Core Valley Lines Electrification

[Andy Kirkham]

Can I revive this thread to enquire about current progress? There don't seem to be regular updates online, and I find it hard to tell exactly what the current status is.

 

I can see that Pontypridd - Treherbert is currently closed, but that Cardiff-Merthyr seems to be operating a regular service. What I'm particularly wondering is: is the Merthyr service operated by electric trains yet, and if not when are they expected to start? Is all the engineering complete on that stretch?

[Barry Ten]

Aberdare - Cardiff, at least, which joins the Merthyr line at Abercynon, is still Sprinters. Someone working for TFW told me we might see electric trains after Christmas.

[Ian Hargrave]

9 hours ago, Andy Kirkham said:

Can I revive this thread to enquire about current progress? There don't seem to be regular updates online, and I find it hard to tell exactly what the current status is.

 

I can see that Pontypridd - Treherbert is currently closed, but that Cardiff-Merthyr seems to be operating a regular service. What I'm particularly wondering is: is the Merthyr service operated by electric trains yet, and if not when are they expected to start? Is all the engineering complete on that stretch?

Aberdare was the Cinderella service of the valleys and indeed suffered the Beeching axe quite early in the 1960’s before resurrection,albeit following a track diversion away from the old TVR route to the now demolished Low Level station to the site of the former GW High Level  “terminus” aka Vale of Neath.  The current  replacement bus service to Treherbert causes a great deal of inconvenience locally,given the congestion and road conditions between Ponty and Treherbert. So will it be wires or batteries from Taffs Well or Ponty  ? Or will the WAG run out of cash before completion?  The days of the auto train waiting in the siding at Abercynon for the up Merthyr to clear are bur a memory.       Aberdarian. 1942-1965 
 

[Philou]

I was browsing via Google last week and item dated 1 November 2023 (that I cannot now find) that implied that a new length of OLE had been energised - I think it was Pontypridd to Treherbert. It gave no details of what stock was going under the wires though.

 

If I can find the article I'll repost.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Ian Hargrave]

15 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

Aberdare was the Cinderella service of the valleys and indeed suffered the Beeching axe quite early in the 1960’s before resurrection,albeit following a track diversion away from the old TVR route to the now demolished Low Level station to the site of the former GW High Level  “terminus” aka Vale of Neath.  The current  replacement bus service to Treherbert causes a great deal of inconvenience locally,given the congestion and road conditions between Ponty and Treherbert. So will it be wires or batteries from Taffs Well or Ponty  ? Or will the WAG run out of cash before completion?  The days of the auto train waiting in the siding at Abercynon for the up Merthyr to clear are bur a memory.       Aberdarian. 1942-1965 
 

The TFW website says it’s the wires btw .I’ll take a look soon as I’m in Llwynypia over Xmas & my niece lives next to Dinas station. Both she and my brother in law need regular and reliable trips to London & have to use their cars to Cardiff Central for the SWML which is in any case unreliable. To park a car there overnight or a couple of days must be costly,though my niece puts it on her expense account. The replacement bus service is a sick joke on top of trains that either are cancelled or overcrowded .

[br2975]

My local station - Waungron Park.

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Platform extensions underway yesterday, Friday 24th. November..

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"Tin Rockets" are still the transport of choice on the City Line

[br2975]

Hard to believe I haven't stood on this platform for 18 years, and before that it was in the 70s to watch a brace of Cl.20s pass en-route to Treherbert !

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Answers on a postcard please.

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[br2975]

A selection of images taken at Taffs Well this morning, Saturday 25th. November, 2023.

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Excellent views of the TfW Depot can be gained from the Taffs Well station footbridge, and also the road to Ty Rhiw where it crosses the A470.

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[Ian Hargrave]

OHLE installation ongoing today South of Tonypandy and partially up down to Llwynypia station. New overbridge up at Ystrad.New signalling appears in place.

Edited December 23, 2023 by Ian Hargrave
Correction

[Johann Marsbar]

On 25/11/2023 at 20:38, br2975 said:

Hard to believe I haven't stood on this platform for 18 years, and before that it was in the 70s to watch a brace of Cl.20s pass en-route to Treherbert !

 

 

 

Not 29th January 1978 by any chance?      If it was, I was on that railtour (with a Deltic to Cardiff from Paddington).......

 

The bunfight for a photo at Treherbert!

 

[br2975]

6 hours ago, Johann Marsbar said:

 

Not 29th January 1978 by any chance?      If it was, I was on that railtour (with a Deltic to Cardiff from Paddington).......

 

The bunfight for a photo at Treherbert!

 

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Yep, that's the one.

[jamie92208]

Good to see some real progress. 

 

Jamie

[br2975]

TfW update on the 'Metro' work 

 

https://tfw.wales/projects/metro/south-wales-metro

 

And on the Treherbert line in particular;

 

https://tfw.wales/projects/metro/south-wales-metro/treherbert-line-transformation

Edited December 24, 2023 by br2975

[Ian Hargrave]

4 minutes ago, br2975 said:

TfW update on the 'Metro' work on the Treherbert line

 

https://tfw.wales/projects/metro/south-wales-metro/treherbert-line-transformation

Driver training in January……which is now just over a week away  ? I think as things currently stand this is way over optimistic. 

[The Stationmaster]

On 25/11/2023 at 20:40, br2975 said:

A selection of images taken at Taffs Well this morning, Saturday 25th. November, 2023.

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Excellent views of the TfW Depot can be gained from the Taffs Well station footbridge, and also the road to Ty Rhiw where it crosses the A470.

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As that was on my patch - a number of decades back - I didn't whether to 'like it' or express my condolences.

[br2975]

3 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

Driver training in January……which is now just over a week away  ? I think as things currently stand this is way over optimistic. 

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Night time paths have existed since June this year (and have been used) for several trips for both Cl.756 units on test from Canton to Radyr and return 5Q00 to 5Q07;

and the Cl.398 sets 3Q01 from Ponty to 3Q06 back to Taffs Well Depot (initially these were 5Q56 etc)

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As trains haven't run for some time on most of the CVL, staff are required to initially renew their route knowledge.

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The route and signalling will have changed drastically since staff last operated much of the  CVLs.

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The route refreshing will, I am told, initially be carried out using Cl.150 Sprinters, and then driver/staff training with Cl.756 and Cl.398 units.

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Last week a Cl.67 worked several light engine moves between Canton and Radyr via Cardiff Queen St. in order to test the effects on a University MRI scanner that is located close to the lineside, 

I suspect this may be the scanner at the CUBRIC, Maindy Road facility  ( on the site of the former Cathays C&W ) inside which I recently spent two 90 minute sessions !

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Those wishing to keep up to date with the TfW CVL 'Metro' developments, and other rail related matters in the area ( both current and historic ) may wish to join the Facebook group "Railways in South Wales".

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1481784582093228

Edited December 24, 2023 by br2975

[Ian Hargrave]

Work has been ongoing over the Christmas break between Llwynypia & Tonypandy.OHLE,signalling & track work appear complete to Llwynypia,including installation of impressive new pedestrian over bridge at Ystrad. Work yet to be completed at Ynyswen station. Down from Tonypandy,OHLE completion is patchy. None in evidence at Ponty station atm.

[Ian Hargrave]

Further update on this. OHLE in place at Dinas with new over bridge & from Porth to Pontypridd viaducts but no further. A cursory look from our passing car while waiting at traffic lights revealed that both viaducts are a nursery for a variety of saplings growing out of the stone jointing.It’s frankly an unsightly mess and should be subject to some attention prior to OHLE installation. My brother in law told me that a tree surgeon he employed many years ago to clear some larch trees  had a contract to attend to unwanted growth on both these structures.So the problem is obviously historic and it appears to have had little or no attention for some time.In posting this,I am mindful of the recent part closure of a viaduct on the ECML due to root invasion. 

 

[Barry Ten]

Some overhead wiring has appeared at Aberdare over Christmas. They were certainly busy with machinery moving up and down the line on Christmas day.

[br2975]

Today 20142 & 20189 together with two brake force runners top and tailed TfW Metro unit 398005 from Old Dalby to Radyr station.

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The unit was bound for the TfW depot at Taffs Well, the next station up the line from Radyr.

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The ensemble arived in Platform 2 at Radyr at around 00:10 on Saturday, 27th. January (2024)

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20189 and the leading brake force runner were cut off, and reversed into Platfrom 3 and shut down.

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Another TfW Metro unit, 398007 then arrived from Taffs Well, drawing power from the overhead - the first time I have seen this on the CVL, and crossed into Platform 2 to work 398007 back to Taffs Well.

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Here are some rather dodgy 'phone' images of the 'action'

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There will be a few more such workings, with one scheduled for a weeks time.

.

 

[jamie92208]

Great to see Brian, thanks for working a half night shift as we used to call them.  That LT liveried  20 looks good. I saw it at Stafford a couple of years ago. 

 

Jamie

[br2975]

Yesterday, Sunday 25th. February, 2024 the TfW 'Metro' took another step forward.

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Cl.231 unit(s) eg 231009 were tried out as far as Treherbert - the Rhondda Fawr line is due to reopen tomorrow, but initially operated by existing Cl.150/2 'Sprinter' units and the OHLE has yet to be energised.

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Cl.756 tri-mode units were tried out in the evening along the 'City Line' for the first time since last Autumn.

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A large number of the Cl.756 units are 'stored' at the  Barry Depot ( formerly used by the Barry Tourist Railway ).

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On Sundays, GBRf Cl.66s have been working from Cardiff Tidal to Treherbert and back, on route learning jobs.

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Next weekend Cardiff Queen Street and the Cardiff Bay branch ( Bute Road to those of my age ) will close completely from Friday to Monday to allow improvement work to be undertaken.

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Several PW trains ( nowadays called 'infrastructure' apparently ) are scheduled in connection with the works.

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As a result Treherbert, Merthyr & Aberdare workings will be diverted off the Radyr - Queen St. - Cardiff Central axis and onto the City Line, all will be non-stop on the City Line, with no service at all calling at  Danescourt, Fairwater, Waungron Park and Ninian Park.

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City Line passengers can use their rail tickets on Cardiff Bus services.

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There is still one Cl.398 'Tram Train' set waiting to be delivered from Asfordby ?  to Taffs Well using the Cl.20s as described above.

 

[Danemouth]

Some info here

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-68381940

 

Dave

[Ian Hargrave]

On 26/02/2024 at 01:14, br2975 said:

Yesterday, Sunday 25th. February, 2024 the TfW 'Metro' took another step forward.

.

Cl.231 unit(s) eg 231009 were tried out as far as Treherbert - the Rhondda Fawr line is due to reopen tomorrow, but initially operated by existing Cl.150/2 'Sprinter' units and the OHLE has yet to be energised.

.

Cl.756 tri-mode units were tried out in the evening along the 'City Line' for the first time since last Autumn.

.

A large number of the Cl.756 units are 'stored' at the  Barry Depot ( formerly used by the Barry Tourist Railway ).

.

On Sundays, GBRf Cl.66s have been working from Cardiff Tidal to Treherbert and back, on route learning jobs.

.

Next weekend Cardiff Queen Street and the Cardiff Bay branch ( Bute Road to those of my age ) will close completely from Friday to Monday to allow improvement work to be undertaken.

.

Several PW trains ( nowadays called 'infrastructure' apparently ) are scheduled in connection with the works.

.

As a result Treherbert, Merthyr & Aberdare workings will be diverted off the Radyr - Queen St. - Cardiff Central axis and onto the City Line, all will be non-stop on the City Line, with no service at all calling at  Danescourt, Fairwater, Waungron Park and Ninian Park.

.

City Line passengers can use their rail tickets on Cardiff Bus services.

.

There is still one Cl.398 'Tram Train' set waiting to be delivered from Asfordby ?  to Taffs Well using the Cl.20s as described above.

 

Well it seems they managed to stick to schedule which is truly great news for all in the Rhondda even if there is still much to be done. I’ve just taken a trip down memory lane with a YouTube video from Mike Wilcock,so thanks for that. Much water has passed under the bridge since 56XX & a collection of Colletts/Hawksworths….doors slamming & passengers hurrying up the platform for connections to Merthyr  to the cries of “ Rhondda Valley train “ or to the other bay for the Ynysybwl auto with is wood slatted sides . 
 

             But at Ponty station the celebration is muted for me by the partially third world state of a building and platforms which were once the crowning jewels of TVR architecture. Much of the station is unused and is in a state of weed infested neglect . And this is to host a state of the art rapid transit system ? The WAG/TFW do need to invest some TLC here….or are they perhaps hindered by a listed building status ?  

 

[65179]

On 27/01/2024 at 02:15, br2975 said:

Today 20142 & 20189 together with two brake force runners top and tailed TfW Metro unit 398005 from Old Dalby to Radyr station.

.

The unit was bound for the TfW depot at Taffs Well, the next station up the line from Radyr.

.

The ensemble arived in Platform 2 at Radyr at around 00:10 on Saturday, 27th. January (2024)

.

20189 and the leading brake force runner were cut off, and reversed into Platfrom 3 and shut down.

.

Another TfW Metro unit, 398007 then arrived from Taffs Well, drawing power from the overhead - the first time I have seen this on the CVL, and crossed into Platform 2 to work 398007 back to Taffs Well.

.

Here are some rather dodgy 'phone' images of the 'action'

.

There will be a few more such workings, with one scheduled for a weeks time.

.

 

 

3 Class 20s, including 20142, and the barrier wagons currently sat in Pengam Sidings this morning after one of these workings. 

 

Regards,

Simon