South Wales 'Metro' updates

[MikePJ]

Ah OK. Never crossed my mind they would power signalling from the 25 kV supply.

Yeah, it surprised me a bit but turns up as common practice in some technical documents (see page 5). Bringing grid power from outside the railway has some administrative disadvantages and it may well have some technical ones too.

One other thing that I noticed yesterday from the Penarth train was that a whole lot of new track panels are currently piled up at Penarth Curve South Junction (on the south side of Canton depot), which suggests that the shutdown of the Barry and Penarth lines at the end of the month may be for a track renewal here.

 

[AdamWW]

Yeah, it surprised me a bit but turns up as common practice in some technical documents (see page 5). Bringing grid power from outside the railway has some administrative disadvantages and it may well have some technical ones too.

I read that as saying that, where available, traction power can be used as an emergency back-up power source - which makes more sense to me.

 

[Kanzo]

Video says rhymney line will be electrified over the next 8 months. I thought there was an idea that rhymney line electrification had stopped? (Unless I have read wrong)

 

[Cardiff123]

Video says rhymney line will be electrified over the next 8 months. I thought there was an idea that rhymney line electrification had stopped? (Unless I have read wrong)

Not stopped at all, there's just been several delays in the switch on of the wires south of Caerphilly, resulting in delays of the 756s going into service

 

[MikePJ]

Progress on the Bay line: this new retaining wall (replacing an earth embankment) has been built during the blockade this week.

It's still not really clear to me what this retaining wall is for - I had thought it was for an entrance to Butetown station and a track crossing, but it seems too far north to correspond to the planning drawings. It is, however, roughly where the Crossrail line is proposed to join in, so perhaps it's preparation for that. Anyone have any insight?

 

[AdamWW]

Not stopped at all, there's just been several delays in the switch on of the wires south of Caerphilly, resulting in delays of the 756s going into service

I think there was speculation that the work might not happen, given that it seemed to have stopped.
So good to see confirmation that it is going ahead, unlikely as it might have been that it wouldn't.

Though one might conclude from that the fact they have waited until now to annouce that there will be major disruption for the rest of the year for those travelling north of Caerphilly might suggest that there has been some uncertainty over the timing of this work.

 

[Phillipimo]

Coryton and Penarth line services

Our services on the Coryton and Penarth lines haven’t been good enough.

news.tfw.wales

In the short term we will be introducing a new plan from 24 March that will see these [Caerphilly starters] services run fast between Caerphilly and Cardiff Queen Street. This will create more recovery time in the schedules and creates a fast service into Cardiff for Caerphilly customers.

From next week Penarth - Caerphilly trains won't stop at Lisvane, Llanishen or Heath to increase turnaround times to 10 minutes at Caerphilly to improve the reliability of the service until the new, quicker trains are in service.

 

[AdamWW]

Coryton and Penarth line services

Our services on the Coryton and Penarth lines haven’t been good enough.

news.tfw.wales

From next week Penarth - Caerphilly trains won't stop at Lisvane, Llanishen or Heath to increase turnaround times to 10 minutes at Caerphilly to improve the reliability of the service until the new, quicker trains are in service.

Something has really got TfW rattled. Maybe it was the recent "naming and shaming" exercise where Coryton Line stations made the top ten worst performing stations in the UK - (or just England and Wales?)

They've gone from pretending there isn't a problem and that each cancellation on the Coryton line is an isolated incident due to "congestion" to big posters apologising and promising they are going to do better, and even leaflets on all the seats on one service I was on this week.

 

[Dai Corner]

Something has really got TfW rattled. Maybe it was the recent "naming and shaming" exercise where Coryton Line stations made the top ten worst performing stations in the UK - (or just England and Wales?)

They've gone from pretending there isn't a problem and that each cancellation on the Coryton line is an isolated incident due to "congestion" to big posters apologising and promising they are going to do better, and even leaflets on all the seats on one service I was on this week.

It's better, at least from a statistical point of view, to book the Caerphilly trains to run fast to Queen Street than to omit the intermediate stops if there's congestion and a need to recover the service.

We might even hear "This train will call additionally at Lisvane & Thornhill, Llanishen and Heath High Level. This is due to the network running smoothly today."

 

[AdamWW]

It's better, at least from a statistical point of view, to book the Caerphilly trains to run fast to Queen Street than to omit the intermediate stops if there's congestion and a need to recover the service.

Indeed.

The interesting thing is that it's been extremely rare for them to miss out these stops when a train is running late, even though they've now identified it as a way to recover services.
Up to now maintaining 6 trains per hour at these stations seems to have taken priority over keeping the half hour service to Coryton going.

They sometimes miss out Cogan and even Grangetown and occasionally turn a train round at Central, but the general policy seems to be just to let the trains pick up delays then fix it by turning them back at Ty Glas.

I can see how operationally this is a very convenient mechanism to get things back on track, but it's not so useful for passengers who board a train at Queen Street for Coryton and then get told it's going to sit at Ty Glas for more than 10 minutes before heading back to Cardiff. And with no guarantee the next one won't do the same.

There is no doubt a good reason it can't go further (even though the next station is only a minute away) but not one that staff on trains have been able to satisfactorily explain to me.

And I'm waiting for them to explain to me why they think it's appropriate to turn trains at Ty Glas when the previous two have been cancelled completely.

We might even hear "This train will call additionally at Lisvane & Thornhill, Llanishen and Heath High Level. This is due to the network running smoothly today."

Well I was on a train once that arrived about half an hour early due to poor railhead conditions.

 

[CapitalStar378]

Progress on the Bay line: this new retaining wall (replacing an earth embankment) has been built during the blockade this week.

It's still not really clear to me what this retaining wall is for - I had thought it was for an entrance to Butetown station and a track crossing, but it seems too far north to correspond to the planning drawings. It is, however, roughly where the Crossrail line is proposed to join in, so perhaps it's preparation for that. Anyone have any insight?

It looks like there's enough space for a ramp alongside that wall, so it could be getting the preparation done for later.

 

[positron]

It looks like there's enough space for a ramp alongside that wall, so it could be getting the preparation done for later.

It would make sense, minimise disruption caused by crossrail works, given the prolonged metro works. It would be poor to launch it all and then immediately disrupt it with works for crossrail. Especially given the rest of the network will be so reliant on the bay line now. They might even end up putting the switches and cross overs for the crossrail line in as part of these initial works.

Perhaps it's unrelated and just coincidentally situated, the bridge was closed for ages for structural works so perhaps this just fixing up the embankment to handle the increase in traffic on the line.

 

[AdamWW]

It would make sense, minimise disruption caused by crossrail works, given the prolonged metro works. It would be poor to launch it all and then immediately disrupt it with works for crossrail. Especially given the rest of the network will be so reliant on the bay line now.

Yes good point - any bay line closure might halve the service to the heads of the valleys on the routes through Pontypridd.

No worse I suppose than the sort of disruption we've had so far during the development works, but perhaps a bit more annoying as probably most of the people affected won't benefit hugely.

And we have a new date for the Coryton/Caerphilly OLE to go live - 2:00 on 06/04/2025.

So unlike last time, in the early hours of the morning.



(Image is of a "poster" showing the energisation time as described above).

I completely misjudged the position of these masts at Queen Street this morning when looking from the street. Turns out they’re just at the end of the platforms, behind the existing signals.

And the gantry is now up:

 

[MikePJ]

It looks like there's enough space for a ramp alongside that wall, so it could be getting the preparation done for later.

Here’s the completed retaining wall. It’s made of precast concrete blocks that are moulded to look more like stone.

 

[Dai Corner]

An anecdote from a couple of days ago. I was on a train which was booked fast from Queen Street to Caerphilly where it terminated. We probably cleared Heath Junction a few seconds earlier than we would have if we'd had to stop at Heath High Level. We had to wait for several minutes outside Caerphilly for a Down train to pass before we could cross to the bay platform.

I think we'd have had time to call at the intermediate stations.

 

[MikePJ]

An anecdote from a couple of days ago. I was on a train which was booked fast from Queen Street to Caerphilly where it terminated. We probably cleared Heath Junction a few seconds earlier than we would have if we'd had to stop at Heath High Level. We had to wait for several minutes outside Caerphilly for a Down train to pass before we could cross to the bay platform.

I think we'd have had time to call at the intermediate stations.

I think that's the precise issue: under normal circumstances you would, but there wasn't enough recovery time at the termini, so the intermediate stops have been dropped to allow for more time at turnaround.

 

[AdamWW]

An anecdote from a couple of days ago. I was on a train which was booked fast from Queen Street to Caerphilly where it terminated. We probably cleared Heath Junction a few seconds earlier than we would have if we'd had to stop at Heath High Level. We had to wait for several minutes outside Caerphilly for a Down train to pass before we could cross to the bay platform.

I think we'd have had time to call at the intermediate stations.

I think that's the precise issue: under normal circumstances you would, but there wasn't enough recovery time at the termini, so the intermediate stops have been dropped to allow for more time at turnaround.

One of the reasons for the abysmal performance on the Coryton Line was the fact that there was almost no recovery time anywhere in the Caerphilly-Penarth-Coryton-Penarth sequence.

The curious thing (to me) is that running trains non stop between Queen Street and Caerphilly when a train was late was a tool they presumably could have used, but almost never did.

Instead recovery was almost always by missing out Dingle Road and sometimes Grangetown, and by missing stops on the Coryton Line (usually just turning trains at Ty Glas).

We will see how the new plan works.

What it will also need is allowing a train to leave the Coryton branch in front of a southbound train from Caerphilly, rather than setting the junction for the main line 5 minutes before the main line is due, forcing the train from Coryton to sit at Heath Low Level for sometimes 6 minutes or more, thus delaying the next train onto the branch, and so on...

 

[Dai Corner]

I think that's the precise issue: under normal circumstances you would, but there wasn't enough recovery time at the termini, so the intermediate stops have been dropped to allow for more time at turnaround.

It looks like they have 4 mins at Penarth, 5 at Coryton and 11 at Caerphilly in the WTT. Running fast from Queen Street to Caerphilly would seem to be the least useful tool in terms of service recovery.

As @AdamWW says, we will have to wait and see how the new timetable works out.

 

[AdamWW]

It looks like they have 4 mins at Penarth, 5 at Coryton and 11 at Caerphilly in the WTT. Running fast from Queen Street to Caerphilly would seem to be the least useful tool in terms of service recovery.

As @AdamWW says, we will have to wait and see how the new timetable works out.

I don't follow. The 11 minutes dwell is because of the fast running.

It was previously 4 minutes (passenger timetable) or 5 minutes (working timetable).

Skipping stops between Queen Street and Caerphilly reduces 6 trains per hour to 4 (albeit at irregular intervals).

Doing it anywhere else (apart from Grangetown) is reducing a 4 or 2 train per hour service.

So it seems to me that this is the logical thing to do in order to add some resiliance.

I think there would be a good case to having kept the timetable as it was and just being prepared to drop those stops at very short notice as soon as there was disruption. But there's something to be said for predictability.

But as I said, on its own I don't think this will be enough. There is massive delay propagation caused by the way that Heath Junction is currently operated.

 

[Dai Corner]

I don't follow. The 11 minutes dwell is because of the fast running.

It was previously 4 minutes (passenger timetable) or 5 minutes (working timetable).

I didn't realise that, and should have checked before I posted. It makes sense to me now.

People living near Newbridge station have gone to the Press (though apparently not the railway authorities) about the extended platform compromising their privacy.

Residents' “massive invasion of privacy” due to extended station platform.

Residents living opposite Newbridge Train Station are faced with increased privacy concerns, as the new extended train platform gives the public an…

www.southwalesargus.co.uk

Living opposite Newbridge Railway Station, Janice Johnson, said: “We have a massive invasion of privacy now because we never had a platform on the bridge previously."

These concerns were echoed when talking to university lecturer Gareth Watkins, who lives on the same road.

He said: “The new extended platform is directly facing my young son’s bedroom window, severely compromising his privacy."

As part of a £70m investment which aimed to upgrade the Ebbw Vale railway line, both the Newbridge and Llanhilleth railway stations were subjected to various changes.

Some of the changes included extending the existing platforms, building new platforms, and installing a fully accessible footbridge at the Llanhilleth station.

The purpose of the upgrades is said to have been a more reliable rail service as well as more frequent services, allowing for increased access to employment, leisure and more.

However, some of the changes made to the Newbridge station have proved problematic for the locals, one of those being the new, extended platform. Network Rail says it has not had any complaints relating to privacy.

 

[AdamWW]

People living near Newbridge station have gone to the Press (though apparently not the railway authorities) about the extended platform compromising their privacy.

Strange how given all the descopes on the Metro that TfW have wasted money on platforms with "excessive and impractical length"

Or then again.....

 

[MikePJ]

I didn't realise that, and should have checked before I posted. It makes sense to me now.

People living near Newbridge station have gone to the Press (though apparently not the railway authorities) about the extended platform compromising their privacy.

Residents' “massive invasion of privacy” due to extended station platform.

Residents living opposite Newbridge Train Station are faced with increased privacy concerns, as the new extended train platform gives the public an…

www.southwalesargus.co.uk

It will also be interesting to see how things change with the new rolling stock - it has better acceleration than the 150s to improve running times, and I think TfW are moving towards drivers releasing doors (rather than conductors) which will shave a bit off the dwell times.

Strange how given all the descopes on the Metro that TfW have wasted money on platforms with "excessive and impractical length"

Or then again.....

The current service looks like it's mostly one and two-car units, which will make the platform look excessive. But Ebbw Vale is supposed to get 231s eventually, so a lot more platform length is needed. I can't easily find details of how long the platforms are, but given that it's a passing loop I suspect it might have been made longer to accommodate 2 x 231 to cater for rescues of failed units or special services on busy days.

 

[positron]

I didn't realise that, and should have checked before I posted. It makes sense to me now.

People living near Newbridge station have gone to the Press (though apparently not the railway authorities) about the extended platform compromising their privacy.

Residents' “massive invasion of privacy” due to extended station platform.

Residents living opposite Newbridge Train Station are faced with increased privacy concerns, as the new extended train platform gives the public an…

www.southwalesargus.co.uk

What a load of rubbish, people love to complain. If you want privacy close your curtains. I highly doubt anyone is using that new platform to peer through their windows

 

[chrisjo]

People living near Newbridge station have gone to the Press (though apparently not the railway authorities) about the extended platform compromising their privacy.

I absolutely agree with (both) the complaining residents. Anyone could now come along and set up a powerful telescope on the new platform in order to peek through their windows.

 

[positron]

Strange how given all the descopes on the Metro that TfW have wasted money on platforms with "excessive and impractical length"

Or then again.....

That quote is particularly stupid too, what's random person gonna know about what platform length is appropriate. Once the 231s are running on the line it'll be 4 carriages and almost definitely the platform length will be perfectly appropriate.

I absolutely agree with (both) the complaining residents. Anyone could now come along and set up a powerful telescope on the new platform in order to peek through their windows.

Anyone could fly a drone and peer through their windows already. Or just a telescope from elsewhere.

I absolutely agree with (both) the complaining residents. Anyone could now come along and set up a powerful telescope on the new platform in order to peek through their windows.

Anyone could fly a drone and peer through their windows already. Or just a telescope from elsewhere.

Here’s the completed retaining wall. It’s made of precast concrete blocks that are moulded to look more like stone.

Nice to see them finally making some solid progress on the bay line. It'll be interesting to see if they manage to speed up the work or if it's going to continue running at a rather slow pace throughout the year.

It seems odd they've still not got the new down platforms up and running.

 

[MikePJ]

Nice to see them finally making some solid progress on the bay line. It'll be interesting to see if they manage to speed up the work or if it's going to continue running at a rather slow pace throughout the year.

It seems odd they've still not got the new down platforms up and running.

The old project plan for the Bay line was to realign the existing track and electrify it, opening the new platform at Cardiff Bay and the down platform at Butetown, and then (with trains running) build the up line and up platform. This was abandoned last year, most likely because the 398s weren't ready. One thing I realised this morning as I looked at the site is that Butetown can't open on both tracks until the line is converted to tramway operation and it's operated by the 398s because there's no footbridge: passengers will cross the line at an open flat crossing and that's not going to pass a risk assessment under the current heavy railway rules. There's also at present a temporary fixed distant signal that stands on the down platform at Butetown and I can imagine that the authorities won't want passengers using the platform whilst that's still needed.

With the 398s now held off until December at the earliest, I would expect that the next few months will see the transfer of trains to the new platform at the Bay, the rebuild of the existing platform, and the introduction of the new trackwork and overhead lines. The second platform at Butetown is likely to not be needed until just before the 398s enter service, so may take a while longer to be finished.

 

[Penguinhat]

Coryton and Penarth line services

Our services on the Coryton and Penarth lines haven’t been good enough.

news.tfw.wales

From next week Penarth - Caerphilly trains won't stop at Lisvane, Llanishen or Heath to increase turnaround times to 10 minutes at Caerphilly to improve the reliability of the service until the new, quicker trains are in service.

Although it's annoying they didn't anticipate this I can see the rationale for the approach they're taking, especially given the impact it's having on Ty Glas - Coryton given the 2tph. There's always going to be winners and losers to something like this. Still, if you're in Lisvane, Llanishen and Heath you'd be frustrated I think. A big benefit of the move to 6tph for these stations was more regular scheduling, but with this trial they're back to sometimes waiting 20 minutes - not very "turn up and go". Even for those in Heath, the Low Level trains don't mitigate that - you end up with 3 trains in 10 minutes then none for 20. Plus there is now 4tph using their horns in residential areas while passing through fast - again, necessary but negating some of the quietness of the new trains...

I'm not clear whether this 'trial' is just until new trains are rolled out or whether there's a possibility it becomes permanent. I hope not. But at the very least I'd hope they at least look at the timetabling if they're going to make it permanent. (I know that's easier said than done!)

 

[The exile]

Well I was on a train once that arrived about half an hour early due to poor railhead conditions.

Sounds terrifying (especially if it was southbound at Bromsgrove!)

 

[AdamWW]

Sounds terrifying (especially if it was southbound at Bromsgrove!)

The truth is of course a lot duller than it sounds.

It was supposed to take a long meander away from the usual route - presumably for route knowledge retention purposes - and didn't.

Although it's annoying they didn't anticipate this I can see the rationale for the approach they're taking,

What I find more annoying is they must have realised quite quickly there was a problem (if not, there's something very wrong!) yet wouldn't even acknowledge it for so long.

I'm not clear whether this 'trial' is just until new trains are rolled out or whether there's a possibility it becomes permanent. I hope not. But at the very least I'd hope they at least look at the timetabling if they're going to make it permanent. (I know that's easier said than done!)

It would be extremely disappointing if it did become permanent. There's a huge difference between a train every 10 minutes and a service with 20 minutes gaps. And they serve stations not well blessed with bus services.

I'd be very happy for them to run this for, say, a month to get some data, then try a month with the calls reinstated but with stations skipped as soon as a train is running late. Maybe with a warning to passengers that these trains run "at risk".

Maybe more reliable trains and ones with better acceleration will be enough for the "regular" timetable to work. We'll see. But the time taken for steps to extend/retract doesn't help dwell times.

 

[EveningStarr]

Llanishen and Lisvane & Thornhill waiting shelters are being upgraded/replaced. Couldn't get a good enough pic at LVT, but the tatty old turquoise shelters are gone, with the standard new design going in. Llanishen has a bit more drastic work happening with the old stone shelter on the Up platform - they've taken the roof off! Unclear if this in the process of being completely demolished, or if just the roof is being replaced.