Brand new trains start arriving at Barry Railway Depot
Trains have started to arrive at Transport for Wales’ (TfW) new stabling yard in Barry.
Earlier this year, TfW acquired the extensive depot site and surrounding rail infrastructure from Vale of Glamorgan Council with the intention to establish it as an important strategic asset.
With the arrival of the first of TfW’s brand new trains in Wales, the Barry yard provides vital additional capacity for stabling trains.
Initially, TfW be using the Barry site to stable part of the current fleet of trains in use on Vale of Glamorgan Line services, but in future it will be used to support all fleets in delivering the South Wales Metro.
The acquisition also includes Barry Island station building, land surrounding the station and the Barry Tourist Railway, which will continue to be operated from Barry Island by Cambrian Transport Ltd.
Strategic hub
Alexia Course, TfW’s Director of Transport Operations, said: “The purchase of the depot, buildings and surrounding land provides us with a unique opportunity to develop Barry’s role as a strategic hub in the South Wales Metro, as well as allowing us to operate a more resilient railway.
“The railway has historically played a vital role in the town of Barry, from the development of the docks through to the world-famous Woodham Brothers scrapyard from where 213 steam locomotives were rescued, fuelling the railway preservation movement across Britain. We’re delighted to be continuing that tradition with our investment in the stabling yard site.”
Cllr Lis Burnett, Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: “The Council is pleased to be working with Transport for Wales on this project, one that will transform Barry Railway Depot and neighbouring land into an important facility for this area’s rail network.
“It will form a key part of plans to modernise rail services in South Wales and helps address the issue of climate change as the trains are environmentally friendly.
“Supporting green initiatives is important to the Council and aligns with our Project Zero commitment, which aims to make the organisation carbon neutral by 2030.”
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And how long will the new trains sit in Barry before they can be used? Days, weeks, months even years and this despite TfW telling us that they’re short of stock. But they don’t have enough drivers and guards either and that means not enough people to start training on the new trains without pulling them off – and so making worse – existing services; as if they weren’t bad enough.
Maybe some of these new trains could be sent to our northern lines? The photos of our countrymen in the North crammed onto trains to get to Cardiff for the football – tighter than Londoners on the Tube at Rush hour – were appalling!