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Sugar Loaf Station Closure

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Esker-pades

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I've just noticed that Sugar Loaf station is being closed until the 27th of February for "major refusbishment works". Taxis are being provided to/from Llanwrtyd.

What will these works entail?

(Source: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/SUG/details.html)
Sugar Loaf station is closed until the 27th February inclusive, for major refurbishment works. Customers are advised to alight at Llanwrtyd where a taxi will take them to Sugarloaf as required.
 
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Bookd

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Will there be enough taxis to carry the huge numbers of passengers going to Sugar Loaf?
 

tomwills98

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I'm guessing they're putting in an Upper Crust and a WHSmiths :lol:

Most likely replacing the platform and TfW branding.
 

PHILIPE

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It is part of a TFW programme to refurbish all stations on the Network. Why Sugar Loaf has to be closed and for that length of time is incomprehensible when larger stations keep on going.
 

Bletchleyite

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It is part of a TFW programme to refurbish all stations on the Network. Why Sugar Loaf has to be closed and for that length of time is incomprehensible when larger stations keep on going.

Is the access path being worked on, perhaps? Other stations have multiple paths.
 

30907

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It is part of a TFW programme to refurbish all stations on the Network. Why Sugar Loaf has to be closed and for that length of time is incomprehensible when larger stations keep on going.
Larger stations may have longer platforms which can remove in in part use. Even if it were feasible, the cost of setting up all the barriers etc might outweigh the cost of the occasional taxi.
 

DelW

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A recent photograph (not sure now where I saw it) showed the wooden flight of steps down to the platform to be in a very poor state. A number of the step timbers had rotted where they met the stringers, extra pieces of wood had been nailed in to support them but most had dropped, giving uneven step heights. If the platform timbers are the same age, they may be in a similar state. And it's not a location where you'd want to risk a twisted ankle.
I'm not sure where the taxi would have to come from, I don't know of one based in Llanwrtyd. Google suggests there's one in Beulah, but even if so, I'd expect that to be just one vehicle and driver, so might be busy elsewhere.
 

Kite159

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I would imagine the taxi probably won't be requested as I can't see the demand to visit Sugar Loaf being that high during the winter months.

It's not like there is anything of interest around the station site anyhow
 

Bletchleyite

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I would imagine the taxi probably won't be requested as I can't see the demand to visit Sugar Loaf being that high during the winter months.

It's not like there is anything of interest around the station site anyhow

There isn't even a path to Sugar Loaf itself (not that it's the big impressive one), you have to walk up the road. It's quite badly located, all things said.
 

Spartacus

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Train the local Red Kite population, they’ll be more than adequate for the passengers requiring a lift!
 

edwin_m

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Would it not be better to close this halt and help speed up services on this line? Here is a map:>
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.081871,-3.6848136,2105m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e1
Unless part of a package of improvements with a timetable re-cast, speeding up a single line just mains waiting the equivalent time longer at the next loop.
I'm guessing they're putting in an Upper Crust and a WHSmiths :lol:
But would Upper Crust at Sugar Loaf make any dough? They'd knead to increase the patronage dramatically at yeast, and have trains that run more oven.
 

RJH

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A recent photograph (not sure now where I saw it) showed the wooden flight of steps down to the platform to be in a very poor state. A number of the step timbers had rotted where they met the stringers, extra pieces of wood had been nailed in to support them but most had dropped, giving uneven step heights. If the platform timbers are the same age, they may be in a similar state. And it's not a location where you'd want to risk a twisted ankle.

I was there last October. The platform seemed fine, though obviously I couldn't see underneath. But the state of the wooden steps was poor to say the least:

Sugar Loaf.jpg
 

duffield

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I was there last October. The platform seemed fine, though obviously I couldn't see underneath. But the state of the wooden steps was poor to say the least:

View attachment 73494

That's quite extraordinary. I've never seen anything as bad as that at any NR station (and I've been to a lot!). Probably not deadly but easily broken ankle territory if one of those loose steps dropped further when trod on.
 

Bletchleyite

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That's quite extraordinary. I've never seen anything as bad as that at any NR station (and I've been to a lot!). Probably not deadly but easily broken ankle territory if one of those loose steps dropped further when trod on.

Quite, I'm very surprised it was not closed on the grounds of being dangerous. That said, they do things differently in rural Wales.
 

Glenn1969

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Given usage of 708 passengers last year I'm also surprised the station is still open if access is dangerous. I would also be surprised if they are installing a lift given such low usage- presume they will just make the steps fit for purpose?
 

Bletchleyite

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Given usage of 708 passengers last year I'm also surprised the station is still open if access is dangerous. I would also be surprised if they are installing a lift given such low usage- presume they will just make the steps fit for purpose?

Yes, I'd imagine they will just replace them.
 

DelW

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If they did install a lift :) I think it would be the first one anywhere between Llanelli and Shrewsbury! It would probably do wonders for the usage figures though, the locals from miles around would come along to try it out.
More seriously, thanks to RJH for his photo confirming my recollection, the steps look even worse in that than in the one I saw.
 

Rhydgaled

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Unless part of a package of improvements with a timetable re-cast, speeding up a single line just mains waiting the equivalent time longer at the next loop.
Waiting longer at a loop would be no bad thing if the booked time at the loop is too short for a reliable timetable (which was the case in the enhanced timetable I once made up for the Heart Of Wales). So I guess you're right that it would need a timetable recast; but speedups could make a major timetable improvement feasible which otherwise wouldn't be.
 

DelW

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I think the expectation is that the timetable will be revised anyway when 170s take over the line in a couple of years time. With luck and sufficient stock, it may be possible to increase through trains from four to five per day. The current timetable introduced a few years ago, added an extra early morning service but only at each end of the line. The changes, which affected later services too, proved unpopular at first and passenger numbers dropped despite the extra trains, but I don't know if they have recovered since.

Closing Sugar Loaf would have a negligible effect on timings, as few trains actually stop anyway and line speed isn't high there. Dealing with some of the open level crossings with 5mph (?) limits might help more.
 

edwin_m

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Waiting longer at a loop would be no bad thing if the booked time at the loop is too short for a reliable timetable (which was the case in the enhanced timetable I once made up for the Heart Of Wales). So I guess you're right that it would need a timetable recast; but speedups could make a major timetable improvement feasible which otherwise wouldn't be.
Indeed so, but I was responding to a post that claimed elimination of the Sugar Loaf stop would allow accelerated journeys. On its own it doesn't, except between stations where the train doesn't pass another one. I looked at the very same issues as part of a feasibility study a few years ago, and getting enough of a speedup to materially change the timetable was very difficult. A timetable with extra short workings at both ends of the route is easier because they don't have to join up all the way through and probably won't be passing more than one other train. The problems really start if a train has to pass more than one coming the other way at intermediate passing loops.
 

Kite159

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I think the expectation is that the timetable will be revised anyway when 170s take over the line in a couple of years time.

I can see that being dropped after a couple weeks when the 170s start drinking more fuel than expected due to not being good at local stopping services, and lose time having to slow down for all the little request stops which rarely get passengers
 
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