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Title: Tenby - then and now Post by: bobm on July 07, 2019, 08:14:05 Took my first IET trip beyond Carmarthen on the Pembroke Coast Express yesterday. While the scenery hasn't changed, the rolling stock has
June 2013 (http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/tenhst.jpg) July 2019 (http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/teniet.jpg) June 2013 (http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/ten13.jpg) July 2019 (http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/ten19.jpg) Title: Re: Tenby - then and now Post by: IndustryInsider on July 07, 2019, 10:32:20 Nice pictures, Bob. Tenby is a lovely place to visit.
I remember when the cynics were predicting the end of through trains from London to Pembroke when the IETs arrived, due to them not being able to be cleared for the route. That of course proved to be nonsense (along with other places such as Ledbury tunnel). Title: Re: Tenby - then and now Post by: bobm on July 07, 2019, 11:24:12 I had planned to go there last week but loss of signalling west of Swansea, albeit temporarily, meant the train was held and there was no certainty it would continue and even if it did, it would have severely restricted my time in Tenby so I got off at Swansea and took a bus to the coast at Caswell Bay.
The only snag with yesterday was the centre of Tenby was the finish line for a cycle race so getting about, on foot, took rather longer than usual due to the crowds. Another point of note. The train from London splits at Swansea with the rear five (as seen on arrival) continuing to Pembroke Dock. However the screens at Newport and Cardiff (if not others further west) told people for West Wales to travel in the front five which caused a little confusion when we reached Swansea. Those who had reserved seats were placed in the correct part of the train - although paper slips were used in place of the electronic displays. Title: Re: Tenby - then and now Post by: IndustryInsider on July 07, 2019, 12:26:00 The only snag with yesterday was the centre of Tenby was the finish line for a cycle race so getting about, on foot, took rather longer than usual due to the crowds. My last visit there coincided with the Ironman event which meant the whole place was teeming with very fit people doing their last minute training preparations. I mostly watched them from a pub with a nice pint! Another point of note. The train from London splits at Swansea with the rear five (as seen on arrival) continuing to Pembroke Dock. However the screens at Newport and Cardiff (if not others further west) told people for West Wales to travel in the front five which caused a little confusion when we reached Swansea. Those who had reserved seats were placed in the correct part of the train - although paper slips were used in place of the electronic displays. Quite a few snags like that with the CIS which need addressing. Something as simple as that can completely spoil a journey for someone! Title: Re: Tenby - then and now Post by: phile on July 07, 2019, 14:34:17 I had planned to go there last week but loss of signalling west of Swansea, albeit temporarily, meant the train was held and there was no certainty it would continue and even if it did, it would have severely restricted my time in Tenby so I got off at Swansea and took a bus to the coast at Caswell Bay. The only snag with yesterday was the centre of Tenby was the finish line for a cycle race so getting about, on foot, took rather longer than usual due to the crowds. Another point of note. The train from London splits at Swansea with the rear five (as seen on arrival) continuing to Pembroke Dock. However the screens at Newport and Cardiff (if not others further west) told people for West Wales to travel in the front five which caused a little confusion when we reached Swansea. Those who had reserved seats were placed in the correct part of the train - although paper slips were used in place of the electronic displays. The complications when a train reverses. They were both right and wrong Title: Re: Tenby - then and now Post by: bobm on July 07, 2019, 17:57:41 The only snag with yesterday was the centre of Tenby was the finish line for a cycle race so getting about, on foot, took rather longer than usual due to the crowds. My last visit there coincided with the Ironman event which meant the whole place was teeming with very fit people doing their last minute training preparations. I mostly watched them from a pub with a nice pint! You sound like a man after my own heart - I did exactly the same! Title: Re: Tenby - then and now Post by: Rhydgaled on July 10, 2019, 21:44:45 I remember when the cynics were predicting the end of through trains from London to Pembroke when the IETs arrived, due to them not being able to be cleared for the route. That of course proved to be nonsense (along with other places such as Ledbury tunnel). It wasn't just clearance and I'm not sure it was just cynics. The 'cannot be cleared' rumour may have been started by this RailNews article (https://www.railnews.co.uk/news/business/2009/05/08-super-expresses.html) in which a former BR Western Region chief civil engineer expressed doubt that the 800s would be able to fit through the tunnel.Although the former chief civil engineer has been proved wrong, it is a fact that the Service Level Commitment in the franchise agreement stated that the through service to Pembroke Dock would be withdrawn. It was only announced that the service would continue when electrification to Swansea was cancelled. Now we get to the cynical bit: given that the class 800s can reach Pembroke after all, why was it initially taken out of the franchise? Title: Re: Tenby - then and now Post by: WSW Frome on July 13, 2019, 22:12:04 Presumably the original plan did not envisage many/any bi-modes making it to Swansea. Swansea services would have been typically rostered for full electrics, Remember we now have far more bi-modes due to DfT having to dig even deeper to use all the rolling stock.
Title: Re: Tenby - then and now Post by: grahame on July 14, 2019, 01:40:31 Presumably the original plan did not envisage many/any bi-modes making it to Swansea. Swansea services would have been typically rostered for full electrics, Remember we now have far more bi-modes due to DfT having to dig even deeper to use all the rolling stock. 21 x 9 car units were intended to be pure electric. Even with electrification to Swansea, bi-modes would have made it there for Carmarthen services. This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |