Up To Ebbw Vale From Newport
I took these pictures as my train climbed the hill up to Ebbw Vale Town station.
Note.
- The Class 150 train, that I was in had no difficulty in climbing up to Ebbw Vale Town.
- The dtations and track appeared in good condition.
- The weather was getting wetter, which didn’t help the pictures.
It’s a typical South Wales valley packed with houses and factories and with a small river and a few chapels an rugby pitches through in.
My Train To Wales Today Divided At Swansea
According to the Wikipedia entry for Great Western Railway, seven of their hourly services to Swansea now continue to Carmarthen station.
- My train was such a train, although I got off at Newport station.
- The service was formed of two five-car Class 800 trains; 800026 and 800027.
- I would assume that at Swansea, the trains will have split and the rear train will reverse and continue to Carmarthen.
- The lead train would stay in Swansea.
- I have traced the Carmarthen train on Real Time Trains and it clearly shows that the train picked up another train at Swansea as it came back to London.
All the trains involved in the splitting and joining were Class 800 trains.
The splitting and joining at Swansea means the following.
- There is a ten-car train between London and Swansea, which will give maximum capacity to and from the rugby at Cardiff.
- There is a five-car train between Swansea and Carmarthen, which doesn’t need the capacity of a ten-car train.
This is probably a more efficient use of trains and it maximises capacity to and from Cardiff, in both directions.
Is this splitting and joining at Swansea, the first regular use of the technique in service with Class 800 trains?
This YouTube video shows the station displays at Reding, when a Swansea/Carmarthen pair go through.
The Most Crowded Train I’ve Been On For Sixty-Plus Years
I started going to Tottenham Hotspur matches by myself somewhere between the age of fourteen and sixteen.
- I used to take the 107 bus from where we lived in Oakwood to Enfield Town station and then get the electric trains to White Hart Lane.
- I don’t remember much about the trains, but they were slam door stock.
- I remember this as we used to fold the doors back before the train entered the station and jump out when the train got to running speed.
- Coming back into Enfield Town station, this was essential, otherwise you wouldn’t be to the front of the queue for the 107 bus.
- Those trains returning from White Hart Lane were incredibly packed.
And I haven’t been on a train as crowded until today.
Today, I planned a simple mission to go to Ebbw Vale Town station and back to see the working of the new service between Newport and Ebbw Vale Town station.
- As I often do, I used my Freedom Pass on the Elizabeth Line to get to Reading.
- At Reading station, I bought a Super Off-Peak Return from Reading to Ebbw Vale Town for £47.05 with my Senior Railcard.
- By comparison, a Super Off-Peak Return from Paddington to Ebbw Vale Town is £57.55 with a Railcard.
The first train today, on which I could use my cheap ticket was the 11:13 from Reading.
- I had hoped, that there would still be a few seats left at Reading, as there are always a few, who use Great Western Railway’s fast trains between Paddington and Reading.
- I also expected, that many going to the Wales and Scotland match in Cardiff would take later trains.
- Unfortunately, quite a few Scots and Welsh supporters got on at Reading.
- It was a wrong decision, as there wasn’t a spare seat anywhere.
So in the end, I stood all the way from Reading to Newport.
I would hope that next time, that Scotland play Wales in Cardiff, that Great Western Railway add some more capacity.
The Anonymous Widower 