Why does Rhymney station have so many stabling sidings?

[montyburns56]

I've been looking at pictures of Rhymney station and I notice that it has quite a sizable number of DMU stabling sidings, but I'm wondering why does a station with a single platform at the end of a single line have so much stabling capacity? The service doesn't seem to be that intense and I believe that the second platform was removed a few years ago in order to extend the stabling sidings as well, so am I missing something?

 

[NSEFAN]

I've been looking at pictures of Rhymney station and I notice that it has quite a sizable number of DMU stabling sidings, but I'm wondering why does a station with a single platform at the end of a single line have so much stabling capacity? The service doesn't seem to be that intense and I believe that the second platform was removed a few years ago in order to extend the stabling sidings as well, so am I missing something?

I imagine it saves having long distance ECS moves in the morning up to Rhymney, as its quite a treck from Cardiff. Also saves having to have more sidings elsewhere.

 

[PHILIPE]

I've been looking at pictures of Rhymney station and I notice that it has quite a sizable number of DMU stabling sidings, but I'm wondering why does a station with a single platform at the end of a single line have so much stabling capacity? The service doesn't seem to be that intense and I believe that the second platform was removed a few years ago in order to extend the stabling sidings as well, so am I missing something?

Things are changing at the moment with the introduction of the 769s but there could have been 6/7 DMUs stabled there overnight with many of the morning starters doubled up. Also there have been spells when a set of Loco and coaches have been stabled there. Under normal circumstances nothing is stabled there during the day.

I imagine it saves having long distance ECS moves in the morning up to Rhymney, as its quite a treck from Cardiff. Also saves having to have more sidings elsewhere.

There is also a train crew depot there and capacity to hold at Canton is at a premium. Treherbert is similar.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Yep, to sum it up there just isn't room at the depots etc for all the units for the valleys services so many of the terminus stations are used for stabling overnight too.
And even with the introduction of the new tram-train depot in Taffs Well for the South Wales Metro, my understanding is that at least some of these stations will continue to be used in such a fashion.

 

[PHILIPE]

Trains have stabled overnight at Rhymney back to the pre-grouping days so it is a historical thing. They work services out of Rhymney at the start of the day so makes sense.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

Yep, to sum it up there just isn't room at the depots etc for all the units for the valleys services so many of the terminus stations are used for stabling overnight too.
And even with the introduction of the new tram-train depot in Taffs Well for the South Wales Metro, my understanding is that at least some of these stations will continue to be used in such a fashion.

Things may have changed but when the depot location at Taffs Well was announced there was also a pledge of enhanced stabling at both Rhymney & Treherbert. I'm guessing, but given the pressure on Canton depot, TfW probably want to use it as little as possible for Metro stock.

https://gov.wales/new-ps100m-train-depot-open-taffs-well

 

[30907]

Trains have stabled overnight at Rhymney back to the pre-grouping days so it is a historical thing. They work services out of Rhymney at the start of the day so makes sense.

I remember being equally surprised at the remoteness of the place when I finally "did" the valleys in the (first) class 37 era. The timetable has some awkward contra-peak gaps above Bargoed as a result, the single line being another factor.

 

[PHILIPE]

I remember being equally surprised at the remoteness of the place when I finally "did" the valleys in the (first) class 37 era. The timetable has some awkward contra-peak gaps above Bargoed as a result, the single line being another factor.

There is now a crossing loop and additional platform at Tirphil now

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

There is now a crossing loop and additional platform at Tirphil now

At the risk of going off-topic, the Rhymney Valley north of Bargoed could turn out to be one of the major beneficaries of the Metro scheme. It's desperately poor but the landscapes are spectacular. With the top end of the line moving from 1tph to 4tph the effect could be transformational. Just the Rhymney iron works / Hymac site would have the space for thousands of homes within what will become a part of the Cardiff commuter belt.

Rhymney town centre itself is a depressing place but has huge potential with numerous semi-derelict but impressive buildings ripe for re-use, not least the station buildings themselves.

 

[montyburns56]

Yep, to sum it up there just isn't room at the depots etc for all the units for the valleys services so many of the terminus stations are used for stabling overnight too.
And even with the introduction of the new tram-train depot in Taffs Well for the South Wales Metro, my understanding is that at least some of these stations will continue to be used in such a fashion.

Right, I did wonder if it was partly due a capacity issue at the main depots. Thanks everyone for your replies

 

[PHILIPE]

Right, I did wonder if it was partly due a capacity issue at the main depots. Thanks everyone for your replies

Not necessarily although there is an advantage there but to stable overnight before working the first trains down the valley in the morning.
Treherbert is similar. It's always practical to have the early trains out in the morning at the outbased location otherwise you would have to run ECS to various places. They are formed off trains which terminate there at night and is a practice across the network.

 

[Caaardiff]

It's worth noting that Rhymney now has a fuelling point too, which reinforces the commitment to using it as an overnight stabling point, as well as highlighting the poor fuel range of the 769's.

 

[AM9]

There is now a crossing loop and additional platform at Tirphil now

Wow, that must be quite recent. I've just looked at Google maps. On sattelite view the two track/platform formation is clear to see, however on streetview it's a single platform.

 

[PHILIPE]

Wow, that must be quite recent. I've just looked at Google maps. On sattelite view the two track/platform formation is clear to see, however on streetview it's a single platform.

The new platform and crossing loop were completed in 2013 but not commissioned until 2014 in anticipation of an increased service but due to insufficient units at the time this increase was abandoned. Now we have the Metro coming so all not in vain, hopefully

 

[montyburns56]

I've just stumbled upon some pictures of Treherbert Station and struck me how it's very similar to Rhymney as it's also a single platform station at the end of a single line despite which it has four stabling sidings.

 

[berneyarms]

I've just stumbled upon some pictures of Treherbert Station and struck me how it's very similar to Rhymney as it's also a single platform station at the end of a single line despite which it has four stabling sidings.

If you look at real time trains all of this is obvious.

Treherbert was explained in both posts 3 & 11.

Currently the first two trains of the day start there, but normally it’s the first four.

 

[montyburns56]

If you look at real time trains all of this is obvious.

Treherbert was explained in both posts 3 & 11.

Currently the first two trains of the day start there, but normally it’s the first four.

Yeah, sorry I should have re-read the thread before posting that.