Olly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Morning all. It’s a wet day here in south #Wales, and I have some spare hours, so let’s see if I can do some #Train geeking. There’s an “Explore the Capital day-to-go ticket” only available from staff. Let’s see if I can find one. #Caerdydd #Cardiff #rail 1/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Let’s start at Fairwater. It’s a wet day here in south #Wales. Newly electrified, I wonder what my first train will be… 2/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
It’s a single car Class 153! Let’s see if I can buy a ticket… 3/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Oh yes! Struck gold! The conductor was being trained, and the supervisor had never sold one of these before, but I have an Explore the Capital, sorry, EXPLORE THE CAPITAL day ticket. #WinningAtTrains 4/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
I need a wee (no toilets on a Class 153, so I hop off at Cardiff Central. I could have hopped straight back on again, but where’s the fun in that? Next train is to Barry Island (my tickets valid as far as Eastbrook), but I do that route often, so…5/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Transport for Wales have a fleet of new trains, but I haven’t been on one yet - they’re not running out to #LlantwitMajor yet. Let’s see if my luck is in. My constant companion today is, of course, #RealTimeTrains which usually lists the rolling stock. Not this time tho. 6/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Winner! It’s a class 231. Let’s go! #UKRail #geek 7/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
It has that new train smell! First impressions - smart, light, info screens, step that slides out to close the platform gap. I didn’t take a photo of the screens, but the #Cymraeg version is missing a space between the “…next station is…” and the name. Also, not using the treigladau (mutations) “…i Penarth”. Anyway, there’s a clue where I’m off to next. #Penarth 8/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
What #rail hashtags should/could I use? 9/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
This is my kind of day. It’s pissing with rain and there’s nobody else around. 10/n
Show threadOlly Womump
Here’s a quick #ActiveTravel digression. This image shows a missing link between Cardiff and its hinterland in the Vale of Glamorgan. The Penarth headland is a very steep haul up from Cardiff, or a ~200m jaunt along the beach. There’s no formal route, although a headland link is been proposed and scrapped.11/n
Jul 22, 2023 at 10:06amWeb
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Refreshments 12/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Back on the 231 (008). I’ll ride this bad boy as far as my ticket lets me. 13/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Geek fact. On these 231’s, the power sockets are awkward to reach between the seats. Intriguingly, the usb sockets are portrait on one side, landscape on the other. Keeps you guessing! (Geoff Marshall could never compete with this kind of high quality train- fact content.) 14/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
By popular request, here’s Canton depot. Bad luck for you that the camera focussed on the raindrops, not the trains 15/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Here’s one boundary of my ticket validity at Llanishen. It’s still raining. 16/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Fairly immediately back again on 231011 (for the second time today) to Heath High Level, then a walk across the Heath Low Level. I may come back here later, but for now, I’m on a mission 17/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Now onto 153910 up to #Coryton. Why do modern trains no longer have yellow fronts? 18/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Here’s the end of the line at #Coryton.
There’s a little reminder in the sign (see photo) of the times before all this, when our European ⭐️ was still shining. One day it’ll shine again.
Anyway, it’s still raining, and you know me, let’s keep exploring. 19/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
If you look at a map, you’ll see that the line from Cortyon once continued. I’ve been here before, several times, and know the connection down to Llandaf. Let’s see if there’s any industrial heritage on the way… 20/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
#IndustrialHeritage alert! It’s the Melingriffith water pump, which once supplied water to the now redundant Merthyr-Cardiff canal 21/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
I’m old enough to remember when “Llandaf” was Llandaff North. Anyway, here I am, and it’s my first 150 of the day - this is my everyday train if I’m not on my bike 22/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
One stop up the line to #Radyr where my ticket validity ends, and there’s 153910 again! 23/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Time for lunch. Skips, the king of crisps. #CrispFacts 24/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Suitable chastened by my poor photography skills earlier, I’m back to have another go at papping the #Canton depot. I think that you’ll all agree, a much improved set of shots. There’s a class 67 and a load of Stadler sets - at least one brand new. #TrainPhoto 25/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Here I am at Cardiff Queen Street. When I lived in the valleys, this was the starting out point for every trip into the big city. The train the Cardiff Bay always feels odd. It goes from platform 1, which is remote from the rest of the station. This time it’s another 153. 26/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
#Gandhi welcomes me to Cardiff Bay. TBH, it’s not my favourite part of town. It feels contrived, which it is, I suppose. I appreciate the Millennium Centre - I’ve had a few cultural experiences there. Y Senedd Cymru is alright, but is a bit austere for hanging around. Roald Dahl Plas is full of funfair tat, surrounded by craft stalls with zero punters. In the distance, you can see the cliffs at Penarth Head, the other side of which is Penarth Pier (see my earlier toots) 27/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Having used the facilities in the Millennium Centre, I’m not hanging around. Back to the station past some scruffy bits. The station is too far away from the commercial bits of the Bay, cut off by motor traffic. There’s work next to the current station to construct a ?new? station as part of the South Wales Metro. Did I read somewhere that plans to extend the line further toward the bay have been scrapped? Anyway, the trains are reasonably frequent, and here’s mine. 28/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Back at queen Street and I hop on 150256. There’s a party of ladies who were riding from Abergavenny to Port Talbot but became washed out. This TfW is odd, isn’t it? 29/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Waiting at Central for my next (and final) train. There’s always a fair bit to see. Steel trains passing on the central lines was the highlight today. Still raining 30/n
Show threadOlly WomumpJul 22, 2023
Back past Canton (no photos) and I hop off at #Fairwater. As I depart, I come across a #RoaldDahl #BluePlaque - there’s rich Roald heritage in this part of the world.
Enough trains for now. What’s that? 11? Good value anyway. I had my ticket checked twice. Off to dry out. Thanks for all your comments and suggestions. It’s been great to virtually meet so many of you. Until next time, keep on keeping on. /ends