Template talk:Valley Lines Network

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Contents 1 Location of Newport on Map 2 Width of Route-Map 3 Rivers 4 Alternative Route Diagram 5 Abercynon

[edit] Location of Newport on Map

I have undone the recent revision of Newport railway station's location on the route-map for a number of reasons:

• The revision showed journeys from Cardiff to the Ebbw Vale line going through Newport, they do not
• The long label text for Newport station's Ebbw services made this already wide diagram even wider. It was occupying approximately half the width of a standard 1024x768 display
• The position of the label text for Newport (vertically) between Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Central gave the impression that Newport was between Queen Street and Central

Ansbaradigeidfran (talk) 22:40, 18 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Width of Route-Map

This route map is the widest that I know of, and makes the Valley Lines page ungainly. It would benefit from being narrowed. Ansbaradigeidfran (talk) 22:45, 18 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Rivers

Do you feel that rivers add to or detract from this template? Do you feel they should be removed? Ansbaradigeidfran (talk) 21:48, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Alternative Route Diagram

I've been working on a new version of this route diagram, which is over on one of my user pages. Major changes from the current version include:

• Re-drawn practically from scratch
• Rivers removed
• Comments indicating proposed stations removed (can be stated in page text)
• Correct location of Cardiff Bay
• Show Valley Line and SW Main Line as parallel lines, and better show city line route
• Add Abertillery branch proposal

Also:

• All branches' stations are on the same side (Except Heath LL)
• Compressed to 57 rows vertically (from 69)
• A little bit narrower as well (in my browser at least)

I would appreciate any comments on this diagram, positive or negative. If people are very enthusiastic about it, it could replace the current Valley Lines diagram.Ansbaradigeidfran (talk) 23:21, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

Interesting approach; almost 100% use in a very complex area, and very slim. Like your fiddling of Abercynon North and South so that they look like, well, Abercynon North and South(!) The only tweak I can think of is that the label for Barry Island could go to the right, but you might want to slip a line in to separate it from Cheltenham and the airport. Just a suggestion. Rivers are a detail and lend a little blue in all the red but also add length; it's a judgement call but in this case rather than leave them all out I'd try to put a reference in to where the Taff passes through the centre of Cardiff, otherwise someone else probably will. All right, that's two tweaks! Britmax (talk) 11:52, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

Further thought: I'd gain space to put Barry Island to the right by leaving "to Shrewsbury" off the Welsh Marches Line and raising the whole Cheltenham Spa Line into the gap created. Britmax (talk) 12:35, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

Or even, put the River Taff in below Central and lower everything that side, leaving Cheltenham etc where it is. Britmax (talk) 12:56, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

Both these are too complicated and wreck your design more than it's worth. If you want to do it just put these two lines in for the current Barry island and a spacer above.

Valley Lines
Legend Barry Island

Britmax (talk) 18:29, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

I don't feel that the Barry Island label can be moved over to the right very easily without leaving label-less gaps above and below. While this isn't bad in and of itself, I think it looks a bit odd to have gaps at this location on the diagram but nowhere else. There may also be a bit of stubbornness to let the diagram get any bigger again, but I hope that's not it! I do like your suggsetions, however, and I'm going to turn them over in my head for a bit, and see what comes of it. Thanks.

(Comments are still welcome) Ansbaradigeidfran (talk) 23:24, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

Great! Food for thought is all they are meant to be. I know the feelings you describe to the letter. Carry on! Britmax (talk) 15:10, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

Please compare the original template with this new one. Main changes:

• To Shrewsbury removed
• River Taff shown by Cardiff Central, but not elsewhere
• Barry Island label moved to right

Little problems I see with this new version are that Llanharan and Pencoed are so close, yet far from Pontyclun (they were previously better spaced) and that the Taff is only shown once. Any views? Ansbaradigeidfran (talk) 15:49, 4 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Abercynon

The Abercynon area is not quite right as the south station will not serve both lines until the new platform is built. I have copied a bit out of the diagram to work on this. Britmax (talk) 19:02, 4 June 2008 (UTC)

Valley Lines
Legend Trehafod Llanhilleth Abercynon North Bargoed Abercynon South Gilfach Fargoed Pontypridd Pengam

The frustrating thing is that after the new platform at south opens we could have this Here's the source, by the way. [1]

Valley Lines
Legend Trehafod Llanhilleth Abercynon North Bargoed Abercynon South Gilfach Fargoed Pontypridd Pengam

Britmax (talk) 19:16, 4 June 2008 (UTC)

You're quite right on that. I'd based things on OS mapping that showed the fork after Abercynon South, but Google shows that they fork before the station on an aerial view. (Even Google's map says it's after!) Ansbaradigeidfran (talk) 23:42, 8 June 2008 (UTC)