South Wales local services - Pembroke, Fishguard, Swanline, etc.

[whole diary]

[Rhydgaled]

Pleased to hear that the 16:04 is still diagramed for a 158. Thanks also for the information that the 09:xx Fishguard has the class 150 rather than one of the two Pacers.

[Hafren]

I dont think there are any changes in the autumn timetable in terms of diagrams, which means 2 pacers and a 150 on Pembroke Dock and 2 153s on city line. Arent the Pembroke Docks quite light in winter and wouldnt need a 2 car?

If September remains sunny, Saturdays can be reasonably busy, if not as busy as in the holidays. Also on weekdays I can imagine the 1600 and 1735 (to Carmarthen but off Pembroke diagram) being well-loaded out of Swansea, but it's some time since I've seen them first hand. Before the standard pattern timetable the 1605 SWA^» (Swansea - next trains)-PMD was often busy as a 150, but that was before the Manchesters made the service effectively half-hourly at that time of day.

[welsh1980]

I think on Saturdays even in winter there was a pacer on the busiest Pembroke Dock Diagram but during the week all three were single 153s.

It looks like this winter we will have a 150 and 2 pacers on Pembroke Dock's all week.

[welsh1980]

It looks like there are a few changes from the December timetable.

The daytime fishguard boat train will start at Newport and also call at Bridgend on both outward and return journey. The return journey will terminate at Cardiff Central rather than extend to Cheltenham Spa.

The early Carmarthen-Pembroke Dock and Pembroke Dock-Cardiff services are both retimed to depart earlier and the Pembroke-Cardiff will form the 0910 Swanline service and run to Newport (the 0519 off Shrewsbury which currently does Swanline and runs to Newport will be the fast train to Cardiff and terminate there).  I guess this means a 158 is now booked to do a Swanline service. The extention to Newport means it will most likely run the fishguard boat train so this could well be a 158 assuming no changes to the Pembroke diagram earlier that morning. This could be why it doesnt run to Cheltenham on its return journey as the 158 would be needed to go back up north?? I think this is better use of a 158 if it does happen as currently they do Maesteg and Ebbw Vale when in the south which is much better suited to a 150.

Some of the HOW trains are being retimed - e.g. the early one up departs at 0431 now I think not 0434.

Apparently the 1930 Manchester-Cardiff will now run as far as Carmarthen which makes sense since there was already a connection to Carmarthen off Cardiff which departed not long after the Manchester terminated. And since both are booked for 175s it makes sense.

[anthony215]

The stock from the 19:30 Manchester - Cardiff service usually forms the 2315 service to Carmarthen so I am glad they are combining  the two again.
As for the Fishguard Flyer yes this will be booked for a 158, Much to a certain fellow poster on here's joy 


The unit will come from the 0659 Pembroke Dock - Newport service. About time the 0910 swanline from Swansea was worked by something other than a 153 as the service is regulary overcrowded and delayed because people struggle to get on it. I have had to leave it go at Pyle on a few occasions and travel on the 1005 service to Cardiff. Sorting out the reliability of the 09:10 from Swansea will help the 09:28 Swansea - London service which is regulary stuck following the late running stopper.

I believe the 16:10 Cardiff - Cheltenham service will be formed of the stock which arrives on the 1520 Maesteg - Cardiff service which now runs through to Cheltenham. the stock from the Fishguard service is supposed to then form the 16:18 Maesteg service before  returning north on the 2018 Manchester service from Cardiff

[welsh1980]

On the rare occasion ive used the 1930 Manchester-Cardiff its been a different 175 that then forms the 2315 Cardiff-Swanline-Carmarthen. But it does make sense to make it a through service. On saturdays however it appears to be a seperate service. I wonder if this is due to the 1930 being booked 158 on Saturday?

Today i noticed both the 1400 and 1455 from Swansea-Manchester were 158s but the evening Fishguard was a 150.

153 isnt ideal for main line services and there will be very little 153s now on the main line now that all the Pembroke Docks appear to be pacers or 150s even during winter.

[phile]

The stock from the 19:30 Manchester - Cardiff service usually forms the 2315 service to Carmarthen so I am glad they are combining  the two again.
As for the Fishguard Flyer yes this will be booked for a 158, Much to a certain fellow poster on here's joy 


The unit will come from the 0659 Pembroke Dock - Newport service. About time the 0910 swanline from Swansea was worked by something other than a 153 as the service is regulary overcrowded and delayed because people struggle to get on it. I have had to leave it go at Pyle on a few occasions and travel on the 1005 service to Cardiff. Sorting out the reliability of the 09:10 from Swansea will help the 09:28 Swansea - London service which is regulary stuck following the late running stopper.

I believe the 16:10 Cardiff - Cheltenham service will be formed of the stock which arrives on the 1520 Maesteg - Cardiff service which now runs through to Cheltenham. the stock from the Fishguard service is supposed to then form the 16:18 Maesteg service before  returning north on the 2018 Manchester service from Cardiff

Unit off Fishguard Boats arrives Platform 1 and Unit from Canton attaches to rear.   They shunt out to West and back to Platform 0 for 16 35 to Ebbw Vale presumably strengthened. If it went to Maesteg it would finish up at Cheltenham and be unable to work to Manchester, I suspect this unit from Canton is a 150 thrown up by the 15 14 Swansea ex Cardiff to Llanelli becoming a through train from Holyhead following "Gerallt" now to work 17 16 Cardiff to Holyhead.
The 23 15 Cardiff to Carmarthen is currently booked for a freshly fuelled unit off Canton and a 175/1 (19 30 ex Manchester 175/0) to get units in right places for following workings and with sufficient fuel.    Just because the same unit works both on occasions doesn't mean to say that it is a diagrammed move.

[welsh1980]

The 1308 Milford Haven-Manchester yesterday was 150229, i assume it went all the way to Manchester but I didnt see it after Cardiff.  I'm guessing there might be a shortage of 158s given 2 are/were in Chester having maintenance checks after being stranded in North Wales (But the 1505 Carmarthen-Manchester was a pair of 158s)

Also the Gloucester-Fishguard Service was also a 150 yesterday (which often happens on a Saturday)

Are pacers still booked for Pembroke dock diagrams, ive noticed an increase in 150s recently.

[grahame]

I'm guessing there might be a shortage of 158s given 2 are/were in Chester having maintenance checks after being stranded in North Wales ...

But then the Cambrian Coast line is currently closed all the way from Dovey Junction to Pwhelli so they've not had to be replaced 'down there' at Machynelleth - and when was it the next train's expected to run through to Pwhelli?

[phile]

The 1308 Milford Haven-Manchester yesterday was 150229, i assume it went all the way to Manchester but I didnt see it after Cardiff.  I'm guessing there might be a shortage of 158s given 2 are/were in Chester having maintenance checks after being stranded in North Wales (But the 1505 Carmarthen-Manchester was a pair of 158s)

Also the Gloucester-Fishguard Service was also a 150 yesterday (which often happens on a Saturday)

Are pacers still booked for Pembroke dock diagrams, ive noticed an increase in 150s recently.

No doubt reaction of shortage of 175s due to mishaps.   175103 ran into an Engineers machine on the track near Shrewsbury only a couple of nights ago causing extensive underframe damage and 175102 having to have a new cab after hitting a tree on line during the storms.    There have also been 3 x 175s stranded at Carmarthen until this last week due to weather and has resulted in a backlog of Maintenance.      Pembroke Docks should be 2xPacers and 1x150

[anthony215]

I did here there were some issue's with 175113 as well which is not helping ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))).

Not ideal but the class 150's do certainly help out ATW a lot

[welsh1980]

I hadnt realised so many 175s were out of service, could explain why i have seen so many 158s recently on Manchester services.

Is the overnight fishguard still booked 150?

[Rhydgaled]

But then the Cambrian Coast line is currently closed all the way from Dovey Junction to Pwhelli so they've not had to be replaced 'down there' at Machynelleth - and when was it the next train's expected to run through to Pwhelli?

Yes, I think on balance that has probably saved a unit or two, even though some Aberystwyth daytime services seem to have been 4-car, as Machynlleth - Pwlhelli is a much longer run than Machynlleth - Aberystwyth and probably requires more than two units to work the service.

[phile]

I hadnt realised so many 175s were out of service, could explain why i have seen so many 158s recently on Manchester services.

Is the overnight fishguard still booked 150?
Yes

[welsh1980]

A couple of observations recently - the early Chester-Cardiff-Maesteg train now appears to be Shrewsbury-Maesteg and the 1530 Manchester-Pembroke Dock now terminates at Carmarthen with a seperate Carmarthen-Pembroke Dock service. On Saturdays however the 1530 goes all the way to the dock (as does the 1330 Manchester which turns at Tenby during the week still).  Is there any reason for these changes especially the 1530 ex Manchester? Both sets are stabled at Carmarthen overnight I believe anyway.

Today the 1455 Swansea (1308 Milford) to Manchester was a 150 yet again (booked for a 158) and the 1555 which is booked for a 175 was a 158. The 150 didnt sound too good, wonder if it will make it to Manchester or be swapped somewhere along the way.

I have noticed quite an increase in 150s used on Pembroke Dock services recently (aside from the one thats booked 150) and also more on HOW services too e.g the 05xx Shrewsbury-Cardiff, 1114 Cardiff-Swansea and 13xx Swansea-Shrewsbury was a 150 today not a 153 as booked.