Rhondda line

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Rhondda line
Railway at Treforest - geograph.org.uk - 4494287.jpg
A pair of Arriva Trains Wales Class 142s at Treforest, with a Class 150 on the opposite line in the background.
Overview
Owner Transport for Wales [1]
Locale Cardiff
Rhondda Cynon Taff
Termini
Service
TypeHeavy Rail
System National Rail
Operator(s) Transport for Wales Rail
Rolling stock Class 150 DMUs
Technical
Line length23  miles 22  chains (37.5 km) [2]
Number of tracks Single track Treherbert to Porth with a passing loop at Ystrad
Double track Porth to Cardiff
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Route map
Rhondda line.png
(Click to expand)
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Treherbert
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Ynyswen
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Treorchy
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Ton Pentre
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Ystrad Rhondda
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Llwynypia
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Tonypandy
BSicon HST.svg
Dinas Rhondda
BSicon HST.svg
Porth
BSicon HST.svg
Trehafod
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BSicon dCONTfq.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Pontypridd
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Treforest
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Treforest Estate
(closed Sundays)
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Taffs Well
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Radyr
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BSicon ABZgr.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Llandaf
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Cathays
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BSicon dCONTfq.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
Cardiff Queen Street
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BSicon dCONTfq.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
Cardiff Central
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BSicon ABZgr.svg
BSicon CONTf.svg

The Rhondda line, also known as the Treherbert line, [3] [4] is a commuter railway line in South Wales from Cardiff to Treherbert. The line follows the Merthyr line as far as Pontypridd, where it then diverges to continue along the Rhondda Valley.

Contents

Background

The line is currently operated by Transport for Wales as part of the Valley Lines network. TfW replaced the previous franchise, Arriva Trains Wales in October 2018.

The first section of the line, as far as Pontypridd, is historically part of the Taff Vale Railway, from Cardiff to Merthyr Tydfil. At Pontypridd the Rhondda branch diverges and follows the course of the Rhondda Valley. It was single-tracked beyond Porth in the early 1980s, just prior to the commencement of the revival of the Valley Lines network. By 1986 a passing loop was constructed at Ystrad Rhondda station (itself newly built, with the original station of that name renamed Ton Pentre), to enable a half-hourly service to be introduced by British Rail. Another new station was opened at Ynyswen on the same day.

In March 2007 it was announced that platforms on the branch are to be lengthened to enable 6 car trains to run, together with leasing of an additional eight Class 150s for the whole network. This has been completed.

The line between Treherbert and Porth was closed between 21 and 24 January 2018 due to a landslip on the railway line. A replacement bus service ran whilst Network Rail cleared the line. [5]

Services

The line currently has a half-hourly service Monday to Saturday daytime with services decreasing to hourly in the evening. On Sunday the current service is two-hourly. On 20 July, Arriva Trains Wales announced a summer trial of extra Sunday services to Cardiff and Barry Island. This was in response to a recent survey by Leanne Wood and the success of extra Sunday services on the nearby Merthyr Line and Rhymney Line. [6]

Electrification of the line

On 16 July 2012 plans to electrify the line were announced by the UK Government as part of a £9.4bn package of investment of the railways in England and Wales. [7]

The announcement was made as an extension of the electrification of the South Wales Main Line from Cardiff to Swansea and the electrification of the south Wales Valley Lines at a total cost of £350 million. The investment will require new trains and should result in reduced journeys times and a cheaper to maintain network. Work was expected to start between 2014 and 2019, but was then pushed back to between 2019 and 2024. [8] [9]

However, as part of Welsh Government's South Wales Metro this line has been taken over, [10] and is now being electrified [11] in preparation for new Class 398 tram-train rolling stock. [12]

The line closed at the end of April 2023 to update the outdated signaling system. [4] The line reopened in late February 2024. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes is the network of passenger suburban railway services radiating from Cardiff, Wales. It includes lines within the city itself, the Vale of Glamorgan and the South Wales Valleys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merthyr line</span> Commuter railway line in South Wales

The Merthyr line is a commuter railway line in South Wales from central Cardiff to Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare. The line is part of the Cardiff urban rail network, known as the Valley Lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiff City Line</span> Commuter railway line in Cardiff, Wales

The Cardiff City Line is a commuter railway line in Cardiff that runs between Radyr and Cardiff Central via Fairwater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radyr railway station</span> Railway station in Cardiff, Wales

Radyr railway station is a railway station serving the Radyr area of Cardiff, South Wales. It is at the foot of the hill at the eastern edge of the village, alongside the River Taff and adjacent to the Taff Trail. The station is on the Merthyr Line, and is also the northern terminus of the City Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pontypridd railway station</span> Railway station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Pontypridd railway station serves the town of Pontypridd in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located at the junction of the Merthyr line and the Rhondda line and has for many years been the only station serving the town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treforest railway station</span> Railway station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Treforest railway station is a railway station serving the village of Treforest, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located on the Merthyr Line and the Rhondda Line 18 km north west of Cardiff Central. Passenger services are provided by Transport for Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadoxton railway station</span> Railway station in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

Cadoxton railway station is a railway station serving Cadoxton and Palmerstown near Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales. It is located on the Barry Branch 6½ miles (10 km) south of Cardiff Central. The line continues to the terminus of the Barry Branch at Barry Island but from Barry Junction the line also continues as the Vale of Glamorgan branch to Bridgend via Rhoose for Cardiff International Airport bus link and then Llantwit Major.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trehafod railway station</span> Railway station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Trehafod railway station is a railway station serving the township of Trehafod in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porth railway station</span> Railway station in Rhonda Cynon Taff, Wales

Porth railway station is a railway station serving the town of Porth in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinas Rhondda railway station</span> Railway station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Dinas Rhondda railway station is a railway station serving the Dinas, Penygraig and Trealaw districts of Tonypandy, Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tonypandy railway station</span> Railway station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Tonypandy railway station is a railway station serving the town of Tonypandy in south Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line. The station cannot be directly accessed from Tonypandy, a scenic bridge over the river Rhondda must be used as the station adjoins a mountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llwynypia railway station</span> Railway station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Llwynypia railway station is a railway station serving the village of Llwynypia in Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ystrad Rhondda railway station</span> Railway station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Ystrad Rhondda railway station is a railway station serving Ystrad in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line. Alphabetically, it is the last station in the UK with the first being Abbey Wood station in southeast London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ton Pentre railway station</span> Railway station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Ton Pentre railway station is a railway station serving the village of Ton Pentre in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treorchy railway station</span> Railway station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Treorchy railway station is a railway station serving the town of Treorchy and village of Cwmparc in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ynyswen railway station</span> Railway station in Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales

Ynyswen railway station is a railway station serving the village of Ynyswen in Rhondda Cynon Taf, south Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treherbert railway station</span> Railway station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Treherbert railway station serves the village of Treherbert in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is the northern terminus of the Rhondda Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abercynon railway station</span> Railway station in the Cynon Valley, Wales

Abercynon railway station is the railway station serving the village of Abercynon in the Cynon Valley, Wales. It is located on the Merthyr Line, 15.5 miles (25 km) north of Cardiff Central. Passenger services are provided by Transport for Wales.

Rail transport in Cardiff has developed to provide connections to many other major cities in the United Kingdom, and to provide an urban rail network for the city and its commuter towns in southeast Wales. Today, there are three train operating companies in Cardiff: Great Western Railway, CrossCountry and Transport for Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Wales Metro</span> Public transport network in south-east Wales

The South Wales Metro is an integrated heavy rail, light rail and bus-based public transport services and systems network currently being developed in South East Wales around the hub of Cardiff Central. The first phase was approved for development in October 2013. Works are currently under way, with a new depot under construction at Taff's Well and new trains being built by Stadler Rail in Switzerland. The development will also include the electrification of the core Valley Lines and new stations.

References

  1. "Impact of Core Valley Lines divestment on the Wales & Western region" (PDF). orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  2. Yonge, John; Padgett, David (August 2010) [1989]. Bridge, Mike (ed.). Railway Track Diagrams 3: Western (5th ed.). Bradford on Avon: Trackmaps. maps 22, 29A & 28B. ISBN   978-0-9549866-6-7.
  3. Bryant, Chris (23 July 2019). "Chris Bryant on Twitter - "If only they were on the Treherbert line, eh?"". Twitter. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Treherbert Line Transformation | Transport for Wales". tfw.wales. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  5. "Stories".
  6. "Extra Sunday services between Treherbert and Barry Island for the summer". Archived from the original on 22 July 2018.
  7. Richard Westcott (16 July 2012). "BBC News – £9bn railway investment announced by coalition". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  8. "Rail electrification to Swansea and south Wales valleys welcomed". BBC News. 16 July 2012.
  9. "Cardiff And Valleys Station Upgrades". Network Rail. 16 May 2018. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  10. "Impact of Core Valley Lines divestment on the Wales & Western region" (PDF). orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  11. "Core Valley Lines Transformation | Transport for Wales". tfw.wales. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  12. "Transport for Wales: meet the fleet". Railcolornews. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  13. "Rhondda railway line to Treherbert to reopen in February". 21 December 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2024.

51°36′03″N3°20′37″W / 51.6009°N 3.3437°W / 51.6009; -3.3437