Assembly Members have come into criticism recently from the press for not using public
transport for official business. AM's defended themselves by claiming public transport
was not convenient or frequent enough or they lived in rural areas where it was non
existent. One AM claimed he had to go to more than one meeting in and around Cardiff
and the car was more convenient. Later we heard that Assembly civil servants spent
nearly one and a quarter million pounds a year hiring cars from Europcar to conduct
business. An Assembly spokesman said that civil servants were encouraged to use
public transport. Commentators noted that it was within the power of both Assembly
Members and Civil servants to invest in and improve public transport. An editorial in the
Western Mail noted that many people use the excuse of poor public transport even when
relatively good services were available.
So can public transport be used to conduct business or not? SARPA Chairman
Gareth Marston shows us how to do it.
How would you go about getting to two meetings one in Cefn Mawr (a large
village 8 miles south of Wrexham) and the other in the centre of Chester as I did recently?
Mr A N Other Mileage Claimer would jump in his car, turn on the satnav and drive, he
would probably drive right into the centre of the city and park at the NCP car park too.
From Newtown the mileage is c. 130 (@ 40p per mile), and the cost of parking would
result in a travel claim to his employer for nearly £60.00.
This is how I did it for £22.00 - a North Wales All Zone Pass (it used to be called
Tocyn Taith) allows use on trains and buses in North Wales for 1 day. Bought on the day
as well!
0846 Catch ATW train 0730 ex Aberystwyth to Birmingham International.
0925 Arrive Shrewsbury
1003 Catch Wrexham and Shropshire service 0645 ex London Marylebone to
Wrexham.
1035 Arrive Ruabon.
1041 Bus from Ruabon Station Drive 2C Arriva Bus 1022 ex Wrexham Bus
Station to Cefn Mawr.
1055 Arrive Cefn Mawr
1205 Catch 2V Arriva Bus from Cefn Mawr to Wrexham Bus Station.
1217 Arrive Ruabon High St.
LUNCH walk back to Ruabon station
1254 Catch ATW train 1109 ex Birmingham International to Holyhead.
1319 Arrive Chester station. Get free shuttle bus to Foregate St in City Centre.
1622 Catch ATW train 1423 ex Holyhead to Cardiff Central.
1717 Arrive Shrewsbury
1727 Catch ATW train 1609 ex Birmingham International to Aberystwyth.
There's nothing there...... A view of the Talerddig loop where Cambrian line trains pass each other in the middle of nowhere. More sensible to stop where a station could be provided, like acouple of miles Up the line at Carno. Photo by Tony Burton
The Committee's call for the development of a formal business case, endorsed by the Minister
CSAG's submission of the 60 page draft Carno Transport Appraisal to TraCC in July 2008
CSAG were encouraged to prepare the draft Carno Transport Appraisal by the then WAG Head of Rail, Tim James, who, in evidence to the Committee at its scrutiny of the Minister in November 2007, said:
"We told TraCC that it should lead the process, and that the people of Carno should help to provide evidence for that business case, along the lines of the Welsh transport appraisal guidance WelTAG, which sets a clear framework for appraising projects."
The draft Carno Transport Appraisal contains the draft business case for the station. The traffic demand forecast is based on existing usage of Caersws station and research at the Institute of Transport Studies into the way propensity to travel by rail declines with the distance of people's homes from the station. It estimates that there would be in excess of 10,000 journeys per year in the year after opening, 36% of which would be additional ones - ie not abstracted from Caersws.
The cost of station would be critically dependant on platform length. Network Rail's cost breakdown for the recently opened Mitcham Eastfields station indicates that the Carno station cost estimate of £1 million adopted in the Appraisal would be realistic for a station with a platform long enough for 4 carriages. The Appraisal concludes that a station costing £1 m would yield a benefit cost ratio in the range 1.6 to 1.9.
CSAG have been concerned for some time at the lack of progress to the completion of the formal business case. However, this work is now in hand, following TraCC's commissioning of a Rail Feasibility Study for the Cambrian Line as part of its RTP Preparatory Works. The Feasibility Study, which is being carried out by Capita Symonds, will look at Carno Station re-opening alongside a range of other possible improvements to the Cambrian Line. The various schemes identified will be subjected to Stage 1 WelTAG Appraisals to enable priorities to be selected by the end of this year.
Assuming Carno is selected as a priority, it will be for WAG to take the scheme forward for delivery. If it is not, then WAG will complete the business case itself, in order to fulfil the recommendation of the Enterprise and Learning Committee.
There is strong support in Carno for the re-opening of the railway station. The Community Council sees it as a driver for the sustainable regeneration of Carno, following the Laura Ashley factory closure, as it would
open up job opportunities as far away as Telford and Aberystwyth
dramatically improve the prospects of redevelopment of the moribund Laura Ashley factory site
enable the provision of new housing close to sustainable transport
open up opportunities for green tourism
expand the client base of existing tourist enterprises
enhance Carno Community Centre's role as a conference centre for all-Wales organisations.
There has also been a suggestion that the former station building would be the ideal location for a permanent exhibition celebrating Laura Ashley and her achievement. Local AM Mick Bates has written to the Laura Ashley Company, who own the building, to seek their co-operation.
The Assembly Enterprise and Learning Committee report on Future Railway Infastructure in Wales concluded that Wales was being short changed and lagged behind other
areas of the UK and significant investment was needed. A list of 21 recommendations
were put forward by its cross party membership. Sources have costed this at £5 Billion.
Significantly it states that the Wales and Border franchise "Is not fit for purpose" to cater
for growing passenger numbers and future demand.
SARPA comment- we told you so and years ago. The AM's report is a vindication of
SARPA's work for the past decade and it’s good that mainstream political views are now
recognising what was blindingly obvious to us. Whether the Assembly Government acts on this is another
matter of course. The recommendations are set out herewith:-
Recommendations of the National Assembly for Wales, Enterprise and Learning Committee January 2010.
Recommendation 1
We recommend that the Welsh Government should make the preparation of Transport
Assessments a statutory requirement as part of the planning process for new develop-
ment.
Recommendation 2
We recommend that the Welsh Government should continue to lobby for the electrification of the railway network serving Wales. As well as the Great Western Mainline as far
as Swansea, the first priorities should be the diversionary lines between South Wales
and London, the Cardiff area network - including the Valleys Lines - and the North Wales
Mainline. We also recommend that Network Rail ensure that sufficient gauge clearance
is provided on any electrified track to take freight as well as passenger traffic, and that
the best technology be used to minimise disruption to rail services while electrification
work is being carried out.
Recommendation 3
We recommend that the Welsh Government work with First Great Western to achieve
speed improvements on targeted services between South Wales and London by omitting
station stops such as Swindon, Didcot and Reading.
Recommendation 4
We recommend that to ensure that Wales will not be left on the slow train but will benefit
from high speed rail links to the rest of England, Scotland and on to Europe, the Welsh
Government should develop a strong case and lobby jointly with other interested partners for a new High Speed Line from London to South Wales, and for the North Wales
Mainline to be directly connected to the proposed High Speed 2 Line from London to
North West and Scotland. We further recommend that any high speed rail provision
should not detract from existing services along classic lines.
Recommendation 5
We recommend that the Severn Tunnel should be adapted for electrification. We also
recommend that Network Rail should be commissioned to consider options for renewing
the Tunnel in the longer term, linked to the business case for a new High Speed Line from
London to South Wales.
Recommendation 6
We recommend that the Welsh Government, Network Rail and the regional transport
consortia work together on options to improve the existing North-South Wales rail line
and services, including a programme of line speed improvements, additional faster
services and a limited stop service on alternate hours during peak periods.
Recommendation 7
We recommend that the Welsh Government, in consultation with Network Rail, should
respond individually to the list of recommended rail speed and capacity improvements
listed in Appendix 2 of this report, and update its 2008 Rail Forward Programme accordingly.
Recommendation 8
The planning of railway infrastructure needs to be better integrated with the provision of
more appropriate rolling stock. We recommend that the Welsh Government should agree
with the Department for Transport and Arriva Trains Wales how exactly it will deliver its
commitment to provide more rolling stock, including longer trains on the Valleys Lines,
and that it should publish this in a rolling stock plan for Wales, as we previously
recommended. We also recommend that rolling stock provision and replacement should
be integrated with plans for electrification of lines in order to achieve synergies and
savings.
Recommendation 9
We recommend that the Welsh Government and Network Rail take account of the
socio-economic as well as the business case for new or re-opened stations. We also
recommend that the Welsh Government, in consultation with Network Rail, should
respond individually to the list of recommended schemes for new or re-opened stations
and lines listed in Appendix 3 of this report, and update its 2008 Rail Forward Programme
accordingly.
Recommendation 10
We recommend that the Welsh Government carry out a cost-benefit analysis of providing
new or enhanced Traws Cambria services both to complement existing rail services and
to fill in gaps in the rail network, such as between Carmarthen-Aberystwyth, Moat Lane
junction-Merthyr, Caernarfon-North Wales Main Line and North Wales Main Line-Ruthin-
Corwen, linked to the Heart of Wales Line.
Recommendation 11
We recommend that the Welsh Government should agree to fund the proposal, supported by the regional transport consortium SWWITCH and petitioners to the National
Assembly, for providing additional trains to Fishguard.
Recommendation 12
We recommend that the Welsh Government continue to work with partners to invest in
improvements to rail stations in Wales, both for passenger comfort and safety - especially passengers with disabilities - and also for better connecting rail stations with other
modes of transport such as buses, taxis and safe cycling and walking routes. We further
recommend that these improvements be integrated in strategic transport plans at national and regional levels.
Recommendation 13
We recommend that the Welsh Government should encourage the regional transport
consortia, through their Regional Transport Plans, to develop more Park and Ride
facilities to encourage more people to travel by train, and that the assessment of need
include consideration of a growth in use to ensure sufficient numbers of parking spaces
can be provided.
Recommendation 14
We recommend that the Welsh Government respond to the Department for Transport's
consultation on "Better Rail Stations" and support the recommendation that Cardiff
become a Category A station.
Recommendation 15
The Deputy First Minister told us that he would welcome innovative transport solutions,
including light rail. We therefore recommend that the Welsh Government work with
relevant partners to commission feasibility studies for developing light rail networks in the
main urban areas of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport, which should include consideration
of how to integrate such systems with existing heavy rail infrastructure.
Recommendation 16
Given the forecasted growth in both rail freight and passenger traffic, we repeat our 2007
recommendation that the Welsh Government should give higher priority and more
resources to encouraging a
modal shift of freight from road to rail, including signalling, loading gauge and axle-weight
capacity enhancements. This needs to be managed carefully in partnership with Network
Rail and the Train Operating Companies to avoid conflict with rail passenger traffic. We
further recommend that as part of a study to understand better the pattern of movement
of freight the Welsh Government and its partners consider how to plan for the strategic
location of terminals to increase the amount of freight that can be transferred to rail
transport.
Recommendation 17
We recommend that the Welsh Government and Network Rail prepare an action plan to
identify and connect appropriate ports in Wales to adequate rail infrastructure in order for
rail to compete with road and to fit operationally and financially with industries' logistics
and distribution networks. We further recommend that the Welsh Government should
ensure the Department for Transport's current consultation on a national policy statement for ports in England and Wales reflects Welsh priorities.
Recommendation 18
We recommend that once the National and Regional Transport Plans are finalised, a
formal concordat with Network Rail should be drawn up and agreed by the Welsh
Government and the regional transport consortia. This would help achieve greater
transparency in rail planning from the national to the regional level and closer communication and cooperation to ensure aspirations for the future rail infrastructure in Wales are
coordinated and delivered.
Recommendation 19
We recommend that the Welsh Government should seek equivalent powers to the
Scottish Government, together with the associated funding, whether by amendments to
the Railways Act 2005 or other appropriate legislative means. We also recommend that
the Welsh Government should continue to make a strong case for continued investment
in Wales through the planning group for the next High Level Output Specification period
(2014-19).
Recommendation 20
We recommend that the Welsh Government use the opportunity of the next five-year
performance review assessment of the Wales and Borders (Arriva Trains Wales) franchise to seek improvements for rail passengers and better value for public money. We
further recommend that the Government establish a round-table partnership with the
regional transport consortia to explore how the franchise could be improved.
Recommendation 21
We recommend that the Welsh Government work with the regional transport consortia
on developing integrated policies for pricing structures such as smartcard systems that
allow people to travel on different modes of transport - rail, light rail, buses - as well as
encouraging alternatives to using the car.
Articles (4):- Smethwick Galton Bridge:- Where It Is and What it Does. By Roger Goodhew
Background
Punctuality has been the number one topic on the Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth line. Many
west of Offa's Dyke have blamed the Midlands end of the service whilst those to the east
have blamed the mid Wales end. SARPA has contributed over a decade to help solve
some of the problems.
In practice, the main difficulties have centred around the single line sections
west of Shrewsbury, tidal or weather impacts from rivers, problematic overhead wires,
the slow loading and travelling characteristics of crowded class 158 diesel
units and the congested Stour Valley line between Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
All of these have received some attention. New loops are being installed at
Welshpool, Talerddig and Dyfi Junction; the line has been raised there too; four car (two
x 158s) units have become established between Machynlleth and Birmingham - which
load and travel quicker; whilst improvements to the 'regulation' of train movements
between Oxley, Wolverhampton and Birmingham - in conjunction with a more robust
timetable - have reduced delays east of Shrewsbury.
This article concentrates on the length of route between Shrewsbury and
Birmingham. Most of the stopping trains are run by London Midland between Shrewsbury
and New Street and typically are pathed in the wake of the 'semifast' services provided
by ATW between Holyhead or Aberystwyth / Pwllheli and Birmingham International. These
'stoppers' call at all eight stations between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton whilst ATW
serve only Wellington and Telford Central as intermediate stops. WSMR stops at Telford
and sometimes at Wellington - but not at any Birmingham station, except Thame Parkway.
From Wolverhampton to Birmingham New Street there are six intermediate
stations. Only the two early morning London Midland services from Shrewsbury (0528,
0558) to New Street stop at all of them. At other times, individual stations are served on
a skip stop basis according to the operator concerned. From the Shrewsbury direction
the typical pattern is for the London Midland stopper to serve Sandwell & Dudley (where
Euston-bound Virgin expresses also stop) whilst ATW trains, en route to Birmingham's
New Street and International stations, stop at Smethwick Galton Bridge.
This is an interchange station located where the Snow Hill to Stourbridge (Jewellery) line
crosses the Stour Valley line. The crossing is courtesy of Thomas Telford who built a
bridge 150 ft in span and 71 ft above the Main Line Canal which it crosses in a deep
cutting. The station was reconstructed by Centro late in the 20th Century in association
with re-assignment of part of the former railway line between Snow Hill and Wolverhampton Low Level to the Midland Metro tram service.
Train services arrive at Galton Bridge low level from the Shrewsbury direction at
platform 4 typically at about hh.20 before resuming to Birmingham. The first train from
Aberystwyth arrives at 0820. Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury bound trains stop at low
level platform 3 at about hh.30. The last train to Aberystwyth leaves at 2030.
Up the stairs (or lift) you need to decide whether to go westbound from high level
platform 1 (towards Stourbridge, Kidderminster, Worcester or Great Malvern) or eastbound from high level platform 2 (towards Snow Hill, Moor Street, Shirley, Stratford upon
Avon, Dorridge, Leamington Spa or London Marylebone).
Westbound Services
A total of 80 services each weekday depart westbound from high level platform 1. All of
these go to Stourbridge Junction (where you may try out the Parry People Mover for
Stourbridge Town); 55 of these go on to Kidderminster; beyond Kidderminster there are
30 services of which 20 serve Worcester Foregate Street, 10 Worcester Shrub Hill whilst
4 extend to Great Malvern.
These westbound services all come from Moor Street and Snow Hill: 41 from
Shirley, with 17 from Stratford upon Avon; 34 from Dorridge with 8 from Leamington Spa
- of which 5 are Chiltern services from London Marylebone via Banbury. First train calls
at 0629 for Worcester Foregate Street; last train calls at 2325 for Stourbridge Jn.
Eastbound Services
A total of 85 services each weekday depart eastbound from high level platform 2. All of
these go to Snow Hill and Moor Street; 40 go to Shirley with 15 of these to Stratford-upon-Avon; 44 go to Dorridge with 4 to Leamington Spa; 5 Chiltern services also serve
Leamington Spa, going on to Banbury and London Marylebone.
These eastbound services all come from Stourbridge Junction: 58 from Kidderminster (of which 5 are Chiltern services) with 21 from Worcester Foregate Street, 12 from
Worcester Shrub Hill and 3 from Great Malvern. First train calls at 0618 for Stratford-
upon-Avon; last train calls at 2314 for Shirley.
Punctuality and 'Regulation' on the Stour Valley
Between Wolverhampton and New Street there are 5 main junctions: towards Walsall,
Wolverhampton steel terminal, Galton junction (which allows services from the Stourbridge direction to access the Stour Valley line between Galton Bridge and Rolfe Street),
Soho emu depot and a pair of junctions serving the Soho line to Perry Barr.
Clear passage of trains between Wolverhampton and New Street depends on
good signalled management of these junctions and of platform occupation at New Street.
In the past, it was a typical experience for trains from Shrewsbury to run well to Oxley
only to be held just outside Wolverhampton station whilst the desired connection was
allowed in and out before us. This situation has now been much improved.
Here is an example showing the modern way of dealing with this situation.
At Birmingham International the 4-car 0909 departed for Holyhead via Shrewsbury. This
train called at New Street 0919/0924, at Smethwick Galton Bridge 0930, arriving at
Shrewsbury P4 at 1026 (due 1023) and divides: the front portion (2-car) proceeds
forward via Chester (1121/1126) for Holyhead (due 1319).
Meanwhile - and much earlier - at Holyhead the 2-car 0715 departed for Birming-
ham International via Shrewsbury. This train passed Chester 0915/0930 and arrives at
Shrewsbury at 1031. It then joins in platform 4 to the waiting rear portion of the ex 0909
from Birmingham International to form the 1035 ex Shrewsbury for International.
This train passes Wolverhampton 1112/1113, Smethwick Galton Bridge 1124
and New Street 1130/1136 arriving in Birmingham International at 1150. On the alternate
hours, 4-car trains from Birmingham International reverse in Shrewsbury station for
Machynlleth where they usually divide to give 2-car service to Aberystwyth / Pwllheli. The
same for the reverse pattern from the coast to Birmingham International.
Key features of this pattern are that the Birmingham bound train enters Wolverhampton station where the Virgin for Euston awaits 1145 in platform 2, Cross Country
Manchester to Bristol TM awaits 1115 in platform 4 and London Midland for Walsall via
New Street awaits 1119 in platform 5. The ATW 1113 departure then has a clear run
down the Stour valley with its stop at Galton Bridge at 1124 arriving New St 1130.
Three key features have changed from the recent past: firstly, the ATW service
runs midway between the 'stoppers' - which no longer terminate in New Street but carry
on round via Duddeston, Aston, Perry Barr and Tame Bridge Parkway to terminate in
Walsall, e.g. at 1214. Secondly, the ATW typically no longer terminates in New Street,
proceeding at 1136 to reach International at 1150.
Thirdly, and lastly, there are now no weekday services reaching the Stour Valley
from Hereford, Malvern, Worcester, Kidderminster or Stourbridge Jn via Galton Junction.
All these services now proceed either via Smethwick Galton Bridge high level to Snow
Hill / Moor Street or via Bromsgrove / University to enter the high platform numbers only
at New Street.
The above regulation of paths has significantly reduced the number of conflict-
ing train movements and hence 'signalling delays'. It's a real step forward, as a regular
through Wolverhampton to Walsall service is now established - albeit via a roundabout
route.
We have left this article on the site because it is still of current interest and people still ask us about ERTMS. Hopefully these paragraphs will help to dispel the mysteries.....
There have been delays with the progress of ERTMS owing to technical problems and currently, it doesn't look as though the system will be launched before the end of 2010. This has had a knock on effect with the infrastructure improvements which are being put in place to allow the proposed hourly service to operate.
The Institute of Railway Signal Engineers had a meeting in Shrewsbury on 9th January 2008 with a presentation on the subject of "Cambrian ERTMS". The speaker was Clive Barker (Ansaldo Signal UK). Clive is obviously an enthusiast for ERTMS and his presentation did a great deal to dispel the mysteries surrounding the system and its development. In the interim, we have heard unconfirmed reports that Mr Barker has moved to pastures new within Ansaldo and has taken a job in Australia!
It would appear that the system is in fact, not that much different from the transponder based system which was developed for the Advanced Passenger Train. If it wasn't for the delightful Margaret Thatcher, we might have had modern signalling and high speed trains in the UK about twenty years ago, instead of waiting for the Italians to sell us revised versions of our own technology.
In some respects the concept is not that far removed from speed signalling , where the driver is not informed which route the train will take, but the signal aspect informs him at what speed he may proceed. In the case of ERTMS the principle has been expanded to include automatic brake applications, train detection and monitoring and voice communication.
There are three basic elements to ERTMS.
1)European Train Control System (ETCS). This includes the signalling element and the control of "movement authorities" (Yes you may go, or No you must stop), automatic train protection and the interface to the interlockings
2)GSM-R (Global System for Mobiles - Railways). The communication element containing both a voice communication network between control and signalling centres and the trains themselves and also the bearer path for the ETCS data. As this is an adaptation of the ordinary civilian GSM mobile system, there can be little justification for the nimbyism which has emerged with regard to siting of GSM-R masts along the Cambrian. Those people who are so upset about the siting of these structures will probably own and use a GSM 'phone themselves in the not too distant future.
3)ETML (European Traffic Management Layer). The operations management level intended to optimise train movements by the intelligent interpretation of the timetable and train running data.
Good progress has been made with ETCS and GSM-R but thus far little work has been done with regard to ETML. The generic terms for all these applications is ERTMS, which in itself comes in 3 application levels:-
Level 1) Not much more than a harmonised Automatic Train Protection system (ATP) overlaid on conventional signalling systems but built to EU standards. Requires only a limited part of the ETCS element and non fitted trains may continue to operate.
Level 2) Full train control and communication system using both ETCS and GSM-R. Retains existing train detection systems for positional information. It be overlaid on existing colour light signals if required, in which case non ETCS fitted trains may continue to run.
Level 3) A fully radio dependent version of level 2 wheremost of the trackside signalling equipment has been removed. Equipment is housed on board the trains and at radio block centres. Hasn't really been developed to an operational level yet.
Many level 1 systems are in service at speeds of up to 300 kmh (about 180mph). A number of Level 2 systems are now operational and more are coming on line. In the UK only the Cambrian early deployment scheme is authorised but future proposals are to equip the Great Western and the East Coast main lines with systems to Level 2.
So what of the system for the Cambrian? Essentially, the system relies on "Eurobalises", a fancy term for transponders, for the business of train detection. This involves a series of electronic boxes placed between the track, without any power supply. They are energised by the proximity of the equipment on the rolling stock itself and by passing over the balise, information is passed back to the train as to where it is, how many axles have been counted and how fast it is going. This is then transmitted to the new signalling centre at Machynlleth and used to control the progress of the train.
The main contractor is Ansaldo , whose goal is to "Use ERTMS to resignal the Cambrian Lines, maximising opportunities for informing and de-risking the subsequent national roll out of ERTMS and improving operational performance and safety on the route". The company have been making extensive use of aerial photography of key locations for outline presentations to their personnel as to the work required. They are intending to put all of this information on the internet, including the photographs. They have made changes to their UK Website since we first included this article but it still doesn't give much detail, neither are we told just how well they are getting along.
A total of four Class 37 locomotives will be fitted with the necessary equipment and redesignated Class 97, in addition to the Class 158 diesel units which form our passenger trains. The rolling stock so fitted will form the basis of a captive fleet as locomotives and units not fitted will no longer be permitted to work on the line West of Shrewsbury. The equipment on the Class 158 units will be housed in a modified luggage compartment, resulting in a reduction in baggage space. We would have to say that we hardly welcome this part of the proposals as there isn't much space for luggage on a Class 158 in the first place.
The picture below shows two of the redesignated Class 97 locomotives standing at Shrewsbury
The leading vehicle of the train must have the ERTMS detection equipment fitted, although because the driver will be driving the train in response to a display on the desk, rather than visually through the cab window, it means that technically, the driving position itself could be anywhere in the train.
On the fixed infrastructure, the main difference is that the turnouts at passing loops will be motor operated, instead of worked by compressed air. The design will mean that points can be passed over at higher speed than the 15 mph restriction currently in force.
Included here are some video presentations, the first one showing ERTMS Level 1 and the next, Level 2, which is the one being set out for trial on the Cambrian. The third one is much more comprehensive. The webmaster thinks they explain things far better and more succinctly than his own musings. Interesting to note how they seem to be intended for high speed double track main lines........Maybe one day, if the growth in passenger numbers continues!
ERTMS Level 1, complete with computer generated graphics and "Archie" style driver.
ERTMS Level 2, as proposed for the Cambrian
We also include here an embedded video showing developmets in Italy with a High Speed /High Capacity system and ERTMS/ETCS. Very comprehensive presentation, with much detail, about 18 minutes long. Tells you all you need to know, with a great many green and white "Pendolino" things shown whizzing around very impressively, though its a very far cry from anything you'll ever see on the Cambrian! There is of course, much more room on Continental trains in which to stuff all the equipment, on account of the larger loading gauge.
On my travels it never ceases to amaze me how inconsistent and patchy is public
transport provision and integration throughout our green and pleasant land. An early start
saw me travel to Abergele taking advantage of ATW's recent change of heart about
trains actually connecting at Shrewsbury - only once a day for North Wales from the first
train of the day though! Still the ticket I purchased turned out to be great value even if my
eyes were bleary. A North Wales All Zone Day Ranger valid all day long for £22.00 (full
price). All of North & Mid Wales's railways connected by the Shrewsbury to Chester line
plus most bus operators too! Shrewsbury station was none too pleasant a place to wait
on a cold morning. However we got to Rhyl OK where I opted to get out and use a bus
as the Cardiff to Holyhead trains don't stop at Abergele and Pensarn station. Full marks
for having the bus station right outside the rail station! Rhyl station though clean was
somewhat desolate and two revenue protection staff at the barriers more like grumpy
security guards than customer service professionals. I soon spotted my bus the No. 12
Rhyl to Llandudno operated by Arriva buses. It operates at a 12 minute frequency.
Through Kinmel Bay and Towyn which have no rail links and a stop outside Abergele and
Pensarn station in the village of Pensarn and then a mile inland to Abergele itself. I met
an old friend of mine and went to have breakfast at the towns Tesco store.
He warned me that though Arriva buses accepted the All Zone not all operators
did and the unwary were caught out. We decided to go to Llandudno. The No. 12 bus did
its stuff along the A548 again through the eastern suburbs of Colwyn Bay and into the
town - no bus/rail integration here as we missed the station by a quarter of a mile. Still
we went through Rhos on Sea and past the local FE college at Llandrillo into Penrhyn
and then alongside the bay into the town of Llandudno itself. We were deposited some
way from the station but closer to the pier and seafront. The bus takes over an hour
between Rhyl and Llandudno - the train much quicker - but it does serve communities
without rail stations well. Compare this with the poor offerings in Mid Wales. It can be
done.
A pleasant few hours were had reminiscing about defeating insurgents back in
the 60's and our thoughts turned to how modern public transport could be made better.
The public house we were in had Sky TV - I don't care for it much this media over
explosion. "Just think how many more journalists we'd shoot these days" my friend joked.
I recall the looks of absolute horror on an American TV crew's faces as they walked into
our fire zone in Aden just as Lance Bombardier McPartlin let loose with the general
purpose machine gun. Then I was distracted - a rail story was on!
Lord Adonis was on announcing that in future franchises will be longer length
potentially up to 22 years with winners awarded on investment packages combining profit
sharing, with strict performance targets, regular reviews and severe penalties for those
that give up. Investment targets have been outlined for the re-letting of the East Coast
main line franchise. There has been much lobbying for longer franchises from within the
industry as it's said that this is the best way to get improved performance and private
sector investment. Chiltern Railways is always trotted out ad nauseam as the model to
emulate.
Alas there are longer franchises and longer franchises as regular readers know
the Wales and Border franchise is 15 years in length. Let's just say that the agreement
doesn't feature Investment plans, stringent targets or penalties for poor performance and
the operator clearly feels it's not incentivised to shower wads of private sector cash
about.
So if you believe that long stringently specified franchises with incentives to
invest are the best way to go forward there's a problem. Until December 2018 and the
end of the current franchise we will have the worst of all worlds with no stick, no carrot
and no investment unless a post credit crunch cash strapped WAG stumps up. However
there is a way out - we always hear from ATW how good they are. They should have no
qualms about prematurely ending their current franchise themselves and then bidding for
a new super franchise. After all they can point to their record performance as reigning
franchise holder, growing passenger numbers and use their inside knowledge of WAG
and other stakeholder aspirations to put together a winning package safe in the knowl-
edge that under the new franchise regime it just won't be handed to the lowest bidder.
Arriva should be a shoe in with a brilliant investment package showing what the private
sector can do!
Then it was back to reality- Llandudno station - how this wasn't on the list of the
ten worst stations in the UK is beyond me. As we pulled away down the Conwy estuary
my friend pointed to an article stating that Arriva Group's profits were holding up in the
recession and better performing divisions cross subsidising others with ATW's profit
propping up Cross Country so Lord Adonis's rage is diverted. Groan - another decade of
shabby stations and the like beckons.
Brigadier John Faviell, Three Cocks Cottage,
January 2010
Modified Class 159s Rolled Out.
The first Class 159 DMU was rolled out for British Rail Network South East on 6th January 1993 from Babcock Rail Products at Forsyth. The units had been constructed by BREL Ltd at their Derby Litchurch Lane works to an order by Regional Railways for Class 158 units. Owing to a recession, BR found that these units were not required, and so they were reconfigured as three car trains for the Waterloo-Exeter services on the former Southern Region.
A number of major modifications were required, including the provision of first class accommodation, installing retention tank toilets similar to those employed on the "Wessex Electrics" and the provision of a catering area at the end of the centre vehicle.
Llangollen Railway On St David's Day 1993, the Llangollen Railway launched a "Ymlaen I Corwen" (Forward to Corwen) share issue. The scheme involved restoring the railway firstly to Carrog and thence to Corwen, with the line being relaid there by 1996. 500,000 shares were being offered at £1 each to members, railway enthusiasts and the general public.
The former station at Corwen having been taken over for industrial use made it necessary to formulate other plans and an extensive layout was planned for completion by the year 2000. Both Glyndwr District Council and Clwyd County Council were in favour of the scheme and recommended that provision should be made for the railway in the proposed Corwen bypass road scheme, which the line would have to cross.
In addition, the Welsh Development Agency had commissioned an independent study by railway engineering consultants Conran Roche Planning and Gower Asscoiates, concerning the benefits which the revived railway would bring to the town.
British Rail Development Plan On 30th July 1991 British Rail unveiled its 10 year development plan which, surprisingly for the times, presented a bullish picture for the future of the railway. The proposals were introduced by the BR chairman, Sir Bob Reid at a press conference in London and included:-
Introducing passenger services over 60 miles of new or reopened routes and opening 100 new stations in conjunction with local authorities
Electrification of a further 150 miles of regional railways
Electrifying the former GWR and Midland main lines when the HST fleet became life expired.
Daytime and overnight through services from places North of London to the Continent via the Channel Tunnel, with cross platform interchange between domestic Intercity services and European trains being seen as an interim measure.
Expansion and development of the domestic and international parcels business
"Strombidae" Misbehaves On Saturday 25th August 1991, Class 37 Diesel No. 37 421 "Strombidae" (extraordinary name for a locomotive?) came off the road at Dovey River Bridge, near Dovey Junction whilst hauling the 10.58 Birmingham New Street - Pwllheli service. All the locomotive's wheels became derailed and came to rest on the wooden bridge decking. Thanks to quick action by the driver, the train was brought to a stand very quickly and before any of the coaches could become derailed. Passengers were taken forward from Dovey Junction by road transport.
The engine was rerailed at 1300 the following day and repairs to the bridge were caried out. The line to Pwllheli was reopened to trains on 27th August.
Closure Proposals In the autumn of 1971, the Transport Users' Consultative Committee (TUCC) for Wales and Monmouthshire submitted its report to the Department of the Environment regarding the BR proposals to close the Cambrian Line from Dovey Junction to Pwllheli. Its conclusion was that there would be widespread hardship if the line were to be closed and it offered no way of alleviating this. The TUCC indicated that there would be a negative effect on the economic and social stability of the area and also impact on the viability of the Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth railway service.
Meanwhile, the 15.25 Sunday service from Barmouth to Aberystwyth (yes, you did read that correctly) was a 4 car DMU and picked up more than 30 passengers from Tywyn on 25th July 1971. Presumably the fresh air on board as well began to feel a bit crowded out.
Christian Wolmar is a well known transport commentator who has spent nearly all of his working life as a journalist, writing articles for many publications and broadcasting frequently on both radio and TV.
He was named Transport Journalist of the Year 2007 in the National Transport Awards on 17th July 2007. It was for the TV and radio work Christian did in the immediate aftermath of the Cumbria train accident in February when he helped to allay fears about the risks of rail travel.
He writes regular columns for Rail magazine and Transport Times, as well as occasional articles for several newspapers including the Evening Standard, The Independent, the Guardian and the Yorkshire Post.
We have included a selection of articles here which may be of interest. Click on the links in each paragraph text to read the full story.
Tory Rail Policy Few people can have failed to notice that there is a general election looming in 2010, which at the present appears as if the Tories will win. Past performance from this party would indicate that things on the railways will not be very nice. Whatever, the Tories will have a tough act to follow. Lord Adonis is widely recognised in the industry as the first transport secretary in a generation to have a thorough understanding and knowledge of the railways. Wolmar makes comment.
Lord Adonis Wolmar also takes a look at the work of Lord Adonis who has done more in a year in the job than Alistair Darling did in four. The headline setter has been the reversal of the government's position on high speed rail which he instigated.
Rail Franchising At last, a debate about the future of franchising is emerging. The Association of Train Operating Companies has, commendably, issued a package of measures on how it would like franchising to change. This followed hot on the heels of the government's response to the Commons Transport Committee's report on franchising published last summer.
Sustainable Transport Here, Wolmar examines a three year programme in Sutton called Smarter Travel which has just come to an end and the results are promising.
Sutton won a London wide competition of the boroughs to obtain funding for its project to persuade people to travel more sustainably. The core part of the scheme is to send people round to knock on doors and discuss their transport habits.
