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On the All-Wales Express

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PaxVobiscum

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Great photos there.

Funny how the scenery around Hargrave is so distinctive. I've only done one return journey on the Holyhead line but I recognised that bit immediately before reading the caption.
 

sonic2009

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It appears the 175 may sit in Canton until 1500, then form

5B67 Canton Sidings 1500 to Cardiff Central Pl 3A 1505
2B67 Cardiff Central PL 3a 1514 to Swansea Pl 4 1617

then form the 1710 to Holyhead.
 

merlodlliw

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It appears the 175 may sit in Canton until 1500, then form

5B67 Canton Sidings 1500 to Cardiff Central Pl 3A 1505
2B67 Cardiff Central PL 3a 1514 to Swansea Pl 4 1617

then form the 1710 to Holyhead.

At last, its a franchise 175 doing franchise work,looks very much like WG have listened. Now one wonders if the return premier service to Holyhead in Sept will follow on from Swansea,In my opinion having trains, franchise or OA just left at Canton for what would have been eight hours in Sept was ridiculous.
One wonders if ATW are paying the rail access charges to Swansea for the 175.
Anybody seen the ATW timetable on this happening,

Bob
 

SprinterMan

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We need to check if its the same 175 working it in both directions now, because the 175 may not just sit out of use all day now, which is alot better for everyone.
Adam :D
 

anthony263

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No idea to be honest although yes I do agree it certainly makes better use of the stock.

Problem is that the loco hauled rake would be unable to keep to the times of the 17:10 Swansea - Cardiff swanline unless mk3's fitted with powered doors and even then its going to be a bit tight.

That said the commuters using the 17:10 Cardiff service from Swansea are certainly not complaining and the 175 is managing to keep to the timetable well unlike the class 153's which are bloody useless on that service.
 

Greenback

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Interesting. Tonight was my first trip on the 1705 ex Swansea to Fishguard, and I noticed a 175 sitting in paltform 4. I wondered what it was doing there,e specially as 1705 in paltform 3 was a 150! For a second I thought I might have sleepwalked on to the wrong train, but the guard's announcement soon reassured me!

One woman on the Fishguard service wanted to go to Haverfordwest, and was rather surprised to learn the timetabels had changed this week...
 

merlodlliw

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WAG 2 was a 3 car 175 from Bangor this morning, usually a 2 car?

I have seen it into Wrexham as a three car a while back,politics aside I know WG are only paying for a two car.
If its only for a week, yes better use of stock,I still wonder if the DVT/67 will be laid up at Canton for eight hours from September, time will tell.


Bob
 

anthony263

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I have seen it into Wrexham as a three car a while back,politics aside I know WG are only paying for a two car.
If its only for a week, yes better use of stock,I still wonder if the DVT/67 will be laid up at Canton for eight hours from September, time will tell.


Bob


I wouldnt be surprised if it was however it would be nice if it was used on say the 15:14 Cardiff - Swansea and the 17:!0 Swansea - Cardiff if mk3's fitted with powered doors were used & hopefully ATW will get such a rake once Chiltern's are done.

That said maybe we could ask chiltern if we could borrow one of their rakes.

I must admit it would be nice to see a regular loco hauled service at Swansea again.
 

PHILIPE

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WAG 2 was a 3 car 175 from Bangor this morning, usually a 2 car?

Booked 2 Car. Why waste 3 anyway ?
Reason for 3 Cars could be only 3 Cars finishing Holyhead the night before, or possibly having to do a swap to get unit on Diagram to finish at Chester at night for exam.
 

SprinterMan

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I wouldnt be surprised if it was however it would be nice if it was used on say the 15:14 Cardiff - Swansea and the 17:!0 Swansea - Cardiff if mk3's fitted with powered doors were used & hopefully ATW will get such a rake once Chiltern's are done.

That said maybe we could ask chiltern if we could borrow one of their rakes.

I must admit it would be nice to see a regular loco hauled service at Swansea again.

From what I have heard, ATW are not fitting Power-doors or generators to their Mark 3s. I think things will just continue as they were back when WAG1 first started back in 2009 but going via Wrexham instead. It is a shame there are not 2 loco hauled trains per day, but tbh its probably overkill anyway. Let the WAG have their lovely luxury train.

Adam :D
 

jones_bangor

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From what I have heard, ATW are not fitting Power-doors or generators to their Mark 3s. I think things will just continue as they were back when WAG1 first started back in 2009 but going via Wrexham instead. It is a shame there are not 2 loco hauled trains per day, but tbh its probably overkill anyway. Let the WAG have their lovely luxury train.

Adam :D

It's strange. 3 x DVTs, 3 x 67s for one LHCS....doesn't add up....
 

Arglwydd Golau

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It does seem alot doesn't it but remember ATW had 4 57s for WAG1 despite needing 1 a day
25% fleet utilisation must be lowest in country.
Adam :D

just a thought tho' - from memory WAG1 started off t&t, but didn't last too long, so perhaps that was the original intention for four 57s - but agree that later they certainly weren't all needed.
 

jones_bangor

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It does seem alot doesn't it but remember ATW had 4 57s for WAG1 despite needing 1 a day
25% fleet utilisation must be lowest in country.
Adam :D

My money is on 1 x "Premier", and 2 x LHCS with 3 x standard Mk3s, freeing up 175s for other routes...and no layover time for the LHCS in Canton.
 

anthony263

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Maybe using 1 loco hauled set to work on the Rhymney line again well we can dream I suppose.

That said I wouldnt mind regular loco haulage between Swansea & Cardiff - Cheltenham or Cardiff - west wales.
 

sonic2009

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I've heard a loco hauled diagram will be running a Gloucester - Fishguard diagram, but i laughed this off. Can anyone confirm?

Might have something to do with the 67s doing test runs to Gloucester a few months ago?

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk
 

merlodlliw

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I've heard a loco hauled diagram will be running a Gloucester - Fishguard diagram, but i laughed this off. Can anyone confirm?

Might have something to do with the 67s doing test runs to Gloucester a few months ago?

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

Again, according to ATW sources in the know & confirmation from North Wales rail website this week, the letter to stakeholders from ATW stated,from Sept
67/dvt/mark3s inc dinner via Wrexham,Crewe route dropped, two or three weeks later stakeholders were informed its not set in stone, so its anybody's guess.
My contacts still tell me the big timetables changes will commence Dec12/13, so consultation for that should out immediately the Summer timetable ends.
If the 67 from September is out of action for eight hours at Canton,a lot of flack will fly, & quite right too .

Bob
 

anthony263

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I certainly wouldnt mind a loco hauled train from Gloucester to Fishguard and back as I'm sure a few on here wouldnt either.

I would be interested in seing what ATW have planned for dec 2013
 

jones_bangor

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Again, according to ATW sources in the know & confirmation from North Wales rail website this week, the letter to stakeholders from ATW stated,from Sept
67/dvt/mark3s inc dinner via Wrexham,Crewe route dropped, two or three weeks later stakeholders were informed its not set in stone, so its anybody's guess.
My contacts still tell me the big timetables changes will commence Dec12/13, so consultation for that should out immediately the Summer timetable ends.
If the 67 from September is out of action for eight hours at Canton,a lot of flack will fly, & quite right too .

Bob

I'm sure the early train will go via Wrexham, and return that way, that is the whole purpose of the DVT set up after all.

I do hope the various sets are better used.
 

SprinterMan

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I've heard a loco hauled diagram will be running a Gloucester - Fishguard diagram, but i laughed this off. Can anyone confirm?

Might have something to do with the 67s doing test runs to Gloucester a few months ago?

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

I hope to god this is true, but I think it was something that was suggested on here as opposed to something likely to happen.
Adam :D
 

merlodlliw

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I'm sure the early train will go via Wrexham, and return that way, that is the whole purpose of the DVT set up after all.

I do hope the various sets are better used.

I agree, that's why the stock is being set up,the comment from ATW not set in stone to various stakeholders makes me wonder.I appreciate the route via Crewe
was always temporary,

Bob
 
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Rhydgaled

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I've heard a loco hauled diagram will be running a Gloucester - Fishguard diagram, but i laughed this off. Can anyone confirm?
Well there is a Gloucester - Fishguard service now, which open train times says is timed for a Pacer but a 158 ran it on its first day of operation I think. Anyone know what is actually booked for the service?

My money is on 1 x "Premier", and 2 x LHCS with 3 x standard Mk3s, freeing up 175s for other routes...and no layover time for the LHCS in Canton.
1x Premier on Gerald mark3 and 1x standard class only rake on franchise services might happen, but you can't have 100% fleet utilisation (3 sets) all of the time. Perhaps they can plan maintenance so they can run all three sets (one running extra services) when there are special events (Royal Welsh Show and Rugby in Cardiff already see extra trains, but other events, such as Beach Break Live, Pembrey, need extras too).

My opinion on what I think should happen eventually (not what I would guess will happen this year, and not one of my top prorities) is two LHCS rakes with a cooked meal service (don't care if there is first class or not, just a decent buffet you can buy meals from). One rake would run Holyhead - Cardiff/Swansea express in the morning and back in the evening, the other would do Cardiff/Swansea to Holyhead in the morning and back in the evening. This would be 7 days a week, though might not have an express calling pattern on Sundays. Ideally the evening workings would actually be run by a different pair of sets, allowing the four sets to interwork with franchise diagrams and avoid the stock sitting idle for long periods, but that would need five or six sets (counting spares) rather than the three sets (one spare, two servicable) it looks like we may get.

My contacts still tell me the big timetables changes will commence Dec12/13, so consultation for that should out immediately the Summer timetable ends.

If the 67 from September is out of action for eight hours at Canton,a lot of flack will fly, & quite right too .

Bob
Can you remind me what the timings for the southbound LHCS service via Wrexham were supposed to be (northbound is current WAG2 path, yes?)? I wonder if an 8-hour layover is enough to send the set up to Manchester and back on one of the franchise 175 services.

Gowerton redoubling is supposed to happen Easter 2013. Hopefully the Pembroke Dock and Milford Haven trains can be made 100% clockface then (would be useful to have everything passing Haverfordwest at the same minutes past each hour (in both directions) as it could help buses connect).
 
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