TFW Overly Confusing Rail Replacement on Valley Lines.

[markymark2000]

Does anyone know why TFW loves to make overly confusing rail replacement services?

Coming up in March and April there are varying bits of Rail Replacement but how they have done it is so confusing and needlessly confusing for poor passengers who have to put up with it. Having worked in the Valleys, people are getting fed up of random little blocks of being on buses then train then buses, then buses change the whole service for a few days, then back to buses. People want simpler blocks but for some reason, TFW are making it as complex as they possibly can.

I've made this list to highlight it better and the impact on each line. There are other works later in April but I'd be here all week listing them.

Spoiler: Calendar of works

	Aberdare Line	Merthyr Line	Treherbert Line
Sun 5th March	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff
Mon 6th	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff
Tue 7th	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff
Wed 8th	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff
Thu 9th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Fri 10th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sat 11th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sun 12th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Mon 13th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Tue 14th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Wed 15th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Thu 16th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Fri 17th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sat 18th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sun 19th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Mon 20th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Tue 21st	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Wed 22nd	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Thu 23rd	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Fri 24th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sat 25th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sun 26th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Mon 27th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Tue 28th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Wed 29th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Thu 30th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Fri 31st	Normal trains	Normal trains	Normal trains
Sat 1st April	Buses Aberdare to Pontypridd	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sun 2nd	Buses Aberdare to Cardiff	Buses Merthyr to Cardiff	Buses Radyr to Cardiff
Mon 3rd	Normal trains	Normal trains	Normal trains
Tue 4th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Normal trains
Wed 5th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Normal trains
Thu 6th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Normal trains
Fri 7th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Normal trains
Sat 8th	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff
Sun 9th	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff
Mon 10th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Buses Treherbert to Pontypridd
Tue 11th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Buses Treherbert to Pontypridd
Wed 12th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Buses Treherbert to Pontypridd
Thu 13th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Buses Treherbert to Pontypridd

This is all on top of the fact that Sunday-Thursday each evening from around 8pm onwards it is bus replacement each night covering from all 3 valley lines down to Cardiff.

Now to focus on the negatives of this.
Friday 31st. Merthyr gains trains for 1 day, sandwiched between buses on other days. What is the point in putting trains back on for 1 single day?
Sunday 2nd April, Treherbert Line trains will run to Radyr so this means trains and buses are going to run simultaneously together between Pontypridd and Radyr. Because that will not confuse anyone at all will it! I get they have done it to save it being bus-train-bus by shuttling people by train between Radyr and Pontypridd but for goodness sake, how complex can it be made.

It's a wonder anyone in the valleys travels by train anymore, they don't know whether they are coming or going, or whether to wait on a train platform or the bus stop up the road. I think it would get to a stage where I would stand in the middle and hope for the best. I think it's rather funny too that the one TOC with the most rail replacement, their app doesn't even clearly show bus replacement. You can easily buy a ticket and never be told it is rail replacement (you have to tap through 'view stops' and then it tells you 'bus transfer'

I can't think of any other train operator who manages to make such a farce of engineering works. How many high profile blockades get done like this? Could you imagine this on the Brighton Main Line blockades? It would be unthinkable and yet Govt Owned and Ran TFW think that this is acceptable to throw people from pillar to post.


I am interested to hear some thoughts on this.

 

[185143]

Does anyone know why TFW loves to make overly confusing rail replacement services?

Coming up in March and April there are varying bits of Rail Replacement but how they have done it is so confusing and needlessly confusing for poor passengers who have to put up with it. Having worked in the Valleys, people are getting fed up of random little blocks of being on buses then train then buses, then buses change the whole service for a few days, then back to buses. People want simpler blocks but for some reason, TFW are making it as complex as they possibly can.

I've made this list to highlight it better and the impact on each line. There are other works later in April but I'd be here all week listing them.

Spoiler: Calendar of works

	Aberdare Line	Merthyr Line	Treherbert Line
Sun 5th March	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff
Mon 6th	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff
Tue 7th	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff
Wed 8th	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff
Thu 9th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Fri 10th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sat 11th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sun 12th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Mon 13th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Tue 14th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Wed 15th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Thu 16th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Fri 17th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sat 18th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sun 19th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Mon 20th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Tue 21st	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Wed 22nd	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Thu 23rd	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Fri 24th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sat 25th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sun 26th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Mon 27th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Tue 28th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Wed 29th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Thu 30th	Normal trains	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Fri 31st	Normal trains	Normal trains	Normal trains
Sat 1st April	Buses Aberdare to Pontypridd	Buses Merthyr to Pontypridd	Normal trains
Sun 2nd	Buses Aberdare to Cardiff	Buses Merthyr to Cardiff	Buses Radyr to Cardiff
Mon 3rd	Normal trains	Normal trains	Normal trains
Tue 4th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Normal trains
Wed 5th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Normal trains
Thu 6th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Normal trains
Fri 7th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Normal trains
Sat 8th	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff
Sun 9th	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff	Buses Pontypridd to Cardiff
Mon 10th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Buses Treherbert to Pontypridd
Tue 11th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Buses Treherbert to Pontypridd
Wed 12th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Buses Treherbert to Pontypridd
Thu 13th	Normal trains	Normal trains	Buses Treherbert to Pontypridd

This is all on top of the fact that Sunday-Thursday each evening from around 8pm onwards it is bus replacement each night covering from all 3 valley lines down to Cardiff.

Now to focus on the negatives of this.
Friday 31st. Merthyr gains trains for 1 day, sandwiched between buses on other days. What is the point in putting trains back on for 1 single day?
Sunday 2nd April, Treherbert Line trains will run to Radyr so this means trains and buses are going to run simultaneously together between Pontypridd and Radyr. Because that will not confuse anyone at all will it! I get they have done it to save it being bus-train-bus by shuttling people by train between Radyr and Pontypridd but for goodness sake, how complex can it be made.

It's a wonder anyone in the valleys travels by train anymore, they don't know whether they are coming or going, or whether to wait on a train platform or the bus stop up the road. I think it would get to a stage where I would stand in the middle and hope for the best. I think it's rather funny too that the one TOC with the most rail replacement, their app doesn't even clearly show bus replacement. You can easily buy a ticket and never be told it is rail replacement (you have to tap through 'view stops' and then it tells you 'bus transfer'

I can't think of any other train operator who manages to make such a farce of engineering works. How many high profile blockades get done like this? Could you imagine this on the Brighton Main Line blockades? It would be unthinkable and yet Govt Owned and Ran TFW think that this is acceptable to throw people from pillar to post.


I am interested to hear some thoughts on this.

First thing that springs to mind is the criticism Government ran Northern (rightly!) Get for not running trains in-between strike days/reduced services the day after the final one.

And, while I get your point (and this really isn't personal, especially if it's a probably very valid wider observation), you're complaining here that TfW are running trains for "just one day". If the line is open, why not use it? Otherwise, why not just call yourselves Stagecoach/Arriva/First/whatever and just run buses full stop?

All that said, it does seem a bit of a mess though, surely a longer block would be better. As has been done on the Brighton Mainline, amongst others, as a matter of fact.

 

[WelshBluebird]

It's worth pointing out it isnt just that its confusing. The bus replacements themselves are inadequate. A combination of the buses used (the one my dad was on a few weeks ago minibus that has to leave people at several stops), the lack of duplicates (so when a bus is full, the passengers have to wait for whenever the next one turns up) and the poor timetabling (when I traveled last time, it was around rush hour in the evening and the buses were much more infrequent than the regular rail timetable, 1 bus for every 3 trains that would have run).

 

[markymark2000]

And, while I get your point (and this really isn't personal, especially if it's a probably very valid wider observation), you're complaining here that TfW are running trains for "just one day". If the line is open, why not use it? Otherwise, why not just call yourselves Stagecoach/Arriva/First/whatever and just run buses full stop?

The point is that passengers will be used to the buses and given the day before is buses and the day after is buses, it just makes logical sense to run buses on the Friday. People are already used to it for the past 2 weeks, they are in a routine. Instead the trains will go back on for 1 day and mess up a routine.

Or in the case of Sunday 2nd April, Treherbert Line trains will run to Radyr so this means trains and buses are going to run simultaneously together between Pontypridd and Radyr so where do people wait, bus stop or train station? Overly complicated for passengers.

All that said, it does seem a bit of a mess though, surely a longer block would be better. As has been done on the Brighton Mainline, amongst others, as a matter of fact.

They seem to do longer blocks but then they have 2 week blocks and rotate which line they are doing it for with generally a small break inbetween each block. March/April looks ridiculous though.

It's worth pointing out it isnt just that its confusing. The bus replacements themselves are inadequate. A combination of the buses used (the one my dad was on a few weeks ago minibus that has to leave people at several stops), the lack of duplicates (so when a bus is full, the passengers have to wait for whenever the next one turns up) and the poor timetabling (when I traveled last time, it was around rush hour in the evening and the buses were much more infrequent than the regular rail timetable, 1 bus for every 3 trains that would have run).

There isn't enough firms in South Wales who have compliant buses. Those with service buses have existing other work. Those with coaches, most aren't PSVAR (wheelchair) complaint. This area of Wales has a shed load of school buses as well so at those times, availability is really low and requires some art attack duties (cut up the trips and make a new duty board rather than following the normal duty) for companies to fulfil both rail and schools. Then combine that with the fact that companies in south wales especially dislike providing the booked buses. The amount of buses which turn up which aren't what was booked is amazing. It was that bad at one stage that I believe about 10 buses were brought in from Birmingham to cover the valleys because no one locally had the buses.

Purely looking at the Cardiff to Ponty block 5th-9th March. Monday-Thursday they have more peak buses. After months of giving feedback, they are putting their hands into their pockets. Half hourly bus going all stops plus 4 buses per hour fast from Cardiff to Trefforest and Ponty. Hopefully that will be enough. They still haven't given enough time to do the trips though so I think a number of people will still miss connections. 40 minutes Cardiff to Ponty via Tref isn't enough in the peak times. You need 50 mins minimum. Ideally they also need to go via Queen Street. If you take a peak on Twitter for the last Rail Replacement blocks, you see the huge queues at Queen Street in the evening peak.

 

[Tom125]

I live on the Aberdare line and I’ve completely abandoned the train until all the work is finished. What finished me was that there are no fast buses to Cardiff e.g start Aberdare call all stations to Abercynon then direct to Cardiff- the fuss of getting on and off and calling at every station just makes it too long and unviable vs car. There seems to be so much more work left to do with no completion dates given. It might have been better to just close the line for 6 months and “get it done”.

 

[markymark2000]

I live on the Aberdare line and I’ve completely abandoned the train until all the work is finished. What finished me was that there are no fast buses to Cardiff e.g start Aberdare call all stations to Abercynon then direct to Cardiff- the fuss of getting on and off and calling at every station just makes it too long and unviable vs car. There seems to be so much more work left to do with no completion dates given. It might have been better to just close the line for 6 months and “get it done”.

That is one thing that they should have thought of but to be fair, they don't close the whole line often, generally there are trains for at least some part of the journey (even if that is just Radyr to Cardiff) so fast buses would be a little bit of a waste. Heading south, if the bus gets to Pontypridd and it's full though, it will run fast to Radyr (if there are trains from there) or down to Cardiff but that depends on how busy it is. It's certainly not advertised as such because one issue that I found this time around was that with the fast Cardiff to Pontypridd buses, because they were advertised, people were relying on it for connections and for some bizzare reason, Pontypridd only has a 3 minute connection advertised. During the peak, TFW didn't give enough time for the fast buses so they all got in late and people missed connections. In an ideal world, they wouldn't advertise the fast buses and then it becomes a pleasant surprise when they do exist. Especially on this line where the trains then drop to hourly, a 3 minute connection from rail replacement onto a train isn't big enough.
I will say though, the buses could be timed much faster during off peak times. TFWs insistence on having such long journey times is infuriating. I've heard staff giving feedback on it so many times but clearly the people in the offices know better than the drivers and staff who deal with it daily. 15 minutes from Pontypridd to Abercynon, it takes about 7. 15 minutes from Trefforest to Taffs Well, it takes 10 minutes most of the time. During the peak times, you need the time but you don't need it for 80% of the day yet TFW refuse to have 'peak' and 'off peak' timings for buses.


For having a 6 month block, I think that would work for the area. It would create a better rail replacement operation too since operators would then be block booked for it rather than 4 days here, a few days there, a few days there. Operators don't know if they are coming or going and then operators struggle to get the resources in place around existing commitments. Some operators could even have higher quality vehicles for the runs because it's block booked, guaranteed work. Not many people go out and buys buses for a sporadic rail replacement operation. Certainly not unless they have some other revenue stream to back it up (such as Thomas of Rhondda who bought the Citaros specifically for rail replacement)

 

[AdamWW]

And then there's the City Line where they just tell you to use your ticket on Cardiff Bus and leave you to figure out for yourself which bus to catch and where to get it from.
While showing on their web site a list of places for each station where the rail replacement bus that doesn't exist would stop, which are not the same as where the bus stops are.

It did amuse me though reading an article in Wales Online where a passenger (justifiably) complained about the disruption of rail replacement buses, then said that the service was pretty poor even when not bus substituted and that they ought to be doing something to improve them...

 

[cactustwirly]

That is one thing that they should have thought of but to be fair, they don't close the whole line often, generally there are trains for at least some part of the journey (even if that is just Radyr to Cardiff) so fast buses would be a little bit of a waste. Heading south, if the bus gets to Pontypridd and it's full though, it will run fast to Radyr (if there are trains from there) or down to Cardiff but that depends on how busy it is. It's certainly not advertised as such because one issue that I found this time around was that with the fast Cardiff to Pontypridd buses, because they were advertised, people were relying on it for connections and for some bizzare reason, Pontypridd only has a 3 minute connection advertised. During the peak, TFW didn't give enough time for the fast buses so they all got in late and people missed connections. In an ideal world, they wouldn't advertise the fast buses and then it becomes a pleasant surprise when they do exist. Especially on this line where the trains then drop to hourly, a 3 minute connection from rail replacement onto a train isn't big enough.
I will say though, the buses could be timed much faster during off peak times. TFWs insistence on having such long journey times is infuriating. I've heard staff giving feedback on it so many times but clearly the people in the offices know better than the drivers and staff who deal with it daily. 15 minutes from Pontypridd to Abercynon, it takes about 7. 15 minutes from Trefforest to Taffs Well, it takes 10 minutes most of the time. During the peak times, you need the time but you don't need it for 80% of the day yet TFW refuse to have 'peak' and 'off peak' timings for buses.


For having a 6 month block, I think that would work for the area. It would create a better rail replacement operation too since operators would then be block booked for it rather than 4 days here, a few days there, a few days there. Operators don't know if they are coming or going and then operators struggle to get the resources in place around existing commitments. Some operators could even have higher quality vehicles for the runs because it's block booked, guaranteed work. Not many people go out and buys buses for a sporadic rail replacement operation. Certainly not unless they have some other revenue stream to back it up (such as Thomas of Rhondda who bought the Citaros specifically for rail replacement)

Most companies have 2 buses, ie a fast bus Aberdare - Pontypridd and then an all stops bus behind it.

There's been a blockade at Wokingham all week. It has been relatively well organized with stopping and express buses

 

[AdamWW]

Most companies have 2 buses, ie a fast bus Aberdare - Pontypridd and then an all stops bus behind it.

That works when a significant proportion of the traffic is between the end stations, with intermediate stations being more lightly used. I'm not sure to what extent that would be the case here.

 

[Brissle Girl]

That works when a significant proportion of the traffic is between the end stations, with intermediate stations being more lightly used. I'm not sure to what extent that would be the case here.

Aberdare and Merthyr are certainly the major centres of population in each valley, so I would expect there to be enough traffic from each to justify a direct bus to Pontypridd. The Rhondda Valley's population is spread more evenly, so I suspect it would be much harder to justify a fast bus there.

 

[Markdvdman]

Another thing that bugs me about Pontypridd to Cardiff buses is the last time the first Merthyr train started half an hour late then hourly instead of half hourly. Caused massive complaints of getting to work on time and leaving work early. Merthyr line is 5th March to 9th (Cardiff to Ponty), then 19th to 30th March Ponty to Merthyr. It is a nightmare travelling and will not be finished until next year! I would use the bus but that turns up about 50% of the time! (Stagecoach that is!).

 

[markymark2000]

Most companies have 2 buses, ie a fast bus Aberdare - Pontypridd and then an all stops bus behind it.

There's been a blockade at Wokingham all week. It has been relatively well organized with stopping and express buses

Aberdare fast bus wouldn't save much time if compared to a faster timetable. Both Aberdare and Merthyr lines, the train takes 30 minutes, bus takes 45 minutes. You can take 5 mins off that straight away with the stupid amount of time from Abercynon to Ponty. so 10 minutes difference. I think it's just perception that it's longer rather than actually being longer.

That works when a significant proportion of the traffic is between the end stations, with intermediate stations being more lightly used. I'm not sure to what extent that would be the case here.

Aberdare and Merthyr are certainly the major centres of population in each valley, so I would expect there to be enough traffic from each to justify a direct bus to Pontypridd. The Rhondda Valley's population is spread more evenly, so I suspect it would be much harder to justify a fast bus there.

Surprisingly not.
Both lines seem to be pretty evenly split between each station. Least that has been my experience. That said, I think in Merthyr if people know the trains are off, they tend to go for the T4 because it is quicker and direct.

Another thing that bugs me about Pontypridd to Cardiff buses is the last time the first Merthyr train started half an hour late then hourly instead of half hourly. Caused massive complaints of getting to work on time and leaving work early. Merthyr line is 5th March to 9th (Cardiff to Ponty), then 19th to 30th March Ponty to Merthyr. It is a nightmare travelling and will not be finished until next year! I would use the bus but that turns up about 50% of the time! (Stagecoach that is!).

Finished next year? That's news to everyone. Word from staff is that it could be another few years.

 

[Markdvdman]

Hmm I know it still says 2023 on the metro page. The BBC and their ilk are saying 2024. Treherbert with the gas pipes and needing to raise one track and lower another around a bridge. Hmm more like 2025 at best!!

 

[markymark2000]

Hmm I know it still says 2023 on the metro page. The BBC and their ilk are saying 2024. Treherbert with the gas pipes and needing to raise one track and lower another around a bridge. Hmm more like 2025 at best!!

If it's actually done by 2025, I think it will be some kind of miracle. Especially at the current rate of closures. By which I mean doing 2 weeks here, reopen the line, do a bit more somewhere else. If it was big 6 month blocks, I'd agree with you.

 

[Furryanimal]

Being forced to use this replacement bus service as my rugby team are playing in Pontypridd on March 30th.
shocked to discover the bus is scheduled to take 68 minutes to get to Cardiff Central.
Leaving Pontypridd at 2236 and arriving at Cardiff Central at 2344.
Still I should then get the Midnight 30 to Cwmbran without problem.
Provided it is running!

 

[markymark2000]

Being forced to use this replacement bus service as my rugby team are playing in Pontypridd on March 30th.
shocked to discover the bus is scheduled to take 68 minutes to get to Cardiff Central.
Leaving Pontypridd at 2236 and arriving at Cardiff Central at 2344.
Still I should then get the Midnight 30 to Cwmbran without problem.
Provided it is running!

Nights are the worst for bus replacement because as I say, there is far too much time for the buses to do the journeys. Archaic TFW staff though refuse to amend it. As for provided it is running, it should be as that is the regular night buses which is block booked (least it always was pre December timetable)

 

[RJ]

Being forced to use this replacement bus service as my rugby team are playing in Pontypridd on March 30th.
shocked to discover the bus is scheduled to take 68 minutes to get to Cardiff Central.
Leaving Pontypridd at 2236 and arriving at Cardiff Central at 2344.
Still I should then get the Midnight 30 to Cwmbran without problem.
Provided it is running!

Make sure you turn up at Pontypridd at least 10 minutes early. There's about 10 minutes of recovery between Abercynon and Pontypridd and bitter life experience means you have to factor in the self-regulating nature of buses. If there is a controller at Pontypridd, that increases the chances of the bus being held to time.

I don't have a bad word to say about the operation. Quite the contrary, I've been known to appear on the Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Treherbert, Ebbw Vale, Rhymney, Barry Island and Penarth routes and anything in between and very much enjoyed driving them. I do commend the patience and politeness of the passengers. I enjoy these routes more than anything that involves half hourly legs down country roads, especially if it involves mountainous gradients! Less likely to find me between Barry and Bridgend or west of Llanelli, though the Heart of Wales is lovely to do!

It's a wonder anyone in the valleys travels by train anymore, they don't know whether they are coming or going, or whether to wait on a train platform or the bus stop up the road. I think it would get to a stage where I would stand in the middle and hope for the best. I think it's rather funny too that the one TOC with the most rail replacement, their app doesn't even clearly show bus replacement. You can easily buy a ticket and never be told it is rail replacement (you have to tap through 'view stops' and then it tells you 'bus transfer'

I can't think of any other train operator who manages to make such a farce of engineering works. How many high profile blockades get done like this? Could you imagine this on the Brighton Main Line blockades? It would be unthinkable and yet Govt Owned and Ran TFW think that this is acceptable to throw people from pillar to post.


I am interested to hear some thoughts on this.

People use the train for speed. When it's working well it offers a time advantage. The A470 can get clogged up at times and the closer you get to town, the better it is to use the train. Radyr to Central for instance takes about 30 minutes by road, but about half that for the train. If the line closure is Radyr to Pontypridd then I think people from Pontypridd and further north would prefer a train for the final leg to a simpler, but slower through bus service. There probably is a case for an express Pontypridd - Trefforest - Queen Street - Central bus for this closure to speed journeys up, but is the expense justifiable if there is a train covering part of the route?

When I attend rail closure planning meetings I'll always make the point that it's better to get people as far as possible by rail than to make it simpler if it means less service.