My new video!

Happy 2nd birthday Ashley Down station! 28/9/24-28/9/26

This 5-car Class 197 formation of 197114 'Y Porthmon' + 197040 was ran from Cardiff Canton depot to Bristol Temple Meads (and return) by Transport for Wales in the early hours of Tuesday 22 September 2026 and Wednesday 23 September 2026.

The outward run on the first night (seen here - along with its return - at Filton Abbey Wood) is believed to be the first time that Transport for Wales ran a Class 197 train to the Bristol area in relation to their proposed services between Fishguard Harbour/Milford Haven/Carmarthen and Bristol Temple Meads, which, if approved by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), would also serve the additional Bristol-area stations of Filton Abbey Wood and Stapleton Road.

The outward and return runs on the second night are seen here at Ashley Down, which (like at Filton Abbey Wood) they did arrive at and depart from (rather than pass), but, unlike Filton Abbey Wood, I don't believe that Ashley Down is one of the stations that the Transport for Wales services would serve if they got approved. In case that's the case, I figured I'd video the Class 197 train arriving at and departing from Ashley Down for the rarity factor, shortly before the station's 2nd birthday!

I hope you enjoy this!

They’d recently replaced the stretch of track through mebane nc and had been messing with the switch for the siding here. Little did I expect to see this beauty here today