Potential Coryton extension and passing point at Heath Low Level?

[Envoy]

Presumably the hoped for extension from Coryton towards M4 J32 in order to serve the now being built new hospital has been taken into account regarding passing places on this branch?

 

[Western 52]

Before Heath Junction was rebuilt in 1984 there was a short double track section for the Coryton branch, which allowed a train to Coryton to wait out of the way of the Rhymney line if the train off the branch was late.

I guess the alignment of the junction now would make it very difficult to create a similar arrangement, maybe with 2 platforms at Heath Low Level?

 

[EveningStarr]

Before Heath Junction was rebuilt in 1984 there was a short double track section for the Coryton branch, which allowed a train to Coryton to wait out of the way of the Rhymney line if the train off the branch was late. I guess the alignment of the junction now would make it very difficult to create a similar arrangement, maybe with 2 platforms at Heath Low Level?

Lots of people have suggested this. A loop alongside the mainline, through which all Up Coryton trains are routed, whilst the cheaper option, would be ok, but we'd still have the problem of it waiting at a signal whilst the Down train crossing over. If, however, this loop extended to Heath Low Level as you said, then it would allow greater turnaround time at COY as it won't need to vacate the branch as quickly. (Also the location of the loop alongside the mainline is ok up until Heath Park Drive, unless the whole junction were to be slewed to the east.)
Returning to actual updates though, TfW's assembly of a dedicated team to tackle the Coryton situation is a positive step (and one they took before the 'top 10 worst stations' were announced).

 

[anthony263]

Before Heath Junction was rebuilt in 1984 there was a short double track section for the Coryton branch, which allowed a train to Coryton to wait out of the way of the Rhymney line if the train off the branch was late. I guess the alignment of the junction now would make it very difficult to create a similar arrangement, maybe with 2 platforms at Heath Low Level?

I think the Coryton line does need more than 1 passing loop especially at heath low level to allow services to wait out of the way of the main Rhymney line

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

Presumably the hoped for extension from Coryton towards M4 J32 in order to serve the now being built new hospital has been taken into account regarding passing places on this branch?

I'm not sure that the short extension would make much difference to the need for passing places. It would only be about 300 yards. Obviously, it would be a different matter if they went further in order to join the Corytown branch to the TVR lines at Morganstown.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

I think the Coryton line does need more than 1 passing loop especially at heath low level to allow services to wait out of the way of the main Rhymney line

That's certainly true, but let's remember the politics here. Rail isn't a devolved function in Wales and the only way the Welsh Government could deliver the Metro project was by putting it in the Economic Developement, rather than the Transport, bucket. Inevitably that meant that the City and Corytown lines were neglected since they passed mainly through affluent parts of Cardiff.

Personally I think the Welsh Government desrves credit for finding a work-around that enabled the start of the Metro project and hopefully the two Cardiff lines will be sorted out soon.

 

[AdamWW]

I'm not sure that the short extension would make much difference to the need for passing places. It would only be about 300 yards.

Which does rather raise the question of what the point would be. It's not exactly a long walk from Coryton. Most of the path needed has now been built, tarmacced and lit. Though as part of electrification TfW did put some cabinets in the way of the extra bit that would be needed.

But given the difficulty of running the Coryton Line I'm not sure that extending travel time by one station call would be the right move - if the better performance of teh 756s is needed to make it work, this would throw a fair bit of that advantage away, I'd have thought.

Presumably the hoped for extension from Coryton towards M4 J32 in order to serve the now being built new hospital has been taken into account regarding passing places on this branch?

Quite a few people who are hoping for the reverse as they like walking their dogs on the old railway line...

 

[CapitalStar378]

I think there's the potential to make the Coryton line really busy by building a park & ride at J32, but there will need to be passing loops to make the service 4tph minimum. Would seem like an ideal line to extend as a tram line as this is apparently much easier than heavy rail. Unfortunately it seems like an afterthought at the moment.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

Which does rather raise the question of what the point would be. It's not exactly a long walk from Coryton. Most of the path needed has now been built, tarmacced and lit. Though as part of electrification TfW did put some cabinets in the way of the extra bit that would be needed.

I am a cancer pacient at Velindre and a wheelchair user. I can tell you that a hundred yards for me, even on the best path, is a challenge. I simply couldn't achieve what you describe as "not exactly a long walk from Coryton". Lucky you, being mobile, but why not try some empathy for once?

I think that I, and many others like me, deserve priority over a gang of selfish dog-walking nimbies who have plenty of alternative open spaces in the area.

The wholly concoted 'northern medows' campign is undermined by the fact that they couldn't even be bothered to look up the real names of the fields and instead concoted a twee Home Counties style name.

I'm looking for a tiny violin.

 

[Class15]

I am a cancer pacient at Velindre and a wheelchair user. I can tell you that a hundred yards for me, even on the best path, is a challenge. I simply couldn't achieve what you describe as "not exactly a long walk from Coryton". Lucky you, being mobile, but why not try some empathy for once?

I think that I, and many others like me, deserve priority over a gang of selfish dog-walking nimbies who have plenty of alternative open spaces in the area.

The wholly concoted 'northern medows' campign is undermined by the fact that they couldn't even be bothered to look up the real names of the fields and instead concoted a twee Home Counties style name.

I'm looking for a tiny violin.

I agree with you wholeheartedly - you and others must be given priority in this situation.

 

[CapitalStar378]

The whole of the original track bed is still available for passing loops, the only part of the former Cardiff Railway that has been built on is the other platform at Whitchurch.

I know it’s easy to say without having to worry about money, but the line is a no brainer to me to hugely improve the public transport provision in the area, and at a relatively low cost.

 

[anthony263]

The whole of the original track bed is still available for passing loops, the only part of the former Cardiff Railway that has been built on is the other platform at Whitchurch.

I know it’s easy to say without having to worry about money, but the line is a no brainer to me to hugely improve the public transport provision in the area, and at a relatively low cost.

I agree it's long overdue. Thwy should look at the loop on the Penarth line again too if funding becomes available

 

[Bob Price]

Couple of points.

This part of the network is devolved, so it's down to TfW to do this. However they will also need the crossover at Penarth to maintain the frequency.This is still under Network Rail so they aren't hurrying.

A passing place would be needed at Rhiwbina for this to work and I believe space has been left for this.

North of Coryton is a new bridge for access to Velindre hospital over the trackbed. This has been built with space to allow a train underneath.

If you would like to see what is up there then take a look at this: