Mystery Shopper RAIL review: South Wales

Our Mystery Shopper is in South Wales, visiting revitalised lines on a network that has new trains coming and a new Metro system on the horizon. In the meantime, many of its trains are still 30 to 40 years old…

In this article:

• Significant network upgrades in South Wales include electrification, new trains, and reimagined passenger services on former freight lines.
• Mystery shopper found train punctuality and staff interactions commendable, but new train ride quality and information systems need improvement.
• Overall facilities at stations and older rolling stock remain underwhelming despite ongoing investment, showing room for progress.

For the latest of RAIL’s Mystery Shopper trips to see how the railway performs on a day-to-day basis, we’re in the Welsh Valleys and on the commuter routes emanating from Cardiff.

This area of the network has been undergoing huge change in recent years, with more to come. Electrification of the main line to Paddington was completed in 2020, and wires are now being put up on various branch lines, with the new Metro system really beginning to take shape.

New trains are also being introduced. The Class 197 and ‘231’ diesel units are in traffic, the first of the Class 756 bi-mode units have arrived (several of them stored in sidings at Barry on the day of RAIL’s visit), and Class 398 tram-trains are being delivered to a new purpose-built depot at Taffs Well.

The local conurbations have also undergone great change since the 1980s, with the decline of heavy industry (especially in coal mining and steel production), which in turn led to a workforce in need of retraining for new jobs.

Freight-only lines that served pits and furnaces have been closed, while others were retained and returned to passenger use.

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