Locomotive and coach services by Transport for Wales - Marches line

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Press release from TfW

The first intercity train left Holyhead at 5.34am on 7 June, and arrived in Cardiff at 9.58am, providing an essential link between north and south Wales.

Lesley Griffiths, the Minister for North Wales, travelled on the first service south and said: “The introduction of these high-quality trains is another positive step towards encouraging more people back on the train on this popular route by providing them with a more enjoyable experience.”

Transport of Wales also announced that they have successfully purchased a further 30 Mark 4 intercity carriages that are fully refurbished to a high standard. This will include four trains of five carriages which will enter service on the Swansea to Manchester route from December 2022.   

The new trains will include First Class carriages, free Wi-Fi throughout, an enhanced food and drink offer including a buffet car, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities. There will also be wheelchair and priority seating available. The carriages were purchased thanks to funding from the Welsh Government.

Starting to be carried in places such as Rail Advent

Transport for Wales has introduced its fleet of Mark 4 coaches on services between Cardiff and Holyhead this morning, with the ex-LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about) coaches providing better capacity for passengers.

The first train left Holyhead at 5:34 and will arrive in Cardiff at 09:57, providing an essential link between North and South Wales.

Transport for Wales has also confirmed to RailAdvent that they have purchased 30 Mark 4 coaches that were destined to be used with Grand Central on Blackpool to London Euston services before this project was scrapped. These will be refurbished and will be used on the Swansea to Manchester route from December 2022.

I've not been recently (I wonder why!) but current trains headed north from Newport have typically been very busy, and a boost from 2 or 3 carriages to five carriages will be most welcome.  But with just four of these trains there won't be enough to take over the current hourly service in total.

And from North Wales Pioneer

James Price, Transport for Wales CEO^▸ (Chief Executive Officer) said: “We’re continuing with our plans to transform transport across our network and improve the customer experience. Today, we’ve introduced additional Mark 4 carriages on our North-South Wales route that will improve the service.

“I’m also delighted to announce our plans to introduce premium intercity carriages to our network within the next two years. The Swansea-Manchester route is one of our most popular, providing key links between the cities of South Wales and North-West England. By introducing these high-quality trains, we’re recognising its importance as an intercity route and providing a more attractive alternative to travelling by car.

“The investment in high-quality trains demonstrates we’re going above and beyond our original commitment to transform the Wales and Borders rail service and deliver a world-class service for our customers throughout our network, including on the Heart of Wales and west Wales where we’re upgrading our original plans.”

[rogerw]

Was this purely a press preview trip?  Checking on the system using RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) no through Cardiff to Holyhead services are found. The journey planners are also not identifying through services.

[phile]

Was this purely a press preview trip?  Checking on the system using RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) no through Cardiff to Holyhead services are found. The journey planners are also not identifying through services.

Public services and shown in Journey Planners but running as STP at the moment due to introduction after start of Timetable

[rogerw]

It appears to be only one set working on the historic "Gerald" timings with no midday workings yet

[phile]

It appears to be only one set working on the historic "Gerald" timings with no midday workings yet

Some more using 2 sets will be introduced later, possibly September, when more crews trained

[broadgage]

Interesting to see that loco hauled coaches are being regarded as the "high quality" option !
Most of the railway industry seems to regard LHCS^▸ (Locomotive Hauled Coaching Stock) as obsolete with the future said to be Voyagers, IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) and similar.

Two generations ago, the mantra was "It will all be OK when we have got rid of steam"
One generation ago it was "It will all be OK when we have got rid of loco hauled services"
Until very recently the new mantra was "It will all be OK when we have got rid of so many differing train types and standardised on IETs"

Perhaps there is a move back to proper trains ?, at least for Inter city services.

[phile]

Interesting to see that loco hauled coaches are being regarded as the "high quality" option !
Most of the railway industry seems to regard LHCS^▸ (Locomotive Hauled Coaching Stock) as obsolete with the future said to be Voyagers, IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) and similar.

Two generations ago, the mantra was "It will all be OK when we have got rid of steam"
One generation ago it was "It will all be OK when we have got rid of loco hauled services"
Until very recently the new mantra was "It will all be OK when we have got rid of so many differing train types and standardised on IETs"

Perhaps there is a move back to proper trains ?, at least for Inter city services.

And now we've got rid of Pacers

[grahame]

Perhaps there is a move back to proper trains ?, at least for Inter city services.

But are they really InterCITY?   To be such, the Holyhead service should be cut back to Bangor, with only three calls after Cardiff - at Newport, Hereford and Chester.

Cardiff
Newport
Hereford
Chester
Bangor

[phile]

Perhaps there is a move back to proper trains ?, at least for Inter city services.

But are they really InterCITY?   To be such, the Holyhead service should be cut back to Bangor, with only three calls after Cardiff - at Newport, Hereford and Chester.

Cardiff
Newport
Hereford
Chester
Bangor

Not Shrewsbury ?     This a major Business Hub so far as Wales is concerned and connections for Mid-Wales and the Cambrian due to it's location.

[grahame]

Not Shrewsbury ?     This a major Business Hub so far as Wales is concerned and connections for Mid-Wales and the Cambrian due to it's location.

Shrewsbury, though, is a town not a city for an interCITY service. It has an Abbey (an used to have an Abbey Station), but no Cathedral nor royal warrant.

Arguable extra stops on the InterCity train would be
either Abergele and Pensarn, or Rhyl, for bus transfer to St Asaph
either Clarbeston Road or Haverfordwest for bus transfer to St Davids
Holyhead for boat transfer to Dublin
and, yes, Shrewsbury for connection to Wolverhampton. 

The whole business of what constitutes a city ...

[Timmer]

Great to see Mk4 coaching stock being put to good use rather than being crushed.

Will make  a viable alternative to travelling on a Voyager via Birmingham. Fare is probably cheaper too. Thinking of from places like Westbury, Bath, Bristol to Manchester changing at Newport.

[grahame]

Will make  a viable alternative to travelling on a Voyager via Birmingham. Fare is probably cheaper too. Thinking of from places like Westbury, Bath, Bristol to Manchester changing at Newport.

It's already been a good route - though I have run into issues in the past with connections at Newport.  Looking at RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website), can't see where the issues are now but then my experiences were prior to the December 2019 timetable change.  Fond memories of rumbling late over the Usk bridge and passing the "via Hereford" I should have been on ....

Seem to recall Church Stretton as a good split ticket station ...

[broadgage]

Great to see Mk4 coaching stock being put to good use rather than being crushed.

Will make  a viable alternative to travelling on a Voyager via Birmingham. Fare is probably cheaper too. Thinking of from places like Westbury, Bath, Bristol to Manchester changing at Newport.

Why would people want to avoid travelling on a Voyager ? I thought that they were modernish purpose designed rolling stock, and surely far preferable to older trains.
Indeed Voyagers were considered such a great idea that broadly similar, short trains were ordered for many other routes.
Whatever next ! suggesting ways of avoiding IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) !

[Celestial]

Whatever next ! suggesting ways of avoiding IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) !

You'll actually be able to construct quite long journeys avoiding IETs and Voyagers.

Penzance to Newport by direct Castle Class HST^▸ (High Speed Train).
Newport to Manchester Picc by Mk IV.
Manchester to Leeds by Mk V.
Leeds to London by Mk IV (for the next couple of years at least).

So Penzance to London all the way on proper rolling stock. Simples!

[Surrey 455]

Not Shrewsbury ?     This a major Business Hub so far as Wales is concerned and connections for Mid-Wales and the Cambrian due to it's location.

Shrewsbury, though, is a town not a city for an interCITY service. It has an Abbey (an used to have an Abbey Station), but no Cathedral nor royal warrant.

Seeing all these trains that had "InterCity 125" on the side at Reading station must have been a figment of my imagination. Obviously they wouldn't stoop so low to stop at a town such as Reading?