Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour

[hamble90]

Hi All,

Is the Cardiff to Portsmouth route busy at all times of the day or just at peak times? I want to be able to sit down and take a suitcase with me.

Thanks

 

[Greenback]

There aren't many passengers who travel the entire route. I've often found that it can be busy on one section, eg Bristol to Bath or Trowbridge, or Salisbury to Southampton, but quieter on other sections. It all depends on the time of day, and the day of the week.

Where are you boarding, and where are you getting off?

 

[crehld]

My experience is that it is extremely busy between Filton Abbey Wood and Westbury, and Romsey and Portsmouth, with it often being full and standing in those sections. The other sections of the route are also quite busy but you can usually find a seat. Three carriages really doesn't cut the mustard on this route in my opinion. I guess it can depend on what time of the day you go though.

Most of the trains on this route are reservable, so if you want to guarantee seat get a reservation, either when you book your ticket or if you already have your ticket go and visit your local friendly ticket office.

 

[Greenback]

I usually travel on a Saturday, where the pattern of demand is probably quite different. I remember once there were quite a few Portsmouth fans travelling to Fratton from east of Southampton. Filton Abbey Wood hasn't been that busy at the weekend.

 

[hamble90]

Thanks for your replies, I'm getting on at Newport at 9:44am on a Thursday and getting off at Southampton. Hopefully it won't be too bad.

 

[Greenback]

I would think that this will be one of the quietest times for this route.

 

[BestWestern]

You'll be absolutely fine If you don't hold a reservation, coach C will be the fully non-reserved coach, assuming it's the booked three car Class 158. It could be at either end. If it's a particularly hot day, avoid any coaches with the hopper windows open, as the aircon will have failed in there!

 

[ValleyLines142]

The 0944 from Newport (1F09) is fairly loaded but not drastically. As you're getting on it at Newport I imagine you'll find a seat easily although as others have said seats are reservable.

 

[BestWestern]

If refreshments are on the cards, the little independent coffee shop on platform 4 is delightful, my money would go there rather than on the trolley...

 

[HowardGWR]

Smack on time today (RTT). Even Bristol managed to dispatch on time, wow!

If one of the stations was London, it would be called an Inter City! but

 

[BestWestern]

Smack on time today (RTT). Even Bristol managed to dispatch on time, wow!

If one of the stations was London, it would be called an Inter City! but

If it was called Inter City I think Bradford/Trowbridge/Warminster, Romsey and Cosham would be left out of the timetable!

 

[HowardGWR]

If it was called Inter City I think Bradford/Trowbridge/Warminster, Romsey and Cosham would be left out of the timetable!

I think that hits the nail on the head. I think a two tier service is indicated on that route. I count at least 7 cities from Cardiff to Portsmouth, mostly large ones and a need /opportunity to compete with the A36.

 

[PHILIPE]

If refreshments are on the cards, the little independent coffee shop on platform 4 is delightful, my money would go there rather than on the trolley...

On train trolleys do not operate Saturdays afternoons and Sundays although people are still travelling.

 

[sarahj]

That train/route is the bane of my life, with folks connecting either at Fratton (from a BTN-PMH train) or Fareham (Vic to Sou). Trying to beat it to Cosham junction when you have come all the way from Vic, or writing on tickets when folks with advance ones have missed it. Once even had to mark up a ticket with a new itinerary on the XC to Reading and down from there when a missed connection would have them 3-4 hours late at their final destination somewhere in deepest Cornwall.
The driver of one must have hated me the other day, brought a train down from Three Bridges, running late (again), (at Fareham, me 46, him 47) just got in front, but after Swanwick, my train also stopped at Netley, Woolston and St Denny's. Sorry
Punters heading for that seem to be a mixture of Students and Older folks.

Rumors are that there are plans to increase the ones heading to Brighton with a much more frequent service.

 

[BestWestern]

On train trolleys do not operate Saturdays afternoons and Sundays although people are still travelling.

True, however the OP is travelling on a thursday

 

[cle]

That train/route is the bane of my life, with folks connecting either at Fratton (from a BTN-PMH train) or Fareham (Vic to Sou). Trying to beat it to Cosham junction when you have come all the way from Vic, or writing on tickets when folks with advance ones have missed it. Once even had to mark up a ticket with a new itinerary on the XC to Reading and down from there when a missed connection would have them 3-4 hours late at their final destination somewhere in deepest Cornwall.
The driver of one must have hated me the other day, brought a train down from Three Bridges, running late (again), (at Fareham, me 46, him 47) just got in front, but after Swanwick, my train also stopped at Netley, Woolston and St Denny's. Sorry
Punters heading for that seem to be a mixture of Students and Older folks.

Rumors are that there are plans to increase the ones heading to Brighton with a much more frequent service.

I could definitely see it being carved into two hourly services:

Bristol to Brighton - more a regional connector and stops as per today
Cardiff to Portsmouth - faster: Newport, Bristol, Bath, Westbury, Salisbury, Southampton, Fareham only.

End points could be up for debate - I hastened from the fast to Brighton as really the coast line can't handle any true fast trains (I'd be thinking Chichester, Worthing, Hove only) due to the double track.

 

[PHILIPE]

True, however the OP is travelling on a thursday

Just a chance to mention it.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Just a chance to mention it.

Makes a huge difference f

Friday PM can be very busy with Forces traffic - all good lads and lasses , but relaxing.

 

[Kite159]

Makes a huge difference f

Friday PM can be very busy with Forces traffic - all good lads and lasses , but relaxing.

Especially from Warminster area, with the boys and girls heading home for the weekend.

Maybe the fast service can save some time and go via Dr Days Junction, calling at Filton for passengers wanting Bristol Temple M, eliminating that reversal would probably save 5+ minutes. But Fareham over Trowbridge or Romsey?

 

[Parallel]

Cardiff Central - Portsmouth Harbour trains can be very busy, with nearly every seat taken on many services, even in the early afternoon. As others have said, coach C is unreserved (Should be a 3-car 158). Should be okay at the time you're going though as you would have just missed the morning rush.

I catch the train on an almost daily basis and there appears to be a variety of journeys made (Both long distance and local). You do get a lot of people from the towns in Wiltshire travelling through Bristol to Filton Abbey Wood/Newport/Cardiff as well, not just to Bath or Temple Meads.

In the week, the busiest part of the journey is probably Filton Abbey Wood - Warminster which is often full and standing.

At the weekend, the whole route is busy.

I have read that when the Turbos arrive, GWR plan on making most of these services 5 carriages. I think the issue with extra services is some parts of the network will be congested before long (Especially between Filton Abbey Wood/Bristol and Bath - And there's another proposed local service turning around at Bathampton), and due to the current nature of the signalling, trains that run fast from Bath to Westbury will catch up with the service in front. Cardiff - Portsmouth trains aren't known for their punctuality as it is, although I think extra services to Brighton would be advantageous, seeing as the current one(s) to/from seem well used.

Just speculation, but I think the Transwilts services will extend to Salisbury before long. Currently, Westbury - Salisbury is the only part of the route that receives just an hourly service.

 

[387star]

Between bath and bristol it is busiest but they encourage people to board the paddingtons at bristol. Portsmouth to southampton may be busier at the moment due to the strike on gtr. There is no trolley service on a sunday.

When I worked on the route there was talk of more brighton services but I womder where the paths are. The morning Brightin and evening return have a very keen commutor base one punter travels all the way from Havant to Brighton on gwr and back on the 1659 off Brighton so it is a valuable service.

Currently there are four on a sunday to brighton v two on mon to sat which is odd

There is even a little known about gwr train which departs brighton on sunday night around 2130 back to portsmouth which used to be an empties working

I did used to feel for the punters when a 150/9 turned up for the five hour run to great malvern

 

[mugam4]

The Cardiff-Portsmouth has the interesting ability to lose time on stationless stretches with nothing in front of it that I've long admired.

 

[greaterwest]

Cardiff - Portsmouth trains aren't known for their punctuality as it is, although I think extra services to Brighton would be advantageous, seeing as the current one(s) to/from seem well used.

Indeed, more Brighton services (like on a Sunday where there's 4tpd in each direction) would be a nice addition to the timetable, and with the Southern strikes GWR will do absolutely everything in their power to ensure that those services (currently 2tpd in each direction) run with long formations (I believe they cancelled one of the local Bristol - Worcester services last time to ensure they had a unit to long-form 1O98, the Great Malvern - Brighton service)

 

[BestWestern]

The Cardiff-Portsmouth has the interesting ability to lose time on stationless stretches with nothing in front of it that I've long admired.

Which stretches are you thinking of in particular?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Did the Southampton Central-Portsmouth Harbour bit used to be run by Connex years ago?

 

[BestWestern]

Did the Southampton Central-Portsmouth Harbour bit used to be run by Connex years ago?

No; Connex served both Ports and Soton as Southern do now, but they certainly had nothing to do with the Cardiff service! BR (Crompton and coaches), then Regional Railways with first 155s and then 158s, then the succession of privatised outfits with Wales & West, Wessex and FGW/GWR.

 

[mugam4]

Which stretches are you thinking of in particular?

Some of them seem to leak minutes Westbury-Southampton, although punctuality is pretty poor on the route overall. Maybe the service needs to be split into two parts at Bristol? I guess it will improve when dwells get shorter when the extra carriages arrive

 

[PHILIPE]

150938 working Cardiff Pompey route today. More comfortable than one of the 150/1 3 Car (150/9s) versions which usually deputise for 158/9s in order to maintain 3 Car capacity.

 

[Parallel]

150938 working Cardiff Pompey route today. More comfortable than one of the 150/1 3 Car (150/9s) versions which usually deputise for 158/9s in order to maintain 3 Car capacity.

Thanks for this. Do you know which services it's working?

EDIT: Great Malvern to Brighton today reported as being formed of 5 coaches between Bristol and Brighton. I assume a 3 car 158 and a 150 but not certain

 

[GarethW]

Especially from Warminster area, with the boys and girls heading home for the weekend.

Maybe the fast service can save some time and go via Dr Days Junction, calling at Filton for passengers wanting Bristol Temple M, eliminating that reversal would probably save 5+ minutes. But Fareham over Trowbridge or Romsey?

Fareham far busier than Romsey/Trowbridge.

Plus all the forces travel from Collingwood and Sultan.