Swanline
{{Short description|Local rail service in Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2017}}
{{routemap
|title =Swanline
|map =
KBHFa\BAHN~~{{stnlnk|Cardiff Central}}
HST\~~{{stnlnk|Pontyclun}}
HST\~~{{stnlnk|Pencoed}}
BHF\~~{{stnlnk|Bridgend}}
HST\~~{{stnlnk|Pyle}}
BHF\~~{{stnlnk|Port Talbot Parkway}}
HST\~~{{stnlnk|Baglan}}
HST\~~{{stnlnk|Briton Ferry}}
BHF\~~{{stnlnk|Neath}}
HST\~~{{stnlnk|Skewen}}
HST\~~{{stnlnk|Llansamlet}}
KBHFe\BAHN~~{{stnlnk|Swansea}}
}}
Swanline is the name of the local rail service from {{stnlnk|Swansea}} to {{stnlnk|Cardiff Central}}, on the South Wales Main Line.
History
The Swanline service was launched in June 1994, following the construction of five new stations at {{stnlnk|Pyle}}, {{stnlnk|Baglan}}, {{stnlnk|Briton Ferry}}, {{stnlnk|Skewen}} and {{stnlnk|Llansamlet}} on the existing South Wales Main Line. Originally, an hourly service was provided through a partnership between British Rail and local government, with the local authorities securing EU development funding and retaining ownership of the trains needed to operate the service.{{Citation | url=http://www3.swansea.gov.uk/minutesystem_new/highlights2_n.asp?doctitle=Transportation%20Sub-Committee%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%2016th%20March,%201999&vpath=/minutesystem_new/minutes/1996/htps/htp20799min.html&strSearch=tuesday| archive-url=https://archive.today/20121224085302/http://www3.swansea.gov.uk/minutesystem_new/highlights2_n.asp?doctitle=Transportation%20Sub-Committee%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%2016th%20March,%201999&vpath=/minutesystem_new/minutes/1996/htps/htp20799min.html&strSearch=tuesday| url-status=dead| archive-date=December 24, 2012| title=City and County of Swansea - Council Minutes| newspaper=archive.is| date= December 24, 2012| access-date=January 29, 2020}}{{Citation | url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmwelaf/378/1112002.htm| title=House of Commons - Welsh Affairs - Minutes of Evidence| newspaper=Publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmwelaf/378/1112002.htm| access-date=January 29, 2020}}
During 1997, as part of railway privatisation, responsibility for Swanline services passed from British Rail's Regional Railways sector to South Wales & West Railway, a newly created franchised train operating company. In 1999, the company halved the service to two-hourly, citing poor passenger usage and offering to purchase the rolling stock for use elsewhere. {{cite web |url=http://www.localgov.co.uk/index.cfm?method=news.detail&id=20828 |title=Angry rail firm blames cuts in service on Welsh councils > LocalGov.co.uk |access-date=2011-04-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722194935/http://www.localgov.co.uk/index.cfm?method=news.detail&id=20828 |archive-date=22 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }}
From 2003 to 2018, the line was operated as part of the Arriva Trains Wales franchise. In 2018, the franchise passed to KeolisAmey Wales and in 2021 to Transport for Wales Rail. A bi-hourly service is provided on Mondays to Saturdays.
Potential changes
The Swanline service itself is regarded as unattractive to users at its current low frequency, with extremely restricted journey to work options for Swansea commuters, but takes up valuable space on the busy section of line between Bridgend and Cardiff.
Signalling renewal work in 2007 introduced a new turnback facility at Port Talbot station, intended primarily for turnbacks from the Cardiff direction, but actually capable of use by services in either direction. Owing to very light Swanline passenger loadings, it has been proposed that a more useful service could be offered by abandoning through-running to Cardiff and instead operating Swanline trains between Swansea and Port Talbot only. This would provide the Swansea Bay area with a more frequent, hourly service using the same resources (two trainsets).[http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/wales/wales%20rus%20-%20summary%20&%20status%20of%20recommendations.pdf Network Rail Route Utilisation Strategies - Wales]{{dead link|date=June 2023}}
References
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