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Rhydgaled

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Posts posted by Rhydgaled

  1. I hold my hands up....... admit I was wrong !

     

    Made my rendezvous with the Cardiff - Holyhead Premier Service, and the MK3 coaches, in the latest livery, are definitely Rail Blue (Dark Turquoise).

     

    Even my photo's, (taken in RAW format), render the darker colour as blue, not dark turquoise....... weird.

     

    Was up at 0500hrs, to get to Chester, on my day off.   The things we do for this hobby!

     

    Don't like the light blue doors on the newer livery.

     

    Question:

     

    Are the Arriva Mk2 coaches the same colour as the Mk3's, if not what colour should I use ?

     

    The photo's I took are in my gallery, if anyone is interested.

    I agree, the livery used on the Y Gerallt Gymro when it was 57s and Mk2s with just the buffet being a mrk3 (with the doors painted in Arriva Turquoise) was even better looking than the one used today on the mrk3 set with the light-blue doors.

     

    Progress: Arriva stock not far off complete.

     

     

    attachicon.gifWP_000454.jpg

    attachicon.gifWP_000456.jpg

    attachicon.gifWP_000458.jpg

    attachicon.gifWP_000462.jpg

    attachicon.gifWP_000457.jpg

    attachicon.gifWP_000461.jpg

     

    ARRIVA PILE-UP !!!

    Those mrk2s look great, and I'm rather partial to the ATW DVT as well. You seem to have done a good job of the mrk3s too, just a shame the real thing (and therefore your model) uses the lighter shade of blue on the doors. Of course you will need a second buffet car, one with the better-looking darker door colour, to go with the mrk2s. ATW had six mrk2s in the livery (I've seen one or two pictures of all six in use in one train, on rugby specials) and a load more which weren't.

  2. RBE, it took me a while to spot the difference between your 47s! I think I perfer the first version, without the extra white band at the top.

     

    INTERCITY Swallow was one of my favorite liveries. Unfortunatly the nationalised East Coast franchise has not brought it back, and it wouldn't work with contrasting door colours. So, I've come up with a livery similar to Swallow that replaces the East Coast logos and stripe on their INTERCITY 225's new silver scheme with other vynals. In my opinion it looks a lot smarter than East Coast's livery, even though I didn't quite match the door colour to the upper bodyside sucessfully in my Photoshops. Also, please imagine the EAST COAST and INTERCITY text to be in the exact font the real Swallow livery (and Great Western Merlin) used.

    post-7703-0-53201300-1293642935_thumb.jpg

    Original Image released under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Licence by Carl Spencer.

    post-7703-0-76845500-1293643139_thumb.jpg

    Original Image thanks to ECML180 (posted here).

    • Like 3
  3. Without the statutory yellow warning panel, EWS could have used the same front end design as its parent company Wisconsin Central.

    Looks like there's still quite an area of yellow on the front ends, I'm wondering perhaps it would be allowed. I think that design looks good on the 37s, not so sure about the 66 though.

    Oh, and thanks for posting the original for the FGW 125mph Electrostar image.

  4. med_gallery_6731_93_277182.jpg

    Image by Paul Burkitt-Gray, based on a photo by Gauteng Citizen, published under the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike License.

    With alternatives to IEP currently under consideration, could a simpler 125mph EMU provide more affordable rolling stock for the electrified Great Western that are also more suitable for today's inter-urban services?

    Can you provide a link to the original image please? I'm interested to see what the image is based on, maybe a Hull Trains 180 or one of the new Turbostars.

     

    If that wasn't a Hull Trains 180 I'm amazed the dynamic lines are possible to Photoshop into existance, and would like to congratulate you on achiveing it. My own attempts with designing a First Great Western version of Alphaline livery have turned out rather poorly because of my inability to do such lines but I'll present the several designs I have done. Base image is the same as before.

     

    I started simple, with a very basic pair of blue-white-pink bands:

    post-7703-080734900 1284331011_thumb.jpg

     

    The next version, 'Subtle Lines' is a single, taller, blue-white-pink band with blur:

    post-7703-058686300 1284331050_thumb.jpg

     

    I was lazy and only did rest of the liveries on the front coach, so 'Subtle Lines' is left on the other coach

    The next two were done using some of the more interesting Photoshop brushes:

    post-7703-044619700 1284331027_thumb.jpgpost-7703-048209000 1284331017_thumb.jpg

     

    The next one I call 'Misty Hills Lines', it's hard to see but the hills should be made of a pink-white-blue band

    post-7703-035553900 1284331022_thumb.jpg

     

    Finally, two versions of a concept I call 'Town & Country Lines' (based on a mix of First Capitol Connect and my 'Misty Hills' concept):

    post-7703-001521000 1284331056_thumb.jpgpost-7703-088498300 1284331060_thumb.jpg

     

    I would be interestered to hear if anyone would have liked any of these Alphaline livery concepts had they been done well, and if so which they would like the best.

  5. I've always thought Alphaline was a great brand name, and since Alphaline services always been 158s the Class 158 'Express Sprinter' could well be Class 158 'Alphaline'. Anyway, what if some of today's operators refurbished some of their units with more comfortable seats and more legroom and garanteed the presence of a buffet trolley (at least between advertised stops on the route) and brought back the Alphaline brand for these trains?

     

    First of, Arriva Trains Wales' version of Alphaline livery:

    post-7703-128099670827_thumb.jpg

    Or maybe this one?

    post-7703-128099687074_thumb.jpg

     

    Now, what if Stena Line sponsered an increased service to Fishguard Harbour (connecting with their fast ferry). Also has FGW branding to allow the unit to run through Fishguard Harbour - Portsmouth Harbour services.

    post-7703-128099698419_thumb.jpg

    The rear coach carries DB Wales' Alphaline livery, as shown on this image:

    post-7703-128099705787_thumb.jpg

     

    Original (public domain) image by Peter Skuce. First Great Western versions of Alphaline livery might come in the future.

     

    To round off today's batch of Photoshops, DB are thinking of running ICE trains through the channel tunnel, why can't we have earlier ICE trains rather than ICE3s, the earlier ones look much better, even with yellow ends:

    post-7703-128099742819_thumb.jpg

    Original image by S. Terfloth Creative Commons licence.

    • Like 1
  6. Surely, like anything else, it would have looked great in Loadhaul! I'll let the other guys tackle this

    I was thinking I'd let others tackle this too... but since I did the other Kestrels here we go (same source image as before):

    post-7703-127784793011.jpg

     

    post-7703-127784801785.jpg

     

    EDIT: Just noticed I missed one of the buffers, just pretend it is orange not white.

     

    Second only to the Great Western Main Line on the list of electrification projects in Wales is probablly the Cardiff Valleys network, so here's some Electrostars liveried in Valley Lines livery in Cardiff.

    post-7703-127784934739_thumb.jpg

    Based on Creative Commons images by Oxyman and Chris McKenna

    post-7703-127784974017_thumb.jpg

    Based on Creative Commons images by Oxyman and Chris McKenna

    • Like 1
  7. I recently read about a Co-operative that intends to provide services from Yeovil Junction to the Midlands via Melksham, under open access rules. Not sure what stock they intend to use but read somewhere that it may be Wrexham & Shropshire style push-pull trains, which I assume means Mrk3 DVTs and coaches rather than Mrk2 coaches including DBSOs.

     

    I took the CO-OP's logo from their website and a base Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike image from wiki by Andy F. I tried mainly grey, red, blue and green versions of a posible livery, here are the blue and green:

    post-7703-127653421263.jpg post-7703-127653423467.jpg

     

    I've been on 2-car 175s running the Milford Haven - Manchester service a couple of times and they have been rather overcrowded. Therefore there are probablly too few 3-car sets so what about abandoning the idea of a uniform fleet on that run and bringing in some 100mph class 47/7s re-fitted to work push-pull trains with Mrk2 DBSOs alongside the 3-car 175s? I think Arriva's standard livery is rather drab so I based this one on the much smarter WAG express livery instead.

    post-7703-127653495667_thumb.jpg

    Ah, but DB own Arriva now, so...

    post-7703-127653508959_thumb.jpgpost-7703-127653511675_thumb.jpg

     

     

    To round off this batch of photoshops, here's the same train in some BR liveries:

    post-7703-127653522625_thumb.jpgpost-7703-127653525031_thumb.jpg

    Original images by Matt Davis (Creative Commons) and EliminatorJR (Public Domain).

    • Like 1
  8. Sombody asked what if Kestrel's class had been put into production? Well, here's my attempt at some possibilities, original image uploaded to wikimedia Commons, under creative commons license, by Oxyman - Author: Phil Sangwell.

     

    First, HS4000 itself in BR Blue:

    post-7703-127585635305_thumb.jpg

    2nd in class, 59002 'Harrier' in BR Large Logo Blue:

    post-7703-1275856426_thumb.jpg

    59001 'Kestrel' in Intercity Swallow:

    post-7703-127585655108_thumb.jpg

    I really have trouble with perspective (for text and nameplates etc.)

  9. I'm not really old enough to remember BR very well, and didn't see that much of it when it was still around, but from what I do remember (and mainly photographs and models) they did come up with some great liveries for modern image stock (steam wise I perfer some of the big 4's liveries). Having all the stock in BR blue with little variety does sound like it would get boring, although I was not around to see that for myself. INTERCITY Swallow has to be one of my favorites but I like many liveries (even a few from the currunt era of frequent livery changes) when they are applied to the right stock. The design of some types of stock (mostly types made since BR shut-up shop) can make making them look smart difficult, for example I tried putting the smart WAG Express livery on a 175 in Photoshop and it refuses to look smart.

     

    Anyway, a photoshop, I felt Wrexham and Shropshire's silver DVTs could sit a little better with the blue&grey passenger stock so I modified it a bit:

    post-7703-12755234382_thumb.jpg

    Original image by Oxyman, Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike License

    Of course W&SMR later introduced matching silver Mrk3s, explaining the livery on the DVTs and 67s.

    • Like 2
  10. Virgin Cross Country's original plan for new non-tilting trains was to buy push-pull sets formed of single-ended locos based on class 67 and hauled coaches. This would have had several advantages over the class 220 multiple units. The locos could have been introduced more quickly than units, and used to haul existing stock until the new carriages were complete, improving Virgin's poor reliability in its early days. Non-tilt profile carriages would have had more spacious interiors than the needlessly cramped Voyagers. Also, carriages are cheaper than extra vehicles for Voyagers, so once traffic picked up it would have been more feasible gain DfT permission to increase train lengths.

    The Virgin livery makes the 67 look quite good, but the Voyagers look marginally better I think. By what everyone says that is only thing that the Voyagers win on (though I've yet to travel on one myself). Some 100mph + push-pull capable diesel locomotives and DVTs/DBSOs would be very useful right now, for example for getting rid of the over-crowded 2-car 175s on Milford Haven - Manchester trips (new intermediate coaches wouldn't even be needed, there's probablly still quite a lot of Mrk2, and possibly Mrk3, stock out of use).
  11. That photo is published under the Creative Commons Attribution License, so you can use it here or anywhere else as long as you comply with the terms of the license - that you give attribution to the original photographer (Steven Crozier) with the photo.

    Thanks. Here we go, as I said not a great photoshop (mostly because my addition of text and stripes is poor), I just wanted to show the idea of using IC125 instead of ICE:

    post-7703-127223570904_thumb.jpg

    Original image by Steven Crozier.

    • Like 1
  12. med_gallery_6731_93_190555.jpg

    That looks really good, much better than my attempt (on an Intercity 125). If I'm allowed to I would like to post mine though (based on this image). The real XC livery does look rather good but due to the pink doors I have to say the ICE livery you have there (assuming the doors are red at the top not just at the bottom, which I can't quite tell from the pic) looks better.

     

    med_gallery_6731_93_486947.jpg

    Well, that makes the most boring trains round here look a little better, Arriva's standard livery almost always looks a bit drab. The darker colouration of the WAG express is quite smart though. Quality of the image edit is good too, as normal. By the way, is Arriva livery really not being replaced or is it expected to disapear after a while?
  13. Funny enough I did this one a few days ago. The rules haven't been changed yet, but the requirement for trains carrying passengers through the tunnel to be capable of splitting and being 400 metres long are under review.

    If you are right, then according to Wikipedia Eurostars are not allowed in the tunnel, being 394 metres long (320 metres for North Of London sets). Probablly Wikipedia's mistake, not yours. Nice work with the photoshoping by the way.

     

    ICE3s are the only trains likely to be used by DB, as they are already fitted with the TVM430 signalling system used in the Channel Tunnel and HS1, and the KVB system used on the approaches to StPancras International, for running on LGV Est to Paris. Hopefully yellow ends won't be needed on HS1, as they would look awful on an ICE.

    What about Thalys trains? you said ICE3s are the only trains likely to be used by DB, but what about other operators, is anyone else likely to try to run services through from mainland Europe if the tunnel rules are relaxed?

     

    If you want photographs to use for photoshopping, look on Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, where there are thousands available under Creative Commons licenses. Flickr also has lots of Creative Commons photos which you can find by doing an advanced search with the "Only search within Creative Commons-licensed content" and "Find content to modify, adapt, or build upon" options selected.

    Thanks for the tips, however I asked somewhere before and suggested linking to the original image as a form of attribution but was told I actually had to try and contact the author to obtain permission. Therefore in the case of the 5-WES trains above I waited for the base images to be provided for the purpose in the topic. Assuming I don't need to ask for permission on creative commons images there's still an issue with many of my photoshops. This is that that I obtained certain logos from all over the place, would I need to track the sources of these down too? (The only reason I can think of for not having to track them down is that maybe once I've got down to just the logo it becomes the work/copywrite of the relevent company, in which case, seeing as everyone else here seems to be getting away with it, there isn't a problem using them for our purposes.)
  14. This livery on the 442s might be suitable, now that they're on the Brighton line.

    "Kippers, anyone ? Or would Sir prefer a Bacon Buttie ?"

    post-7009-126936122463_thumb.jpg

    I'm still trying to match the quality of you guys icon_thumbsup2.gif , without much success.

     

    My present use of MS/Windows Paint always results in the 'bleeding' of the colours into one another, as you can see. I get the same problem drawing a Black line on a White background.

    Considering you're using paint that is an amazing job, even with Photoshop mine failed to deliver (as you saw in the other thread). For the rest of you, here are some of my attempts here, here and here to be precise. (Base images provided for me to edit in another thread.) As you can see I didn't have any Pullman logos, which would have replaced the South West Trains logo, I also would have not named the coaches, instead putting "Southern" in the name place to identify the operator (since operators tend not to like leaving their name off the stock). The last image is supossed to be based on the Blue Pullman by the way.

     

    gallery_6899_468_82437.jpg

    That image seems to indicate that the 67 would look very good in this livery if it was done for real, nice.

     

    Am I right in saying the rules regarding channel tunnel saftey have been deemed over the top and dropped? If so I vote for Thalys trains to St Pancras, not the ICE-3s we seem to be getting since they don't look very attractive to me. The earlier ICE trains (ICE-1 or ICE-2 I don't know, maybe they look the same?) look smart but not so the ICE-3s. So, does anyone want to have a go at doing a Thalys/ICE with yellow ends for running in Britain? I did Thalys PBA and PBKA myself but as I found the base images online I can't show you due to copywrite, my disclamer isn't good enough apparentlly. I did a Eurostar power car in Thalys livery too, same story.

  15. If any talented Photoshopper would like to have a go at a 395 in NSE livery, there's one to play with here (taken by me on Saturday) Please feel free to do as you like with this picture

    I've never noticed this on a 395 before but it says "Britain's Fastest", Britain's fastest what? Not train that's for sure, Eurostar and APT are both faster and if you are talking speed records the Intercity 225 is as well since I don't think the 395 has ever tried a record run.

     

    med_gallery_6731_93_484374.jpg

    Looks really good actually, only thing is maybe it would look even better if the yellow didn't extend above the cab (because that narrow window above the rest sticking up into the yellow doesn't look right.)

     

     

    So what if Virgin got a blanket WCML franchise, with both the slow and fast services?

    gallery_6899_468_182895.jpg

     

    Virgin158Pendelino2.jpg

    Not really enough for the Virgin logo between the door and the red and white bit, especially on the 158 (although you haven't put logos on that anyway). Therefore I think the logo might look better on the silver area underneath the first window to the rear of the door, almost right behind that post on the Desiro pic.

     

    Also, I hear talk of templates, what is your method of doing this? I don't use templates on mine, I normally select the area to be changed with the magnectic lasso and then use the replace colour or somtimes levels tool to change the colour. Talking of mine, is it alright just to post a link to the source of the original image or would I have to ask permission to use it (in which case I don't think you'll be seeing any of mine)? Would I need to do the same for the images I've pulled logos off to put on the unit I've photoshopped?

  16. Before I post some of my photoshops I'd like to give some background. Many of my photoshops are based on Traws Cambria Richards Brothers livery, as used on the X50 service between Cardigan and Aberystyth. They are probablly my favorite buses (I'm over 6ft tall and they seem to have more legroom than any other bus I've ever been on). Pics of these buses can be found here and here. Richards Brothers is a local bus company round here and Traws Cambria is a Welsh Assembally initative of some sort. First, Arriva and Stagecoach also have Traws Cambria branded buses.

     

    Anyway, I thought, what if the assembaly introduced Traws Cambria to the railways as well as the buses? Richards Brothers has it's main depot in Cardigan, so I made the destination boards on some of these trains say Cardigan. I did post some of these images here, under the following disclaimer:

    Disclaimer: Images photoshoped by me (that includes my avatar image) were created from images I found on the web. I'm afraid I didn't record were I got them from or if there was any copywrite attached to them. I therefore declare that I do not own any copywrite for these images.
    but: got an Admin note saying: ["You simply cannot do that, there's enough written on copyright on this forum and what you can and cannot do surrounding it."]

     

    Anyway, the thread has now reach ten pages and I've started crediting images in a more propper fashion and am going to use this post to list my photoshops in this thread.

     

    I hope the page numbers and links are correct and remain so.

    • Chiltern Railways Mrk3 train -...............................................................................- Page 3
    • Intercity 125 in ICE livery -......................................................................................- Page 4
    • Great Western Trains 158, 143 and 153 -..........................................................- Page 5
    • Wrexham & Shropshire DVT with blue-grey extended from coaches -.........- Page 8
    • What if a whole class of locos were born from Kestrel? -...............................- Page 9
    • GO! CO-OP Mrk3s -.................................................................................................- Page 9
    • Mrk2 DBSO with Class 47/7 loco in various liveries -......................................- Page 9
    • Kestrel in Load Haul livery -..................................................................................- Page 10
    • Electrostar units at Cardiff Central (Valley Lines Livery) -...............................- Page 10
    • Alphaline liveries today - part 1 -..........................................................................- Page 11
    • ICE1 with UK yellow ends -...................................................................................- Page 11
    • Alphaline liveries today - part 2 - First Great Western -....................................-Page 12
    • INTERCITY Swallow - 2010 version on class 91 and mrk4s -......................-Page 13

  17. The section from Clarbeston Road to Letterston Jcn was singled in the 1970s and the signalbox at Letterston Jcn was closed at the same time (not quite sure when)with a ground frame operated loop retained at Letterston Jcn to allow the Trecwn trip to runround.

     

    The section from Letterston to Fishguard & Goodwick was always single as far as I can trace but I haven't got the Cooke diagrams for the area so can't be absolutely certain on that. Revision - the line was double as far as Manorowen, 1m57ch west of Letterston Jcn, thence single to Fishguard & Goodwick (2m 41ch) thence double to Fishguard Harbour. Incidentally the 'bottom end of the line has a number of permanent speed restrictions down as low as 40 mph in places and (addition) gradients as steep as 1 in 50.

     

    The lack of a crossing facility at Letterston is not much of a hindrance on capacity but the signalling system and lack of crossing facility at Fishguard is. However with no station at Fishguard & Goodwick there would seem to be little point in running a local train service down the branch! Even with the present signalling an hourly interval service would present no difficulties assuming there was actually enough traffic to support it - which I doubt.

    Thanks, so most of the line was once double track except the stretch between Trecwn and Fishguard & Goodwick station, only thing is why the bridges at Wolfscastle and the Mathry Road bus stop look like they aren't wide enough (the one at Mathry Road looks like it has had it's top replaced by a new single track one though).

     

    IIRC Clarbeston Rd to Fishguard is a single token section so only one train can be on this section at once. The loop points are unlocked by a ground frame for which the token acts as the key. This arrangement is not suitable for passenger trains to use the loop and certainly not to pass there. I believe there was an attempt to revive Trecwn a few years back, possibly explaining the work done to the track, but it came to nothing.

    That explains that, I understand why trains can't pass at the Trecwn loop now, thanks for that.

     

     

    I doubt it has enough layover time in Cardiff to achieve this, though I don't have time to check the timetables at present. Anyway the 158 is already spare, has lower running costs, more than enough seating for the number of passengers and the local crews already have traction knowledge. DVTs can't control class 57s.

    Is the 158 available for extra Fishguard services during the day though? And I assumed, incorrectly it seems, that DVTs could control most classes of loco.

    I did some work on the timetables west of Swansea a couple of years back, though most of this was about options to increase the service if and when the bottleneck is doubled. The Pembroke Dock service sits at PD for the most of an hour so as to meet the next one in the loop at Tenby, and I think adding a Fishgard portion would give equally poor stock utilisation on that route as well. A single unit could give a reasonable two-hourly shuttle to Carmarthen, which could connect there for further east, or a more irregular service that fits better with the ferries.

    Wouldn't having a service to connect with at Carmarthen cause problems with the bottleneck, or are there services to connect with already?

     

    Yes, there's the rub, Mike. It's an interesting stock pattern though, with the Fishguard trains (2 up, 2 down, per day) being 3-car units (rather sparsely occupied), the Milford trains being 2-car (150s primarily), the Virgin Camarthen semi-fast trains being 2-car (usually very well populated out of Swansea High Street, and often choc a block), and typically a single car 153 (also often packed) for the all stations Pembroke Dock service. I have seen 150s on the Pembroke train occasionally, but the usual picture at Swansea High Street on all the westbounds is quite a scrum as passengers try to get a seat.

    Virgin Carmarthen service???? Also as far as my experience goes the trains to Milford are (almost?) exclusivlly class 175s (train spotting from the college windows in Haverfordwest might be more interesting if there was a little more variety), so that's sometimes a 3-car set (I have been crammed against the door in an overflowing 2-car 175 though, so maybe all the 175s should have been given at least 3-cars).

  18. Trains can't pass at Trecwn. The loop is only for run-round and "locking in" a train for the depot, which as somebody has pointed out is out of use anyway. However when I went by last year the loop track looked as if it had just been repaired.

    Why couldn't it be used for passing trains? Interesting to hear it's been repaired, can't think what their planning to use it for unless they are introducing new services and it can be used as a passing place.

     

    There is a local pressure group lobbying for a more frequent service to Fishguard plus re-opening of the Goodwick station. There are several sailings without rail connections and Goodwick could be a better railhead than Haverfordwest for some of the local population. It would need funding from Welsh Assembly Government and another DMU for ATW to run it with - both I guess rather improbable at present.

     

    Incidentally the existing workings don't require any extra stock, as the units work around Cardiff at peak times and would otherwise be standing idle during the middle of the day and the night.

     

    Incidentally the Fishguard trains often run via the Swansea District line, probably to keep crew route knowledge up for when it is needed for diversions. The timings seem pretty slack - our 158 waited 10min or so to rejoin the main line at Briton Ferry and was a good bit early into Cardiff.

    I was in a cafe in Fishguard some time ago and they had a 'Fishguard Trains Petition' which I signed, guess that's the group you're talking about. Also, why would they need an additional DMU? Some time ago I had a look on the web to see where the Arriva units were used and if I remember rightly 158s (what you said you traveled on) aren't used on the local peak Cardiff service anyway (I think it said they were used on the Aberystyth/Porthmadog lines). There's also the Class 57 loco-hauled train from Cardiff to Holyhead, if they could get hold of a single DVT for the end of the train (or bypass both Swansea and Carmarthen) maybe they could extend that service to Fishguard. I thought the best way of going about it though was to add a second sprinter to the Pembroke Dock service and spilt it at Whitland (so there are no additional service running through the single track bottleneck at Gowerton).

  19. With regard to track - the Fishguard branch is single track from the junction at Clarbeston Road, but there is a loop at Letterston junction where the line for Trecwn MOD depot branches off. Don't know the current state of play with traffic there I'm afraid. The GWR did quite a bit of work on the line in the early 1900s but i don't think doubling the track throughout was ever considered feasible.

    I thought I saw a passing loop at the Trecwn junction on Google earth last night, thanks for confirming that.

     

    I think everything west of Swansea is 60 mph max these days- I remember how scary it used to be when DMU drivers used to try making up time down Cockett Bank, followed by a very hard brake application for Gowerton. The SWML west of Cardiff is largely 90 mph, with a few bits of 100 mph

    Newport is at 158.50 miles from Paddington (original mileage via Gloucester), whilst Fishguard Harbour is at 288.27, which gives a mileage of just shy of 130.

    The Fishguard line was single track from Clarbeston Road to Goodwick, though with the formation built to double track standards. Between Letterson and Clynderwen, there was another longer route via Puncheston and Rosebush, which the RAF used to perfect their railway demolition techniques during WW2. Part still survives at the western end, serving the now-defunct Trecwn Naval Stores Depot.

    Thanks, useful information. So 60mph max speed limit, that still dosen't quite explain why the Fishguard train only averages 46 with only 4 stops though, the East Coast travel planner even shows the Carmarthen - Cardiff journey time as 3 miniutes slower than a train that calls at several more stations, including Swansea. Also interesting that the Maencloclog line was destroyed by the RAF, not just pulled up to make use of the materials.

     

    On the subject of double track...

    In an old photograph I have seen of Fishguard Harbour station (from GWR times) the station was very busy, therefore I assume the line was double track right through to Whitland, and beyond, at the time. However, I travel to college passing alongside the line in places and the bridges don't appear wide enough for double track, have the original bridges been replaced with single track ones?
    I think I saw this photograph at Scolton Manor and I've just found similar pictures (perhaps even the same one) online, looks like there are at least 3 passenger platforms, maybe even as many as 5, plus alot of frieght sidings. Here's one of those pictures, this one isn't the one I saw at Scolton but have a look at the other images too. With that amount of traffic I find it hard to beleive the line wasn't double track at the time. Interesting you all seem to think it was only single.
    • Like 1
  20. So now I know for sure, Intercity 125s were run to Fishguard, still a little fuzzy on the issue of double track but anyway, thanks everyone. I have a new question, what's the speed limit on the line? The Wales RUS only gives a range (40-75mph) and I expected the limit to be towards the higher end of that. However I've been trying to plan a route to Havant that's faster than the car and according to the National Rail website the time taken for Fishguard - Newport is somthing like 2hr 50min. I just did a rough measurement on Google Earth (almost to the river Severn, but my lines were straighter than the railway) and came up with roughly 140 miles, I make that an average speed of just 46mph, with only 4 station stops en-route!

  21. Dunno if it helps but Video125 did a cab-ride video called "The Down Fishguard" which featured a "Fag Packet" HST from Swindon to Fishguard.

     

    http://www.video125...._fishguard.html

     

    Andy.

    Thanks, I guess that confirms my assumption.

    You are correct as far as the use of HSTs goes. As far as I can remember, a PAD-SWA service would then later form a SWA-FGH service which then returned the next day as the direct FGH-PAD service which arrived in PAD at around 0630.

     

    This was the case when I started on the railway (1993) up until a few years ago. All the FGH services now are handled by Arriva Trains Wales I think.

    Again, thanks for confirming my assumption. 1993, BR was running Swallow 125s to Fishgaurd then? And yeah, Fishguard services are now run by ATW, so no Intercity 125s anymore. Although:

    post-7703-1260184027539_thumb.jpg

    a fictious picture of course, I based the livery on the one used on the Cardiff - Holyhead loco-hauled train. I'd rather have Merlin or Swallow HSTs return though.

     

    There was a brief spell when HSTs worked through and from Pembroke Dock, but I'm not sure about the Fishguard line.

    Intercity 125s are still used on the Pembroke Dock run actually, summer Saturdays only though. Here's a shot of the summer Saturday HST to Pembroke Dock at Whitland:

    post-7703-12601842152188_thumb.jpg

    (This particular image was actually taken by me, and was the original image that I photoshoped to make the Arriva liveried HST above.)

    • Like 1
  22. I've been Google-ing to try and confirm my assumption that Great Western Trains and later First Great Western services to Fishguard Harbour were run by Intercity 125s. However I have found no images or writen articles that confirm this, so have Intercity 125s actually been used on the Fishguard service or is my assumption incorrect? If these trains have been used on Fishguard services was that a regular occourance at the time? Also, and I doubt this, did BR ever use Intercity 125s on the service?

     

    In an old photograph I have seen of Fishguard Harbour station (from GWR times) the station was very busy, therefore I assume the line was double track right through to Whitland, and beyond, at the time. However, I travel to college passing alongside the line in places and the bridges don't appear wide enough for double track, have the original bridges been replaced with single track ones?

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