BOY. It seems as though this Trainspotting column has hit a nerve. My email has been pinging regularly with your complaints about the abysmal train service offered up by Transport for Wales (TfW), along the Cambrian Line in particular.

While there are the occasional pleasant journeys, by and large the experience for too many people is negative.

Here’s one example of a regular traveller on the route. Let’s call him Owain.

“It is sometimes possible to have a pleasant enough journey, as was the case on the first train out on Sunday, 12 July, albeit with an element of overcrowding after Newtown, but with a leisurely change to a connecting Avanti West Coast train to Euston. Similarly, a return journey on the afternoon of the following Wednesday, albeit with a change at Mach because of a fault with one of the engines on the train set that departed from Birmingham International. (Note, however, the ‘albeits’!)

“Generally, on-board train staff cope well with the situations that arise when things go wrong. One feels sorry for them as the interface between passengers and Transport for Wales ‘management’. It is they who have to deal with frustrated members of the public.”

That’s the positive from Owain. The rest? Judge for yourself.

“Situations of the kind you describe (Trainspotting, Cambrian News, 20 July) are far too common: failure to roster the correct formation of carriages, frequent late running — I should know, the trains run past my house— cancellations, changes from one train to another at Shrewsbury (including the infamous change from the main part of the station to platform 3, particularly troublesome for octogenarians like myself), the failure of air conditioning when it is most needed in hot weather and of the public address system, and the general inadequacy of ageing rolling stock. I could go on.

And he does, going into great detail about trains TfW are planning to introduce onto the Cambrian Line only when they’ve been brought in to service north and south Wales and then the Borders.

“As I understand it,” Owain says, “they are essentially of a design more suited to shorter suburban services rather than long-distance services. Compared with the current trains, the seating is reduced and badly distributed, reduced toilet provision and extra standing space.”

When Owain turned up at Bow Street station shortly before its 13.37 departure, the train was just pulling out of the platform — still on its way to Aberystwyth.

“It did eventually reappear travelling in the right direction, already running late, only to suffer further substantial delays at Talerddig and Welshpool caused by a major signalling failure,” Owain writes.

“My train arrived at Shrewsbury 65 minutes behind the advertised time of arrival, and was terminated.

“Passengers travelling towards London were directed to a West Midlands Railway service, due to depart at 16.41. Surely things would now improve? Some nifty work on my mobile phone suggested that there would be 15 minutes at Wolverhampton to transfer to a London train leaving at 17.45. But no! At 16.41 the driver announced that he needed to rectify a train fault before he could start his journey. In the event we left late, continued to lose time, and pulled into Wolverhampton just as the London train pulled out of the opposite platform. So onto Birmingham!

Train number 3: fortunately, there was an Avanti West Coast departure at 18.30 from New Street to Euston. Unfortunately, signalling problems between Watford Junction and Euston were causing further delays to all trains.”

According to Owain, that service’s final arrival was at 20.22, some 24 minutes late.

Altogether, Owain’s journey ended up being a total of 2 hours and 6 minutes late in relation to what should have been an 18.16 arrival.

Here’s a contribution from a woman called Rosy with a rosy experience.

“I travelled from Swindon (GWR) to Llandanwg, changing at Newport (where we glimpsed a posh new train in transit) to TfW. Thence to Shrewsbury, and onto the Cambrian Line — the back two carriages — and finally up the coast to Llandanwg. All trains on time, seats and refreshments available. Scenic views throughout.”

Yes, Rosy, it does happen. Just not with any regularity. Nor with the consistency that might people want to take the Cambrian Line. While the scenery might be beautiful TfW are shutting their eyes to the inflictions they impose all too often. Travel safe!