This evening I caught the 17:26 Cardiff Central to Merthyr Tydfil train in order to travel to Taffs Well Park and Ride.  That's the fifth stop.

The train was a 2 car Class 150.  It was a few minutes late arriving at Cardiff Central and several platform staff were wandering around with two watering cans full of water which appeared to be required to enable the journey to continue.  They failed to find anywhere to put the water.

I got in the rear carriage.  It was obvious that the engine in the rear car was not running.  The train manager/conductor/guard made an announcement to that effect shortly after we departed.  Attempts were made to start the engine at each stop but these failed and then after Cathays the lights in the rear car went out.  We were treated to a further announcement explaining the technical problems but reassuring us that the train would continue, although a little more slowly than usual, to its destination.    For those of you not local, it's about 25 miles from Cardiff Central to Merthyr and it involves a climb to about 550 feet above sea level.  So it's a bit of a slog in train terms.  Especially with only 1 Cummins running.

I see from the online arrivals/departure boards that the train made it to Merthyr and at least part of the way back.

I spoke briefly to the guard at Taffs Well to compliment him on the cheerfulness of his announcements and the fact that for once we were being told what was going on.  It was getting a bit dark so he moved into the rear car with his emergency lantern. 

Given the time of day and the need for a very full trainload of passengers to get home I thought this was a sterling effort by the crew. 

But I wonder why someone couldn't have authorised them to swap us to the Coryton train which arrived at Radyr at the same time as our service and could presumably have been sent to Merthyr with the lame train returning to base or substituting on the less onerous service round the City Line.


PS: Did you know there are 22 stations within the City of Cardiff.  Compares well with Bristol.

7 of them didn't exist 25 years ago, and 1 of them had about 8 trains a day, compared with around 70 now.

Indeed, I've lost count of how many stations have opened in South Wales in the same period. It's about 32, but I wouldn't swear on it.

And there's Rhoose (Cardiff Airport) and Llantwit Major together with the whole Aberdare line from Abercynon South.

And a few of the stations round Cardiff on the City Line.  So it probably is 30 or so.

There are a few more in the pipe too.

All we need is someone to electrify it all and give us some new 100 mph commuter trains and we'll be happy.

You're right:-

Cardiff Central
Cardiff Queen Street
Cathays
Llandaf
Radyr
Danescourt
Fairwater
Waungron Park
Ninian Park
Heath High Level
Heath Low Level
Llanishen
Ty Glas
Birchgrove
Rhiwbina
Coryton
Cardiff Bay
Lisvane & Thornhill
Grangetown
Whitchurch

Is it me, or does this post seem a little "Arriva Trains Wales Coffeeshop" material......

Are these all correct Shazz?

Bridgend
Pyle
Pencoed
Sarn
Wildmill
Garth
Maesteg Ewenny Road
Maesteg

Sounds about right, i'll check later

Thanks for that approval!

This is the bit of the board that promotes ATW to become AGW as well.  At least most ATW trains run on time (within the official definition that says late is on time of course).