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South Wales 'Metro' updates

Tom Quinne

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No one would get off at Pye Corner to bus into Newport city centre, during the Peak it’s probably at 20-25 minute trip !

Run all services via a remodelled Park Junction and Cardiff Circe direct to Cardiff.
 
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RailUK Forums

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There's two options:

Either a shuttle between Abertillery and Aberbeeg needs to be introduced (bar the first and last service of the day that can be a self contained branchline, might prove dificult from a staff logistical point being so far away from Cardiff/Canton) - but having to take two trains to get to work/the shops might be unappealing to some (but a hell of a lot more appealing than a bus then a train)

Or 2tph from Ebbw Vale Town one going to Cardiff and one to Newport with the same service from Aberbeeg giving 4tph between Llanhilleth and Pye Corner.

Obviusly extra track/passing loops will need to be built/finished (work did stop mid way through 2017 didn't it?) but it will help get what the Welsh Govt call 'Metro frequency' of 4tph.
 

si404

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Or 2tph from Ebbw Vale Town one going to Cardiff and one to Newport with the same service from Aberbeeg giving 4tph between Llanhilleth and Pye Corner.
Or, and hear me out on this radical idea, 2tph from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff and 2tph from Aberbeeg to Newport... This could also be Ebbw Vale-Newport and Aberbeeg-Cardiff if that is more useful.

2*2tph is easier than 4*1tph to use and operate.
 

MarkyT

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Either a shuttle between Abertillery and Aberbeeg needs to be introduced (bar the first and last service of the day that can be a self contained branchline, might prove dificult from a staff logistical point being so far away from Cardiff/Canton) - but having to take two trains to get to work/the shops might be unappealing to some (but a hell of a lot more appealing than a bus then a train)
Depends on quality of the connection. Close, level interchange, shelter, minimal wait time and plenty of real time info is good. A long walk, ages to wait, and only printed timetables is rubbish. Many bus connections more resemble the latter unfortunately, but it needn't be the case. Rail stations also usually have car parks, drop off points, decent shelters etc. Bus stops sometimes have rudimentary shelters, but rarely anything else, unless they are elaborate park and ride locations. Those considerations could figure in plans for the stops along the Abertillery branch whichever mode is chosen.
Or 2tph from Ebbw Vale Town one going to Cardiff and one to Newport with the same service from Aberbeeg giving 4tph between Llanhilleth and Pye Corner.
Not that a theoretical 4tph that is actually very useful in this case though. People are actually going to Cardiff or Newport so having 4 an hour to a wet platform just outside the latter isn't actually an attractive proposition over a half hourly train, especially as it is reported that people hardly ever interchange at said platform. It's a good service though, but how would it degrade in the evenings and on Sundays (say). Dropping to hourly on each would be unattractive. I'd say at these quiet times the direct Cardiffs should be dropped and the remaining trains should all run to Cardiff via Newport and reverse. The journey time would be inflated by say seven to ten minutes to Cardiff but the frequency to both Cardiff and Newport would remain exactly the same as during the day. The extras to Cardiff direct would then be running at peak times and during the daytime primarily to satisfy higher demand and provide an express service, but costs could be reduced off peak.
Obviusly extra track/passing loops will need to be built/finished (work did stop mid way through 2017 didn't it?) but it will help get what the Welsh Govt call 'Metro frequency' of 4tph.
As I said, not really 4 tph but rather two separate 2tph services that happen to provide a high frequency service between a few intermediate stops rather than to the major destinations where people actually want to go!
 
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Or, and hear me out on this radical idea, 2tph from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff and 2tph from Aberbeeg to Newport... This could also be Ebbw Vale-Newport and Aberbeeg-Cardiff if that is more useful.

2*2tph is easier than 4*1tph to use and operate.

I think my idea would be more attractive to Joe public as it would allow for a direct service from both valleys to each of Cardiff and Newport. Appreciate the more complex timetabling of it, but I don’t think the good folk of Aberbeeg will appreciate having to change trains to get to Cardiff(or Newport) not nor would people in Ebbw Vale take lightly no longer having a direct train to the capital which had been so successful over the last decade.

Depends on quality of the connection. Close, level interchange, shelter, minimal wait time and plenty of real time info is good. A long walk, ages to wait, and only printed timetables is rubbish. Many bus connections more resemble the latter unfortunately, but it needn't be the case. Rail stations also usually have car parks, drop off points, decent shelters etc. Bus stops sometimes have rudimentary shelters, but rarely anything else, unless they are elaborate park and ride locations. Those considerations could figure in plans for the stops along the Abertillery branch whichever mode is chosen.

But people don’t like buses.

If (and I hope it doesn’t come to it) a bus were introduced on that leg, I agree there needs to be good connections and services arriving/departing from essentially the same platform.

You’d also need a through ticket to Cardiff/Newport (and beyond) that’s able to be read by gatelines and sold by ticket machines UK wide. That should be the easy bit, but I can see it being screwed up.

Plus you’d need to guarantee the connection if you’re still to only have a train every 30 minutes.
 
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si404

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I don’t think the good folk of Aberbeeg will appreciate having to change trains
Your scenario has them either has them waiting for the hourly train (at home normally), or changing from the train to the wrong city onto one that goes to the right one.
Aberbeeg will appreciate having to change trains to get to Cardiff(or Newport) not would people in Ebbw Vale take lightly no longer having a direct train to the capital which had been so successful over the last decade.
Err, those would be mutually exclusive options - if Aberbeeg have to change to get to Cardiff, then Ebbw Vale wouldn't!

But lots of passengers in your scenario would change anyway - for most people the change penalty is less than the waiting for the direct train (especially as it might be 45 minutes!).

Everywhere to everywhere service isn't convenient or reliable (both for railway operations, or for customers knowing whether the next train will mean a change or not until it's on the displays. The latter, of course, is the antithesis of 'metro'.
 
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Your scenario has them either has them waiting for the hourly train (at home normally), or changing from the train to the wrong city onto one that goes to the right one.
Err, those would be mutually exclusive options - if Aberbeeg have to change to get to Cardiff, then Ebbw Vale wouldn't!

But lots of passengers in your scenario would change anyway - for most people the change penalty is less than the waiting for the direct train (especially as it might be 45 minutes!).

Everywhere to everywhere service isn't convenient or reliable (both for railway operations, or for customers knowing whether the next train will mean a change or not until it's on the displays. The latter, of course, is the antithesis of 'metro'.

1tph to Cardiff and 1tph from both Ebbw Vale and Abertillery (giving four trains per hour from Aberbeeg to Pye Corner, all be it not quite at equal 15 minute intervals) would serve both valley heads with people able to go south and then go either east to Newport or west to Cardiff) as well as giving the lower two thirds of the line the 15 minute service the rest of South Wales is getting.

I don't see why anyone would change. If you missed the train you were aiming for by less than ten minutes then yes catch the next one to a different city, change trains after a circa 10 minute wait then travel the 12/15 minutes to the correct city, but that would only be quicker and work at certain times, for most people, who've missed their train, while it would be frustrating you'd have to wait for the next train (which is what they have to do now).

With my plan this would be a significant increase for everyone bar those who travel between Ebbw Vale, Parkway, Cwm and Cardiff Central for which there would be no service increase (on that specific route) but they would still benefit from a direct train to Newport, something that should have been introduced from Day 1. And please remember under the cureent WG/TfW plans there will still only be 1tph to Cardiff Central.
 
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Envoy

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Alun Davies, the AM for Blaenau Gwent has been saying since 2012 that he would prefer to see all trains going to Cardiff. Does he not realise that people from these eastern valleys also need access to Newport in order to change for trains to/from England? (At present of course, anybody wishing to travel by train from Ebbw Vale to England has to go in the wrong direction all the way to Cardiff).
9857516.Newport_rail_link__not_best_for_Valleys______Blaenau_Gwent_AM
OPENING a rail link from Ebbw Vale to Newport is not in the best interests of the Valleys, Blaenau Gwent’s AM has said.

Alun Davies says he would like to see the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff line improved with a metro-style train service to the capital.

“I don’t think the voice of Blaenau Gwent has been heard, the debate has been driven by what’s best for Newport,” he told the Argus.

Meanwhile, I note that £13 million has been wasted on ‘improvements’ to M4 J28 at Tredegar Park which has resulted in massive tailbacks in the morning peak going up the valley. See image:>

J28 TREDEGAR PARK - JAMMED..14.jpg

Some of these people must surely be heading for the major employment site just south of J28. It just goes to show that building business parks at major motorway intersections which have no rail access just encourages commuters to use cars to reach them. It is the same at J30 at Cardiff Gate = a large area of office blocks and car showrooms with poor public transport. Now the Welsh Government - in Cahoots with Cardiff Council plan the same thing for J33 at Cardiff West - a major junction between the M4 and the A4232 ‘expressway’. Meanwhile, a vast swathe of brownfield land near Barry Docks Railway station remains unused. Had the County of South Glamorgan still existed, then perhaps this could have been used as a business park rather than digging up the countryside and further bunging up J33? A clear lack of regional planning?

Returning to the problems at Tredegar Park, I would think that a new railway station should be built on the Ebbw line where it reaches the nearest point to the National Statistics Offices - with a footbridge over the river and a linking footpath. When all these civil servants go to & from work, the jams in this area are massive. Well, you can’t blame them using cars as it is not an easy place to reach for those who do not live in the immediate area.

It is regrettable to see that no provision is made to have a linking footpath going under the main road at Cogan station to the Pont Y Werin footbridge to the swimming pool/ice rink etc. This is a great missed opportunity which would not cost much.

I am pleased to see that work is to start on a new car park at Pontypool & New Inn with a direct link to the A4042. This could well attract commuters from Usk and nearby to use the trains as this is the nearest station. However, it is disappointing to see that nothing is going to happen anytime soon to see something similar on the east side of Abergavenny station - where commuters are using lay-bys and walking down a steep bank to the station. I would also have liked to have seen a station at Caerleon being fast tracked. The town is difficult to reach by road and also has the important Roman site - which is quite frankly not worth the hassle of reaching for tourists who might be staying in hotels in Cardiff. It is also disappointing to see a lack of action to provide decent parking at Pontyclun station as that has trains able to reach Cardiff Central in around 11 minutes.
 
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deltic08

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Does anyone know if electrification to Maesteg will happen as part of Metro plans? If so, another few miles of the mainline to Swansea as far as Bridgend would be available to electric traction.
 

PHILIPE

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Does anyone know if electrification to Maesteg will happen as part of Metro plans? If so, another few miles of the mainline to Swansea as far as Bridgend would be available to electric traction.

No. The Welsh Government and their associates have no control over the SWML, Network Rail full control.
 

si404

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I don't see why anyone would change. If you missed the train you were aiming for by less than ten minutes then yes catch the next one to a different city, change trains after a circa 10 minute wait then travel the 12/15 minutes to the correct city, but that would only be quicker and work at certain times, for most people, who've missed their train, while it would be frustrating you'd have to wait for the next train (which is what they have to do now).
There's a couple of scenarios here wrt trains on a 4*1tph pattern. In all of them, changing is a useful thing to do, but only on some journeys as others are left stuck as hourly - ie you have to wait an hour for the train after the next train if you've missed your train - far more frustrating!

Half-hourly to each city, 40-20 pattern on the northern branches.
00 Ebbw Vale - Newport
10 Abertillery - Cardiff
30 Abertillery - Newport
40 Ebbw Vale - Cardiff

Miss the hourly Ebbw Vale or Abertillery to Cardiff train, wait 20 minutes for the Newport train, change in the 'core' for the train 10 minutes behind, get to Cardiff half-an-hour after you hoped, but half-an-hour before if you'd waited next direct train. People will change. Miss the hourly Newport trains, and changing makes no difference. You can flip the southern cities here, so Newport benefits a change and Cardiff not, but I went with Cardiff.

Or we can have a 40-20 pattern at the cities and half-hourly northern branches:
00 Ebbw Vale - Newport
10 Abertillery - Cardiff
30 Ebbw Vale - Cardiff
40 Abertillery - Newport

Miss the direct Ebbw Vale train to city - wait 30 minutes for train to wrong city, change in the 'core' for the train 10 minutes behind, get to city 40 after you hoped, but 20 minutes before if you'd waited next direct train. Miss the direct train from Abertillery, and changing makes no difference. You can flip the northern branches here, so Abertillery benefits from a change and Ebbw Vale not, but I went with Ebbw Vale.

Or we can have even 15s in the core with even half-hours to the cities:
00 Ebbw Vale - Newport
15 Abertillery - Cardiff
30 Abertillery - Newport
45 Ebbw Vale - Cardiff

Miss the hourly Ebbw Vale or Abertillery to Cardiff train, wait 15 minutes for the Newport train, change in the 'core' for the train 15 minutes behind, get to Cardiff half-an-hour after you hoped, but half-an-hour before if you'd waited next direct train. People will change. Miss the hourly Newport trains, and changing makes no difference. You can flip the southern cities here, so Newport benefits a change and Cardiff not, but I went with Cardiff.

Or we can have even 15s in the core with even half-hours to the northern branches:
00 Ebbw Vale - Newport
15 Abertillery - Cardiff
30 Ebbw Vale - Cardiff
45 Abertillery - Newport

Miss the direct Ebbw Vale train to city - wait 30 minutes for train to wrong city, change in the 'core' for the train 15 minutes behind, get to city 45 minutes after you hoped, but 15 minutes before if you'd waited next direct train. Miss the direct train from Abertillery, and changing makes no difference. You can flip the northern branches here, so Abertillery benefits from a change and Ebbw Vale not, but I went with Ebbw Vale.


Or we can do the 2*2tph that I propose:
00 Ebbw Vale - Cardiff
10/15 Abertillery - Newport
30 Ebbw Vale - Cardiff
40/45 Abertillery - Newport

Going to the city served by direct train - half-hourly service. Going to the other city, then take the half-hourly train, change for the train 10/15/20 minutes behind, and arrive. Every journey from northern branch to city has two opportunities an hour - nothing is left hourly - creating a more useful service for passengers. Add in that it's half-hourly at every station (even if there's 10-20 or whatever along the 'core'), rather than 15-45 or 20-40 intervals at one end of the 'core', improving journeys from the 'core' to whichever branching end (north or cities) has the uneven service under a 4*1tph scenario.

And, with 2tph, rather than 4tph along the core, 2*1tph is better than 4*1tp2h. A 3tph scenario might work as 3*1tph rather than 2tph+1tph if the services desired are 2tph to Newport and Ebbw Vale, 1tph to Cardiff and Abertillery, just because you don't want to remove the existing direct Ebbw Vale to Cardiff service.
 

deltic08

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No. The Welsh Government and their associates have no control over the SWML, Network Rail full control.
Thank you. I thought the Welsh Government had the option to electrify to Swansea if they paid for it.
 
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Envoy

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I have just been along the western section of the City Line. It is quite obvious that they have no intention of building a new station at Ely Mill as the new boundary fence is right up against the embankment all the way along the development site. The ideal place for such a station would surely have been near to the footbridge over the main line - thus allowing easy pedestrian access from the Victoria Park area. Additionally at this location, there is an underpass going under the City Line which would have allowed passengers to access platforms on either track. I also note that what looks like possible future large trees have been planted by the developer very near to the railway near the bridge over Paper Mill Road. Such trees could obviously blow over the railway and certainly produced leaf fall that could hinder rail operations in the future.
 

Envoy

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On the Cardiff Planning portal, the Transport policy for the massive Plasdwr development area in NW Cardiff has been published. No mention of the former railway between Fairwater (City Line) and Cregiau - which runs through the site - being re-built or any provision being made for future station sites. This means that in the event that this line is re-built at some future date, the layout of the Plasdwr development will have taken no account of potential station sites. Potential station sites should in my opinion also take account of present day settlements such as Pentyrch, St.Fagans, Fairwater and the villages in the Vale to the west in order that such people can conveniently drive to their nearest ‘railhead’ for the Metro. (By allowing such people to drive to a convenient Metro station with free parking, they will be unlikely to drive any further in towards Cardiff itself). All well and good to encourage cycling but the fact remains that many people will simply not do this - especially in bad weather. Virtually the only reference to actually doing anything in connection with rail travel is that the developer will fund the following:>
The Rail Contribution is to be used for the purposes of the replacement of existing waiting shelters at Waun Gron,Fairwater and Danescourt stations(2 no.at each station)and a new cycle shelter at Danescourt Station

In Appendix A - P51 > They state that the disused rail line will become an off-road cycleway.

Much of the report focusses on bus travel. Goodness knows how the buses will get through the bottlenecks at Llandaff and Fairwater?

The report is here:>https://planning.cardiff.gov.uk/onl...ravel_Plan-Plasdwr76636530000.pdf-2148608.pdf

The Cardiff Planning Portal is here and you would need to put 19/00461 in the search box.https://planning.cardiff.gov.uk/online-applications/

So, all this talk about a Metro and here we have a massive new development area - plus that south of Cregiau, yet planning out these new developments is assuming that such a line will not be built out north west from the City Line. That being the case, the very least they should do is to connect the A4119 with the M4 at J33 so that people from this newly populated area can get on/off the strategic road network without having to drive through Groes Faen, St.Fagans, Radyr, Fairwater and Llandaff.
 
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mwmbwls

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https://www.businessgreen.com/bg/ne...boost-for-smart-rail-electrification-in-wales

The idea of using line side photovoltaic cells seems an attractive idea but looking at the illustration attached to the above article - one does have to raise the questions - Will the efficiency of photo-voltaic cells been impaired by dust originating from loaded freight trains?
Is the railway fencing sufficiently secure to deter vandalism and fly tipping?
 

si404

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The idea of using line side photovoltaic cells seems an attractive idea but looking at the illustration attached to the above article - one does have to raise the questions - Will the efficiency of photo-voltaic cells been impaired by dust originating from loaded freight trains?
Yes, by up to 50% should it accumulate, and depending on type.

But that's not the only efficiency problem: this only works on E-W lines, and the mock-up has all sorts of angles vs the horizontal for the PV cells with that curving design - not having optimal angles (south-facing, a particular incline, etc) is a big issue for efficiency. And there's the problem of PV cells in Wales with its relatively low solar radiation (not that there's really anywhere decent in the UK for them due to high latitude and high cloud cover): Caen gets ~10% more than Cardiff (as does Clacton), Cannes gets ~50% more than Cardiff.

Questions about suitability and whether its a sensible or silly scheme are overridden because solar is sexy. It's an attractive idea, but not a good one.
 

Envoy

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I see that Media Wales are today running a story about the proposed new road from M4 J34 (Miskin) to the A48 at Sycamore Cross (mid-way between St.Nicholas & Bonvilston). They mention the fact that the Vale of Glamorgan Council would like to see a new railway station on the main line at Miskin in order to provide a link with Cardiff Airport. See quote:>https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/families-waiting-find-out-major-16075443
Vale of Glamorgan council has announced it favours a road stretching to the west of Pendoylan, linking junction 34 of the M4 with the A48 south of Sycamore Cross.
The council is also expected to press the case for a new railway station and a park and ride near junction 34 which would link to Cardiff Airport.

Now, a new railway station at Miskin is all well and good and it would surely attract motorists off the nearby road network in order to take trains into Cardiff Central or to head west. (It is a pity that no decent parking provision has been made at nearby Pontyclun as areas near the station are overloaded with parked cars). What I find bonkers about the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s idea is that such a station would serve Cardiff Airport - presumably via a bus link along this new road and the improved ‘Five Mile Lane’ to Barry. Do they think that the main line express services are going to stop at such a station - especially as we constantly hear moans about how long it takes to go west of Cardiff by train compared to going east? To reach such a station is likely to take about 14 minutes from Cardiff and 17 minutes from Bridgend (on a stopper). You then have to add on the bus journey to the Airport - which is about 9 miles to the south via non-dual highways. So, why would this make sense when the express trains already stop at Bridgend - with a 24 minute train ride to Rhoose station or Cardiff with a 30 minute train ride to Rhoose station? From Rhoose station, we have a roughly 1 mile bus journey to the terminal buildings along relatively quiet roads. What is clearly needed is an increase in the frequency of trains along the Vale Coast Line from 1 an hour (1 very other hour on Sundays) to 1 every half hour. Unfortunately this appears to have been put on the back burner with no plans for a half hourly service until 2023. To have Miskin as a railway station serving Cardiff Airport makes no sense at all.

Neither does the road proposal make much sense from a motoring post of view - unless you live in the Rhondda or Llanrisant areas. For a start, it does not link the centre of Cardiff with a fast road to the Airport leaving people using the present roads via Wenvoe or St.Nicholas. Perhaps it would be better to build a new road from Culverhouse Cross to the Airport by cutting across the countryside south of St.Nicholas and thereby leaving that village on a ‘backroad’ and possibly doing the same for Bonvilston? For traffic to and from west Wales, they could be directed to come off the M4 at J37 at Pyle and then use the A48 going south of Bridgend almost to Cowbridge before using the new road being built west of the new housing development that has just been plonked in fields near Lysworney (with no village centre or facilities). They could then proceed along the B4270 to join the Llantwit Major by-pass and then approach the Airprort form the west. The main problem with my suggestion regarding traffic coming from the east is M4 J33 at Cardiff West - which is already jammed but under Welsh Government / Cardiff Council plans, they are going to build a business park & P&R on the north side of this junction and bung it up even more when it really needs a flyover. When will they learn that strategic regional junctions - like J33 - should not be used for development as they inhibit the free flow of traffic to and from the wider area? Just look at the Business Park at J30 (Cardiff Gate) and you will see office blocks surrounded by large car parks. At least J30 is a much quieter junction than J33.

Anyway, I note that the main airline serving Cardiff Airport (Flybe) has been sold and the base is going to be closed down. I also note that Drakeford has still not given the go-ahead to a new M4 going south of Newport. With the constant delays on the M4 at Newport, this is surely going to impact on the viability of Cardiff Airport?
 

Broseley man

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If this is mentioned already earlier in the thread then my apologies but does anyone know when we will first be able to see any physical signs of the work needed to get the lines through Pontypridd 'metro ready'. I hope it is clear what I mean. Any civil engineering project at all?
 

Brissle Girl

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The lines are only due to be transferred from Network Rail in the autumn so certainly nothing before then.
 

Cardiff123

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If this is mentioned already earlier in the thread then my apologies but does anyone know when we will first be able to see any physical signs of the work needed to get the lines through Pontypridd 'metro ready'. I hope it is clear what I mean. Any civil engineering project at all?
I think the full handover to TfW will be complete by Spring 2020 and then expect 2-3 years of intensive engineering works, as unless the works are completed by 2023 Welsh Govt loses the EU funding they've been granted for it.
 

Cardiff123

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Does this timescale still apply post Brexit- have the Government guaranteed that EU funding will be replaced?
Welsh Govt are getting the funding from the EU regardless of Brexit, as long as they complete the works by 2023. They applied for the funding last year.
But in the event they lost the funding, no the UK govt has not guaranteed that the funding would be replaced.
 

Glenn1969

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They may well have but I fail to see how they are entitled to EU funding after we have left. So this like other EU funded projects will be a matter for the UK government to decided how to progress. Or I think it will.
 

Cardiff123

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They may well have but I fail to see how they are entitled to EU funding after we have left. So this like other EU funded projects will be a matter for the UK government to decided how to progress. Or I think it will.
No, Welsh Govt have been granted and guaranteed the EU funding regardless, as long as the works are completed by 2023. If Alan Cairns and UK govt get any say in it, the whole thing would be cancelled.
 

edwin_m

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No, Welsh Govt have been granted and guaranteed the EU funding regardless, as long as the works are completed by 2023. If Alan Cairns and UK govt get any say in it, the whole thing would be cancelled.
Possibly part of the 39 billion "divorce bill"?
 

Tumbleweed

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Looks like Loco hauled trains are making a comeback......

https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/.XLTT61fzv0c.facebook

A shortage of rolling stock has forced Transport for Wales to use locomotive-hauled trains on the Valley Lines from May.

Class 37s and Mk 2s will be used on two peak-time duties on the Rhymney route, with each train having 220 seats - the equivalent of a pair of Class 150s currently used on the route.

This will free Class 150s and ‘158s’ to undergo internal refurbishment, enabling them to meet January 1 2020 accessibility deadlines. TfW plans to rid itself of its Pacer fleet as quickly as possible through a number of cascades.

While Riviera Trains is expected to provide the coaches, a TfW spokesman told RAIL that there are a couple of options for the locomotive supplier. It has since been confirmed that Colas Railfreight will supply the locomotives, and it has already sent 37418 to Cardiff Canton for crew training. It has two electric train heat-fitted ‘37s’ on its books (37418/421).

TfW has chosen Class 37s because they have operated on the route before, and are therefore tried and tested. They finished working for Arriva Trains Wales on the Valleys in December 2005.

“In addition to our £800 million investment in brand new rolling stock, we also recognise there is an urgent need to increase capacity on some of the busiest routes on our network,” said TfW Chief Executive James Price.
 
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Join Railfuture Cymru for an exciting presentation from Colin Lea from Transport for Wales Rail and Prof Mark Barry.

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Railfuture Cymru invites non-members to join them for an afternoon session in Cardiff looking at all aspects of the new Wales and Borders Franchise .

Please join Railfuture Cymru for the afternoon of Saturday 18th May at Sophia Gardens (SSE Swalec Stadium) for this free event.

Programme for the afternoon
13.30 Colin Lea, Commercial and Customer Experience Director Transport for Wales Rail, will make a presentation on ‘ The Wales and Borders rail franchise procurement : a landmark process’. Colin will examine the innovative process used to select the new operator which began serving the Wales and Borders area last October, together with the approach to electrifying the Cardiff Valley lines at lower cost and the related issue of having the operator also responsible for the tracks, as proposed for the Valley lines.

13.55 Mark Barry, Professor of Practice in Connectivity, Cardiff University, who was a key player behind the creation of the South Wales Metro, will talk about ‘Developing an urban transport strategy with a significant role for rail’

14.15 Questions and discussions with the speakers and Railfuture directors.

This will be followed at around 14.30 by workshops to consider topics raised by the presentations including reducing the cost of electrification of rail routes and having trains and track under the same control. Visitors who are not Railfuture members can take part in the workshops if wished.

The event will finish at around 15.30 hrs.

This event is free and open to the public (although tickets and registration is essential due to numbers) and will follow Railfuture’s Annual General Meeting which is taking place in Cardiff.

To register please visit www.railfuturewales.org.uk/cardiffevent
 
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