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Journey by Journey => Wales local journeys => Topic started by: johnneyw on June 24, 2022, 10:47:24



Title: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: johnneyw on June 24, 2022, 10:47:24
Cardiff local news has information about plans for the Cardiff Bay branch from Queen Street.  As I read it, the implication is that the old idea about extending the branch a couple of hundred metres towards a new station at the bay have been dropped in favour of keeping a revamped existing one.  The intermediate new station looks confirmed though.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/plans-revealed-transform-cardiff-bay-24301679


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: Hafren on June 24, 2022, 19:50:01
I think it's more that this particular planning application refers to the existing part of the route.

Quote
The master plan is also set to include a transport hub that would provide a main terminus and interchange on Pierhead Street for new tram-train services and bus services to Cardiff Bay, however, the planning application notes that this would be separate from the proposed transformation of the station.

I take this paragraph to mean the extension is still going ahead.


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: johnneyw on June 25, 2022, 21:23:36
I think it's more that this particular planning application refers to the existing part of the route.

Quote
The master plan is also set to include a transport hub that would provide a main terminus and interchange on Pierhead Street for new tram-train services and bus services to Cardiff Bay, however, the planning application notes that this would be separate from the proposed transformation of the station.

I take this paragraph to mean the extension is still going ahead.

Yes, I spotted that too which suggests a further (3rd) stop after the (according to the article's illustration) revamped current old Brunel station terminus site......yet the article only speaks of the two stops.  There's also the issue that the line would need to cross a road immediately after the current terminus.
I do hope that you're right though.


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: Hafren on June 25, 2022, 22:48:47
I think the issue is that the article's based heavily on a specific planning application, and doesn't look too much at the bigger picture. I haven't looked into the geography of the plans at all, and haven't worked out how the route will get past the buildings – the picture suggests perhaps tapering towards Lloyd George Avenue, but I don't know how accurate the artist's impression is. With the train-trams running on-street for the extension, I assume the junction isn't too big an issue, presumably with some remodelling.   


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: johnneyw on August 15, 2022, 23:07:28
Wales Online are reporting on revisions to the Cardiff Bay line and announcement of the commencement of construction preparatory work.
In short, there will be a new station at Butetown, a little North of the original Loudon Square proposed site and there will seemingly no longer be an extension past Cardiff Bay Station but the station itself will be upgraded with two platforms.
Article link below:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/cardiff-suburb-getting-new-railway-24763645


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: johnneyw on January 12, 2023, 15:17:43
It looks like work is about to start on the Cardiff Bay branch according to this article:

https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/work-to-begin-on-new-welsh-railway-station-11-01-2023/

There's quite a lot to do with electrification, a new station, line/signalling improvements, an upgraded Cardiff Bay station and (I think) a 2024 completion date.  Portishead line take note.
New tram trains too!


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: johnneyw on January 21, 2023, 19:37:25
There's a bit more about the Bay Line in this Wales Online article which goes on to try and explain the broader picture in the capital of the Principality, especially the somewhat confusing relationship between Cardiff "Crossrail" and the Transport for Wales South Wales Metro.
I'm not sure if I'm less or more confused about it all after reading the article but it's a fair attempt at making some sense of it.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/everything-know-cardiffs-first-new-26031344?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: johnneyw on December 15, 2023, 00:47:24
I had a look at the ongoing works along the Cardiff Bay Line on Wednesday.  Since my previous visit just a few months ago there's a very visible change along the line.
The photographs here show the transformation at Cardiff Bay station with the new platform and extra line visible.  Pictures taken from the end of the existing platform, the passenger shelter and from the road running parallel to the line.


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: johnneyw on December 15, 2023, 00:53:31
In addition to the above post on the Cardiff Bay Line, here's a picture of the work done so far on the new intermediate station between the bay and Queen Street Station.  Again there's been a noticeable visible progress in just a short while.  Rather impressive so far I think.


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: infoman on December 15, 2023, 06:28:49
With a change in leadership in Wales,maybe electrification could be on its way on the Cardiff to Swansea line


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: Red Squirrel on December 15, 2023, 08:37:48
I had a look at the ongoing works along the Cardiff Bay Line on Wednesday.  Since my previous visit just a few months ago there's a very visible change along the line.
The photographs here show the transformation at Cardiff Bay station with the new platform and extra line visible.  Pictures taken from the end of the existing platform, the passenger shelter and from the road running parallel to the line.

I saw the concrete pipe sections and wondered if they were components for Bristol’s anticipated rubber-tyred underground autonomous micro-pod rapidish transitish systemish… but I think they’re just drains.


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: johnneyw on December 15, 2023, 12:52:36
I had a look at the ongoing works along the Cardiff Bay Line on Wednesday.  Since my previous visit just a few months ago there's a very visible change along the line.
The photographs here show the transformation at Cardiff Bay station with the new platform and extra line visible.  Pictures taken from the end of the existing platform, the passenger shelter and from the road running parallel to the line.

I saw the concrete pipe sections and wondered if they were components for Bristol’s anticipated rubber-tyred underground autonomous micro-pod rapidish transitish systemish… but I think they’re just drains.

Sometimes a drain is just a drain!

With apologies to Freud.


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: johnneyw on December 15, 2023, 12:56:37
With a change in leadership in Wales,maybe electrification could be on its way on the Cardiff to Swansea line

Possibly... although there is a fair bit of electrification already being carried out on the South Wales Metro.


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: anthony215 on December 17, 2023, 16:45:56
Big changes being consulted on for the valley lines next summer.

All aberdare and merthyr services will loop clockwise or anticlockwise around the city centre via Radyr- Cathays -Central -Ninian Park-radyr and back up the valleys.

In addition all services from Rhymney  and Bargoed will run to Barry Island and Bridgend via VOG.

The Penarth branch will be served by a 2tph from Coryton abd a 2tph service to Caerphilly.

This gives 6tph between Cardiff and Caerphilly compared to 4tph now.

Cardiff  Bay line gets 4tph to queen Street  shuttle as well as a 2tph service to Pontypridd.  So Cathays to pontypridd still gets 6tph. Cardiff to pontypridd will increase from 5-6,tph to 8tph.

The cityline gains a Sunday service too so now only the Coryton branch has no trains on sundays

https://tfw.wales/sites/default/files/2023-12/TfW%20Rail%209th%20SA%20%28June%2024%29%20Form%20P.pdf



Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: grahame on December 17, 2023, 20:11:31
I have mirrored that for members at http://www.passenger.chat/mirror/TfW2ORR.pdf


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: jamestheredengine on March 03, 2024, 22:40:36
Big changes being consulted on for the valley lines next summer.

All aberdare and merthyr services will loop clockwise or anticlockwise around the city centre via Radyr- Cathays -Central -Ninian Park-radyr and back up the valleys.

In addition all services from Rhymney  and Bargoed will run to Barry Island and Bridgend via VOG.

The Penarth branch will be served by a 2tph from Coryton abd a 2tph service to Caerphilly.

This gives 6tph between Cardiff and Caerphilly compared to 4tph now.

Cardiff  Bay line gets 4tph to queen Street  shuttle as well as a 2tph service to Pontypridd.  So Cathays to pontypridd still gets 6tph. Cardiff to pontypridd will increase from 5-6,tph to 8tph.

The cityline gains a Sunday service too so now only the Coryton branch has no trains on sundays

https://tfw.wales/sites/default/files/2023-12/TfW%20Rail%209th%20SA%20%28June%2024%29%20Form%20P.pdf



This is a silly service pattern. Cathays is Wales's 6th busiest station and the busiest station on the entire suburban network north of Queen Street. Cathays is overwhelmingly a south-facing station – the suburban network should be called the Vale of Glamorgan Lines. Very few Cathays passengers want Cardiff Bay. In general, they want Central, interchanges at Central, or stations Cogan to Llantwit Major/Barry Island. If we're messing with the Bay shuttle, it should go to Caerphilly/Coryton as the less busy branches.


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: johnneyw on March 05, 2024, 23:03:14
A day out in Cardiff today took me eventually to Cardiff Bay.  Here's a photo taken from the station shelter showing work coming on for the second platform and line.
This compares to an up thread photo posted in mid December from the same spot.  A lot of the additional platform is already built and the foundations for the rest are being completed.
The intermediate new station on the way to Queen Street is looking even closer to completion.


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: grahame on March 06, 2024, 02:03:19
This is a silly service pattern. Cathays is Wales's 6th busiest station and the busiest station on the entire suburban network north of Queen Street. Cathays is overwhelmingly a south-facing station – the suburban network should be called the Vale of Glamorgan Lines. Very few Cathays passengers want Cardiff Bay. In general, they want Central, interchanges at Central, or stations Cogan to Llantwit Major/Barry Island. If we're messing with the Bay shuttle, it should go to Caerphilly/Coryton as the less busy branches.

It's going to be hard to please everyone, especially when you have different train types coming on the electric and none-electric bits. Looking at Cathays as we were doing a couple of days back - http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/flows.html?stn=3820 - one of the dramatic things there's is how much the pattern has changed in the last five years.  And I would ask how much is the pattern effected by the routes offered - if there were (for impractical example)  Cathays to Bargoed direct services, would that flow come up the rankings too? 


Title: Re: Cardiff Bay Station branch
Post by: Hafren on March 06, 2024, 20:15:56
I think a lot of the pattern changes come down to the way train-trams are to be deployed. Perhaps joining the dots between the following:

• Cardiff Bay extension will be the first 'tram' destination.
• The train-tram depot is in Taffs Well. (Placed here for land availability or political reasons, and service pattern following from this, or located based on service pattern decision...?)
• RCT valleys the most likely (or at least vaguely possible) next 'tram' mode extensions? (Hirwain, Rhondda Fawr etc?)
• The eventual proposed plan (or at least one of them) would have 6tph to CDF and 6tph to CBD from the RCT axis - so the CDB trains are all extras compared to existing pattern. (Again cause or effect? Already decided to run train-trams from CDB that way so extra services needed, or running to CDB because of desire for extra trains? Worth noting more trains needed in total because train-tram shorter than Sprinter.)

 



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