Great Western Coffee Shop

https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/81711/dont-make-carmarthen-the-final-stop-stephen-crabb-mp-tells-rail-bosses/


I have added a couple of "Federal" options for you if you feel that TfW should provide all the trains that run deep into Wales.

Never mind Wales! GWR no longer serve Lydney, which despite still being in England so far as I can tell is run by Transport for Wales, with trains from TfW and Cross Country.

Have GWR, or its predecessor franchises, FGW, Wessex Trains, GWT ever served Lydney?

The section of line through Lyndey was opened in 1851 and operated by GWR as part of the South Wales Main Line ... a long and complex history and it passed to British Rail Western Region.   To this day, it's used as such when the Severn Tunnel is closed.

I'm not sure which place in the list is the furthest point from London to the west, as Milford Haven is the westernmost but Fishguard is probably slightly further from London. Anyway, how about one train a day which splits into three at Carmarthen, one part going on to each of the above and the third to Pembroke?

An excellent idea in theory, but I suspect the practical logistics would render it impossible. I guess it would more likely be one service through to Swansea or Carmarthen and three connecting services onwards, which would be held in the event of late running.

Some strange results from the poll.  Why would anyone vote for Cardiff, let alone four members?

The beauty of a poll is that it's a secret vote ... but those people are welcome to tell us why should they wish.  If your are a strong nationalist and in favour of national ownership of assets, logic may point to having the English operator encroach just as far as the capital from where the Welsh operator takes you on Welsh trains ....

The places listed in the vote offering are east to west in sequence as far as Carmarthen.    So that's Severn Tunnel Junction - Cardiff - Swansea - Milford Haven.   Beyond there, you have a branch (from Whitland) to Tenby half way along, and Pembroke Dock; the main line continues to Clynderwen Road, where most current trains continue to Milford Haven on one leg and some to the ferry port for Ireland at Fishguard on the other.

In setting up the poll, I tried to be reasonably sensible the options offered ... I did not offer Newport, though it's the first large city in Wales on the South Wales main line, for example.   And I did not offer Pilning as the last station in England so that only the Welsh TOC would run services in Wales.

Personally, I would love to see services going though to one of the ferries - preferable Fishguard with the easier access from train to ship, but that comes with a proviso that rail passenger-friendly improvements MUST be made so that trains and ferries connect to give excellent London to Dublin services through port facilities that make you feel welcome and guarantee the connection - in doing so investment would be needed and that would be a very clear statement from the UK and Irish governments to encourage greener land public transport over the long distance.   Timimgs would also need to be such that the London <-> Fishguard and Rosslare <-> Dublin services would both be timed to work for identifiable worthwhile regional passenger flows too.

Perhaps...though surely GWR are a Scottish operator if anything?  ;)

I am sure at the back of their minds GWR had Grand Union's proposals to run from West Wales from 2025 when they planned their extra services to Carmarthen.

http://www.granduniontrains.co.uk/carmarthen-to-london/ (http://www.granduniontrains.co.uk/carmarthen-to-london/)

Poll open for another day ... no-one has yet suggested an underwater tunnel extension with trains from Paddington to Tipperary.

Voted 'Somewhere else' and put 'Haverfordwest' on the strength of a teenage memory of being parcelled up and put on a train from Paddington to that town, where I was to be picked up by an aunt. Not able to recall if the train's ultimate destination was Milford Haven.

Mark

Poll completed:



Not overwhelming ... but there is certainly a view that trains should continue to run well into the principality ... personally I like the idea of Fishguard provided that onward connections and marketing are available. With trains at trains that wouldn't offer an international connection perhaps ending at Carmarthen.

According to a web search I have just made, there is also still a Pembroke to Rosslare service, so I think this deserves a London train too! 

I used to cross to Rosslare quite often - from both Pembroke and Fishguard (to the extent some of the crew recognised me)

By rail, Pembroke Dock station in spite of its name is a walk of around a 2 km walk to the ferry dock,  and it's an hour and 20 minutes by train from Carmarthen to Pembroke Dock station.    Fishguard Harbour station is alongside the ship, and rail time from Carmarthen is 52 minutes.