I think the obvious answer is that thanks to the 158s being Machynlleth based and the 175s Chester based.
Having recently come back from a trip to north Wales via the Cambrian lines I have to ask is all maintenance of the Arriva 158 fleet really done in that single 2 track depot at Machynlleth? Also if/when they finally get
ERTMS▸ working isn't only part of the fleet being ERTMS fitted? if so would the non-ERTMS 158s then be based elsewhere, or would they be dragged to Machynlleth by the Network Rail 37s whenever they need servicing?
Haven't caught the Fishguard train for a while, although I have noticed that ATW▸ does seem to be increasingly standardizing stock allocations. Having said that over the last few years I think I've travelled on almost any possible unit type on a Fishguard service: 143, 150, 153, 158 (most recently) and a few years back a 37 hauling mark 2s. Verily, thems were the days!
How long ago was the 158? I remember the ATW website had a picture of one of the loco-hauled trains which had in the caption that the Fishguard working is now booked for a 158 but whenever I've seen it a single 150 is all it is.
It's not so many years ago that the Fishguard trains were operated by First Great Western using HSTs▸ that ran to and from Paddington. I think it was the SRA» who decided to back to Swanstruncate the HST portion of the service ea and run a unit from Cardiff to Fishguard, probably a decision that's entirely justified in terms of the limited passenger revenue that route generates for much of the year. As far as I'm aware there are no particular operational issues with turning the unit back at Cardiff.
I agree an Intercity isn't justified without trains at the Rosslare end actually connecting with the ferries, and even if they did then aviation would probablly have to be made much more expensive to fill an IC125. The point about turning the unit back at Cardiff was more pointed to the (in my opinon wasteful) use of 158s on the Maesteg line, as turn-rounds either being too long or too short is a reason I've read for the Cheltenham Spa service (where I think a 158
MIGHT be the most suitable stock) extending through to Maesteg.
Granted a 150 isn't ideal, mainly on the grounds of having very limited luggage space which isn't hugely helpful on a train where lots of the punters are lugging heavy bags on holiday with them - a 158 or even a pair of 153s would be better given the increased luggage space these have (especially huge in the 153 given the large lockers that were used for carrying Red Star Parcels by the Provincial sector of BR▸ before that traffic ceased).
I was thinking 158 or 153s as well, but due to them having the correct door arrangment for a low volume, limitted stop, service rather than lugauge space (somthing I know next to nothing about), but that's a good reason too.
However, I think you need to look at the Fishguard service in the context of a "contractual obligation". Frankly it's an oddball service with funny traffic patterns running at odd times of day, and I'm sure if they could ATW would love to be rid of it. Set against that background I don't see them putting huge efforts into making it attractive for passengers, instead they'll probably just try to do the bare minimum to fulfil their franchise obligation and run the train as cheaply as possible. I do remember reading mutterings a few months back about the possibility of an enhanced Fishguard service. I suspect whether or not this comes to pass will depend on the Welsh Assembly Government".
Certainly it all comes down to the
WAG» , there's supposedlly a good business case for the extra services and before the spending cuts jumped to the front of the agenda I was told the answer to whether the WAG would provide funding was not if but when. Also the idea of this thread is to look at routes like this where the ideal rolling stock is not in use (or routes like the Maesteg line where the wrong stock is) and say what we think is the most suitable stock, not to worry about the finite number of trains of each type or the unlikelyhood of getting funding for it (although ideas on getting round these problems would be welcome also).
Another example, not exactly south Wales though, is the Cardiff - Nottingham service. I've hardly even seen this train but I think it is a 170 Turbostar? Anyway my brother had reason to use it and when he came back (by car) informed me that
'the doors where in the wrong place'. When I've thought about it I've always wondered why a 100mph express unit was ever built with commuter style double doors into the seating area (the 3rd rail Electrostars and Desiros down south are of course actually being used on commuter routes, and being electric can more easilly accelerate to higher speeds between frequent stops).
