoing campaign to find fault where there is none...
berneyarms
Established Member
Quite so - the entire thread was based on a supposition rather than anything concrete in the first place.
Gareth Marston
Established Member
Well an article in Railnews see post # 132
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