Delivering a better railway for a better Britain Route Specifications 2016 Wales Wales March 2016 Network Rail – Route Specifications: Wales 02 Route L: Wales SRS L.01 Border (near Pilning) – Swansea 03 SRS L.02/03 Gloucester – Severn Tunnel Junction 07 SRS L.04/05 Newport – Crewe 10 SRS L.06/07 Llanelli – Craven Arms, Heart of Wales line 14 SRS L.08/09 Shrewsbury – Aberystwyth/Pwllheli, Cambrian line (Cambrian Main Line and Cambrian Coast lines) 17 SRS L.10 – 12 Shrewsbury – Chester 21 SRS L.13/14 Chester – Holyhead 25 SRS L.15/16 Wrexham – Bidston 29 SRS L.17 Newport – Ebbw Vale 33 SRS L.18 South Wales Valleys 37 SRS L.19 Bridgend – Maesteg 42 SRS L.20 – 22 Swansea – Milford Haven/Pembroke Dock/Fishguard Harbour 46 SRS L.23 Llandudno – Blaenau Ffestiniog 51 SRS L.99 Other Freight Lines 54 Glossary 59 Interface with other routes (refer to separate Strategic Route Specifications documents) London North Western: SRS M 20 Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury SRS L.01 Border (near March 2016 Network Rail – Route Specifications: Wales 03 Pilning) – Swansea Geographic Map Route specification description Strategic Route Section The Welsh part of the Great Western Main Line includes the Severn Maesteg branch and is used on occasions when Maesteg to Cardiff L.01 Tunnel and is four tracked between Severn Tunnel Junction and through stopping trains cannot be operated between Bridgend and Cardiff reflecting the mix of higher speed passenger trains which Cardiff. use the main lines, and lower-speed freight trains which use the Immediately west of Briton Ferry station, the grade-separated relief lines, and which serve the freight complexes at Llanwern, Skewen junction at Court Sart leads on the freight line to Llandeilo Junction, Llansamlet Neath Newport, Wentloog and Cardiff Tidal. The busiest section for Briton Ferry and one of the daily passenger trains between Cardiff and Swansea Baglan passenger traffic is between Newport and Cardiff where long Port Talbot Parkway Newport Fishguard Harbour uses this route, avoiding the need to go into Severn Tunnel Junction distance trains from north Wales and Manchester share the main Swansea to reverse. To the west of Llansamlet station, on the Llanharan Pencoed lines with London and Bristol trains, plus local trains from Ebbw Vale Pyle Pontyclun approach to Swansea at Landore, a short chord diverges off the Bridgend to Cardiff, and trains from the Midlands and Cheltenham to Cardiff. Ninian Park Cardiff Central main line around Landore depot, which also permits through Bristol Temple Meads The double track section west of Cardiff carries fewer passenger movements to west Wales to avoid Swansea station. The triangle at trains but these together with freight to and from the Port Talbot Landore is used in conjunction with the important Landore depot Legend Coastline area and west Wales make for high capacity utilisation between operated by the Great Western franchisee. It’s used in the event of Strategic Route Section L.01 Strategic Route L Rail Network Cardiff and Margam. sets needing reversal, and sustains the long distance Swansea – Station Major / Key Station London service. The completion of Newport Area Signalling renewal (in early 2011), Newport station reconstruction, and the earlier Severn Tunnel Control Period 5 will see the electrification of the Great Western Junction enhancements, now mean that the four tracked section Main Line from London Paddington to Swansea. Intercity Express (i.e. to the east of Cardiff) has two stations with four platforms (in Programme (IEP) services will be introduced between Swansea, place of three previously) at each to accommodate traffic at greater Cardiff and London, using 9-car electric trains and 5-car bi-mode levels of performance, as well as handling recent growth in main line trains. Journey times from Swansea and Cardiff to London will be 15 passenger volumes. On the two tracked section (to the west of minutes quicker, and IEP will also provide additional capacity for Cardiff) capacity is shared between long distance high speed passengers due to increased seating accommodation. (LDHS) passenger services to Swansea (calling only at Bridgend, Port Talbot Parkway and Neath) and regional and local services which serve a considerable number of local stations, in two groups, as well as freight. Services from Cardiff to Maesteg call at Pontyclun, Llanharan and Pencoed, between Cardiff and Bridgend. The minor stations west of Bridgend (Pyle, Baglan, Briton Ferry, Skewen and Llansamlet) are served by two-hourly stopping trains from Cardiff to Swansea, known as Swanline services. The Manchester to Carmarthen/Milford Haven regional services normally only call at the principal stations between Cardiff and Swansea. With the exception of Bridgend all intermediate stations west of Cardiff have two platforms. At Bridgend, the bay platform at the east end of the station is provided specifically to handle turnround of the South Wales Valleys services, independently of the main line. The bay at the west end of Bridgend station is connected to the SRS L.01 Border (near Pilning) – Swansea March 2016 Network Rail – Route Specifications: Wales 04 Route capability overview Table 1.0 Information Current 2019 2043 Notes Line of route GW900: Pilning to Fishguard Harbour description GW9001: Landore Junction to Swansea Section start Border (near Pilning) Section end Swansea Route availability RA7,8 RA7,8 RA7,8 Gauge W6, W8 W10 W10 Signals Track Circuit Block Track Circuit Block ERTMS Speed Predominant linespeed 90mph As current. Raise linespeed where possible in line with See Sectional Appendix (Main Lines) and 40mph (Relief infrastructure characteristics and capability of for detailed speed Lines). rolling stock. profiles Electrification None All four lines to Cardiff Central and two lines to 25kV OLE Swansea electrified as part of GWML electrification. Passenger train service levels (trains per hour / day) Table 2.0 Current 2019 2043 Notes Typical journey time Pilning to Swansea (FGW LDHS service): 1 hour 30 Reduce journey times to lowest possible in line with linespeed improvements and changes in minutes rolling stock. No. of trains per hour 9 Trains per hour (east of Cardiff): As current with an additional regional urban service Possible changes to service frequency, each hour between Cardiff Central and Ebbw Vale in line with industry aspirations and 2 Long distance high speed to London Town. franchise requirements. 5 Interurban 2 Regional urban SRS L.01 Border (near Pilning) – Swansea March 2016 Network Rail – Route Specifications: Wales 05 Current Freight Trains (paths per day) Table 3.0 Current 2019 2043 Route section Severn Tunnel Junction to Cardiff Central Daily paths in 50 paths per day one direction (as As per forecasts in the Freight Market Study per WTT) * Figures are for freight trains in one direction only. Level crossings on route Table 4.0 Type Current No. of level crossings 2019 No. of level crossings 2043 No. of level crossings Supervised: 7 As determined by Level Crossing Policy Automatic: 1 User: 22 * Figures include both private and public crossings. SRS L.01 Border (near Pilning) – Swansea March 2016 Network Rail – Route Specifications: Wales 06 Proposed infrastructure investment in Control Period 5 (2014 – 2019)* Table 5.0 Project Project Description ELR Implementation Output change Funder Notes Status Date Cardiff Area Signalling Signalling renewal SWM2 2011-2016 Signalling HLOS In delivery Renewal Windsor Road Overbridge Structures renewal SWM2 2015 Renewed asset HLOS In delivery WSIP Improved facilities at Port Talbot SWM2 2014/15 Improved passenger WG In development station facilities Track Renewals Renewal of life expired track between SWM2 2014-2016 Renewed asset HLOS In development Pilning and Swansea Access for All Improved access at Severn Tunnel SWM2 2015 Improved access DfT In delivery Junction station GWML Electrification Structural modifications BSW, 2014 - 2017 Modification of structural HLOS In development SWM2 assets to accommodate electrification GWML Electrification Electrification from Pilning to BSW, 2017 Introduction of electric HLOS In development Swansea SWM2 trains replacing diesel Severn Tunnel Structures renewal SWM2 2015-17 Renewed asset HLOS In development Port Talbot West Signalling renewal and recontrol to SWM2 2017 Signalling HLOS In development Resignalling - Phase 1 the Wales ROC NSIP Passenger facility improvement at SWM2 2017-19 Improved passenger DfT & WG In development Cardiff Central facilities * In addition to the proposed enhancement programme, this table includes other Network Rail funded schemes, renewals and third party schemes where applicable. ** The precise timing and scope of renewals will remain subject to review to enable us to meet our overall obligations as efficiently as possible, consistent with the reasonable requirements of operators and other stakeholders. SRS L.02/03 Gloucester – March 2016 Network Rail – Route Specifications: Wales 07 Severn Tunnel Junction Geographic Maps Route specification description 6WUDWHJLF5RXWH6HFWLRQ / There are four platforms at the recently reconstructed Severn * %$ * / + Tunnel Junction Station, of which two serve trains to and from the *ORXFHVWHU & 'DWH -XQH / 0DS3URGXFHG%\ $VVHW,QIRUPDWLRQ 0DSSLQJ7HDP * % (0DLO $VVHW,QIRUPDWLRQ 0DSSLQJ7HDP#1HWZRUN5DLOFRXN Gloucester route, and two serve trains on the Great Western Main 26,QIRUPDWLRQUHSURGXFHGIURPWKH2UGQDQFH6XUYH\0DS ZLWKSHUPLVVLRQRIWKHFRQWUROOHURI+HU0DMHVW\¶V6WDWLRQHU\2IILFH &URZQ&RS\ULJKW/LFHQFH1R Line to and from London