THE ARGUS of May 1 advised that because of work on the main line between Newport and Cardiff, trains from Cardiff to Ebbw Vale would start from and terminate at Newport for two weeks. There would be one train per hour in each direction.

It would be interesting to note how many people made the journey to/from Newport during this period that normally use the bus or car. How much publicity was given to this diversion to encourage people to make use of it for the limited period and were travellers charged the fare via Cardiff even though the service was direct from Newport.

I still believe that it would be possible to operate a combined service from Newport and Cardiff with trains combining/dividing at Rogerstone or Pye Corner.

Allan Rooks Newport