Platform 8 Cardiff Central

[Rhobat Bryn]

Avid readers of Rail magazine or commuters using Cardiff Central will have noticed that the work to complete Platform 8 is now finished and and that all that is now required is the track running parallel to it. Rail also reports that the need to install signalling means that the platform is unlikely to be commissioned until the end of 2016.

The question that has been on my mind has been how is this going to work. I remember seeing a powerpoint presentation on Network Rail's website, a few years back now, which showed platforms 4 and 6 being used for valleybound services and platforms 7 and 8 for coastbound services. But I'm not sure this is what they have in mind. Looking at the layout, it seems to me that platform 8 will be solely for coastbound services as trains can be held at Cardiff Queen Street without causing a logjam. The problem is to the west of Cardiff Central with trains from Barry, Penarth and Radyr all converging on the same set of lines. The solution to this would be to have platforms 6 & 7 as valleybound platforms since passengers would be able to catch any valleybound service from two sides of the same platform. It also seems to me that platform 4 is too busy dealing with terminating trains to be commandeered for local use.

If there are any railway industry insiders out there who can shed some light on this, I'd be grateful to hear from you.

[Rhobat Bryn]

Many thanks Chris; that explanation makes a lot of sense. In effect, the logjam to the west of Cardiff will be solved by Platform 7 being bi-directional. Certainly the decision to stop sending empty trains to Ninian Park just to reverse them is long overdue. With this arrangement, there would be no need for Platform 4 to be involved at all.