Great Western Coffee Shop

This evening I caught the 17:26 Cardiff Central to Merthyr Tydfil train in order to travel to Taffs Well Park and Ride.  That's the fifth stop.

The train was a 2 car Class 150.  It was a few minutes late arriving at Cardiff Central and several platform staff were wandering around with two watering cans full of water which appeared to be required to enable the journey to continue.  They failed to find anywhere to put the water.

I got in the rear carriage.  It was obvious that the engine in the rear car was not running.  The train manager/conductor/guard made an announcement to that effect shortly after we departed.  Attempts were made to start the engine at each stop but these failed and then after Cathays the lights in the rear car went out.  We were treated to a further announcement explaining the technical problems but reassuring us that the train would continue, although a little more slowly than usual, to its destination.    For those of you not local, it's about 25 miles from Cardiff Central to Merthyr and it involves a climb to about 550 feet above sea level.  So it's a bit of a slog in train terms.  Especially with only 1 Cummins running.

I see from the online arrivals/departure boards that the train made it to Merthyr and at least part of the way back.

I spoke briefly to the guard at Taffs Well to compliment him on the cheerfulness of his announcements and the fact that for once we were being told what was going on.  It was getting a bit dark so he moved into the rear car with his emergency lantern. 

Given the time of day and the need for a very full trainload of passengers to get home I thought this was a sterling effort by the crew. 

But I wonder why someone couldn't have authorised them to swap us to the Coryton train which arrived at Radyr at the same time as our service and could presumably have been sent to Merthyr with the lame train returning to base or substituting on the less onerous service round the City Line.


PS: Did you know there are 22 stations within the City of Cardiff.  Compares well with Bristol.

It's still going - on to Bridgend.

7 of them didn't exist 25 years ago, and 1 of them had about 8 trains a day, compared with around 70 now.

Indeed, I've lost count of how many stations have opened in South Wales in the same period. It's about 32, but I wouldn't swear on it.

I remember when they re-opened Llansamlet, Skewen, Briton Ferry, Baglan and Pyle on the "Swanline" in the Mid 1990s. Im not sure how long Pencoed and Pontyclun have been around but of course Llanharan has also opened recently.  And several stations re-opened on the new Ebbw Vale and Vale of Glamorgan lines.

And there's Rhoose (Cardiff Airport) and Llantwit Major together with the whole Aberdare line from Abercynon South.

And a few of the stations round Cardiff on the City Line.  So it probably is 30 or so.

There are a few more in the pipe too.

All we need is someone to electrify it all and give us some new 100 mph commuter trains and we'll be happy.

Theres officially 20 stations in Cardiff

11 in the Vale of Glamorgan
25 in Rhondda Cynon Taff
12 in Caerphilly
8 in Bridgend
5 in Merthyr Tydfil.


Are the remaining valley line stations.

You're right:-

Cardiff Central
Cardiff Queen Street
Cathays
Llandaf
Radyr
Danescourt
Fairwater
Waungron Park
Ninian Park
Heath High Level
Heath Low Level
Llanishen
Ty Glas
Birchgrove
Rhiwbina
Coryton
Cardiff Bay
Lisvane & Thornhill
Grangetown
Whitchurch

And I've got on or off at train at about 90% of those ???

Is it me, or does this post seem a little "Arriva Trains Wales Coffeeshop" material......

It's in the right category South Wales Local Journeys so I guess not. Valley line services connect at Cardiff for FGW services to Swansea, London, Bristol and the South Coast so in theory they do have a link with FGW.

Are these all correct Shazz?

Bridgend
Pyle
Pencoed
Sarn
Wildmill
Garth
Maesteg Ewenny Road
Maesteg

Not FGW I know, but Scotland have also done well with new stations and line reopenings especialy around Glasgow and some of those are electrified!

Sounds about right, i'll check later

Yes, but I've just modified the board title to make it clear that you are VERY welcome to use this coffeeshop for such South Wales topics.  Might draw a line at Llanfairfechan posts, but I personally have a soft spot for Morfa Mawwdach so I'm sure you'ld get away with that  :D

Thanks for that approval!

This is the bit of the board that promotes ATW to become AGW as well.  At least most ATW trains run on time (within the official definition that says late is on time of course).

I forgot Tondu - im sure that is a station on the way to Maesteg? So is there 9 in Bridgend or is one of mine listed above wrong.

Pyle is definately Bridgend not Neath Port Talbot - NPT only have 5 - Skewen, Neath, Briton Ferry, Baglan and Port Talbot Parkway.

They do indeed. Ive very rarely had any problems with ATW services not running to time.

Also glad we can discuss ATW here as living in Wales I use them far more than FGW!