South Wales 'Metro' updates

[MK Tom]

It's conspicuous that Robert Schwadl still hasn't added Cardiff to his excellent urbanrail.net website: https://www.urbanrail.net/eu/euromet.htm

I wonder if it falls short of his standards for inclusion as a "metro" system on service frequency or electrification? He normally includes planned / under construction systems from fairly early on, and includes a lot of urban commuter rail systems too.

 

[The exile]

It's conspicuous that Robert Schwadl still hasn't added Cardiff to his excellent urbanrail.net website: https://www.urbanrail.net/eu/euromet.htm

I wonder if it falls short of his standards for inclusion as a "metro" system on service frequency or electrification? He normally includes planned / under construction systems from fairly early on, and includes a lot of urban commuter rail systems too.

It is (as yet) neither an underground nor a tramway system. Glasgow’s extensive suburban network is also not mapped, nor are things like the Berlin S-Bahn.

 

[Markdvdman]

Just passed Quakers Yards. The lighting is fine not mental but cannot any need for them to be there unless of course the lighting is considered too little for security for lone women maybe?

 

[MK Tom]

It is (as yet) neither an underground nor a tramway system. Glasgow’s extensive suburban network is also not mapped, nor are things like the Berlin S-Bahn.

The commuter rail systems in Cape Town and Jo'burg are though.

 

[Last Hurrah]

Nice to see that Llandaf Station Platform 1 Canopy has finally been repaired.

Can anyone post a photo of this -

It’s taken ages to finish . . .

 

[John R]

I hope you told him that there is absolutely no obligation to remain seated as on an aircraft, and would encourage you to please issue a complaint to CrossCountry, as this sort of thing should be nipped in the bud.

However, standing in the aisle immediately adjacent to sitting passengers will undoubtedly make their journey less comfortable. So if there were plenty of seats available and a group of four chose to stand next to me then I’d be a bit annoyed, and would welcome them being asked to sit down in available seats.

Also, if there are standing passengers when there is no need for them then it can unnecessarily impede the progress of the trolley down the train.

Also, passengers choosing to stand in vestibules can and do increase dwell times - I’ve often seen that.

Ultimately, it’s not an unreasonable instruction, and if given an instruction by a member of railway staff you are obliged to comply.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

However, standing in the aisle immediately adjacent to sitting passengers will undoubtedly make their journey less comfortable. So if there were plenty of seats available and a group of four chose to stand next to me then I’d be a bit annoyed, and would welcome them being asked to sit down in available seats.

Admittedly a fair point, yes

and if given an instruction by a member of railway staff you are obliged to comply.

Don’t agree with this at all though, not in all circumstances.

 

[positron]

Does anyone know when they plan to fix the track at Radyr to be at the right height compared to the platform. It's got to be one of the largest gaps on the valleys network.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Does anyone know when they plan to fix the track at Radyr to be at the right height compared to the platform. It's got to be one of the largest gaps on the valleys network.

Is the distance between the train and the platform perhaps reduced for a 398 though?

 

[Jacob Didcote]

Does anyone know when they plan to fix the track at Radyr to be at the right height compared to the platform. It's got to be one of the largest gaps on the valleys network.

Doesn't help as the track is canted. Pentre-Bach has quite a high step...need to pole vault to get yourself up into the unit!!!

 

[positron]

Is the distance between the train and the platform perhaps reduced for a 398 though?

It is but I cannot imagine it'll be level boarding compliant as is.

 

[anthony263]

Be interesting to see how the 756s cope when they enter service in june

 

[AdamWW]

Be interesting to see how the 756s cope when they enter service in june

Presumably like, say, Heath High Level which is also on a curve - there will still be a gap but not as much as with "high floor" designs.

 

[bradleyd]

I don't know when it's reopening, but I have seen a few trains on the treherbert branch at ponty today. No idea whether this headcode is for 'test' or 'treherbert'

 

[AdamWW]

I don't know when it's reopening, but I have seen a few trains on the treherbert branch at ponty today. No idea whether this headcode is for 'test' or 'treherbert'

It looks odd to see the same headcode letter for services in both directions, but as they seem to be running as Treherbert to Treherbert services, I'd go for the "T" meaning Treherbert.

 

[Western 52]

Are these trains for testing, crew training or maybe both?

 

[bradleyd]

They've been running up and down all day (every time I look at traksy, I've missed the reverse journey and how far Cardiffwards they travelled

 

[AdamWW]

They've been running up and down all day (every time I look at traksy, I've missed the reverse journey and how far Cardiffwards they travelled

Realtimetrains shows them (today) shuttling in the main back and forth between Treherbert and Pontypridd.

 

[Signal_Box]

Crew training / refresh runs have been running for a few weeks now up to TreHerbert,

 

[5021]

Crew training / refresh runs have been running for a few weeks now up to Treherbert

They started on 2nd Jan, 3 weeks ago

 

[Signal_Box]

They started on 2nd Jan, 3 weeks ago

Indeed, a few weeks ago…

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Be interesting to see how the 756s cope when they enter service in june

If they do. TfW aren't famed for meeting deadlines.

 

[MikePJ]

Another consultation has gone live, with a helpful list of plans and target dates for 2024.

Quoting from the document:

Transformation Programme major works to be implemented during 2024

• Commissioning of Taffs Well depot
• Energisation of new Overhead Line Electrification (OLE) from south of Heath Junction to Coryton and Lisvane & Thornhill plus the bay platform at Caerphilly station
• Energisation of new OLE on the Cardiff Bay branch along with platform changes at Cardiff Bay station

• Reopening of Ynyswen station with a new platform to serve the new passing loop and a new accessible station footbridge
• Entry into operational use of the platform extensions at Waun Gron Park, Fairwater and Danescourt on the City Line
• Entry into operational use of the new second platform at Aberdare station to serve the passing loop which was commissioned in May 2023
• Line speed changes and recovery of the engineer’s siding at Pontypridd Station

There will also be a "continuation" of the programme to correct platform heights and offsets for level boarding.

Appendix A (below) is an updated map of the Metro infrastructure works that we all know and love, but the second page shows target dates for signalling commissioning and overhead energisation. I'll summarise these below:

Already completed:
- Merthyr and Aberdare to "West Boundary" (close to Ninian Park) and Gabalfa signalling
- Treherbert to Pontypridd signalling
- Wires live from Pontypridd to West Boundary and Gabalfa
- Wires live from Pontypridd to Merthyr and Cwmbach

New target dates:
- Feb 2024: wires energised from Cwmbach to Aberdare
- May 2024: wires energised from Pontypridd to Treherbert
- November 2024: wires to be energised from Caerphilly and Coryton to Queen St, and on the Cardiff Bay branch
- May 2025: signalling changes in central Cardiff (Cathays to Queen St, Cardiff Central and Cardiff Bay)
- also in May 2025: energise the second track and crossover on the Bay line
- September 2025: energise wires from Caerphilly to Rhymney
- May 2026: energise Tir-Phil loop and new platform at Rhymney
- also in May 2026: commission new signalling on the Rhymney and Coryton lines north of Queen St, and on the Penarth branch south of Cogan Junction

Also worth noting is Appendix C, showing the planned track layout and signalling on the Rhymney, Coryton and Cardiff Bay lines.

 

[anthony263]

Another consultation has gone live, with a helpful list of plans and target dates for 2024.

Quoting from the document:




There will also be a "continuation" of the programme to correct platform heights and offsets for level boarding.

Appendix A (below) is an updated map of the Metro infrastructure works that we all know and love, but the second page shows target dates for signalling commissioning and overhead energisation. I'll summarise these below:

Already completed:
- Merthyr and Aberdare to "West Boundary" (close to Ninian Park) and Gabalfa signalling
- Treherbert to Pontypridd signalling
- Wires live from Pontypridd to West Boundary and Gabalfa
- Wires live from Pontypridd to Merthyr and Cwmbach

New target dates:
- Feb 2024: wires energised from Cwmbach to Aberdare
- May 2024: wires energised from Pontypridd to Treherbert
- November 2024: wires to be energised from Caerphilly and Coryton to Queen St, and on the Cardiff Bay branch
- May 2025: signalling changes in central Cardiff (Cathays to Queen St, Cardiff Central and Cardiff Bay)
- also in May 2025: energise the second track and crossover on the Bay line
- September 2025: energise wires from Caerphilly to Rhymney
- May 2026: energise Tir-Phil loop and new platform at Rhymney
- also in May 2026: commission new signalling on the Rhymney and Coryton lines north of Queen St, and on the Penarth branch south of Cogan Junction

Also worth noting is Appendix B, showing the planned track layout and signalling on the Rhymney, Coryton and Cardiff Bay lines.

No appendix B attached

 

[MikePJ]

No appendix B attached

Sorry - that was a typo (now fixed). Appendix C is the track diagram. There is an Appendix B on the main G5 document which gives a very brief overview of works to improve stations, but gives no specifics.

 

[59CosG95]

Sorry - that was a typo (now fixed). Appendix C is the track diagram. There is an Appendix B on the main G5 document which gives a very brief overview of works to improve stations, but gives no specifics.

Appendix C certainly clears up where the live, dead and no-wires sections are!

 

[John R]

Appendix C certainly clears up where the live, dead and no-wires sections are!

Yes, it’s a great reference for those of us following the project closely.

I’m slightly surprised that the wires don’t start again immediately north of Caerphilly tunnel and that the line through Caerphilly will remain unwired.

 

[MikePJ]

Yes, it’s a great reference for those of us following the project closely.

I’m slightly surprised that the wires don’t start again immediately north of Caerphilly tunnel and that the line through Caerphilly will remain unwired.

Yeah, the fact that wiring is provided to the bay platform only is certainly novel!

 

[CapitalStar378]

So what do these very long timescales mean for the introduction of the 756s on the Rhymney line? Also 2026 is several years late rather than the original several months delay announcement.

Yeah, the fact that wiring is provided to the bay platform only is certainly novel!

Charging for the Caerphilly shuttle units?

 

[H&I]

It's conspicuous that Robert Schwadl still hasn't added Cardiff to his excellent urbanrail.net website: https://www.urbanrail.net/eu/euromet.htm

I wonder if it falls short of his standards for inclusion as a "metro" system on service frequency or electrification? He normally includes planned / under construction systems from fairly early on, and includes a lot of urban commuter rail systems too.

I suspect the current frequencies are not high enough to warrant featuring on urbanrail.net yet.