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General information | |
Location | Taff's Well, Rhondda Cynon Taf Wales |
Coordinates | 51°32′27″N3°15′49″W / 51.5409°N 3.2635°W |
Grid reference | ST124832 |
Managed by | Transport for Wales |
Platforms | 2 |
Other information | |
Station code | TAF |
Classification | DfT category F2 |
History | |
Opened | 9 October 1840 |
Key dates | |
22 June 1863 | relocated and named as Walnut Tree Junction |
1 June 1886 | renamed Walnut Tree Bridge |
16 March 1900 | renamed Taffs Well |
Passengers | |
2018/19 | ![]() |
2019/20 | ![]() |
2020/21 | ![]() |
2021/22 | ![]() |
2022/23 | ![]() |
Location | |
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Notes | |
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road |
Taffs Well railway station is a railway station serving the village of Taff's Well,Rhondda Cynon Taf,Wales,as well as neighbouring Gwaelod-y-Garth,Cardiff. It is located on the Merthyr Line and the Rhondda Line. Passenger services are provided by Transport for Wales.
The station was first opened on this site by the Taff Vale Railway in 1863. [1]
Two routes formerly diverged from the TVR's main line between Cardiff and Merthyr here –the Rhymney Railway's original main line northwards to Bargoed and Rhymney via Aber Junction (opened in 1858) and a much more recent spur to Nantgarw Colliery opened by British Railways in 1952 to permit the closure of most of the surviving Cardiff Railway route beyond Coryton. The Rhymney line,which diverged at Walnut Tree Junction just south of the station [2] was known locally as the Big Hill,due to its severe gradients (as steep as 1 in 48) for northbound trains. Increasing congestion on the 'main line' south of here led to the Rhymney company opening its own direct line via Caerphilly in 1871,but after the 1923 Grouping the Great Western Railway (and later BR) made extensive use of the line for its coal trains from the many collieries in the Rhymney Valley to the marshalling yards at Radyr. Both this line and the Nantgarw colliery spur are now closed and lifted - the last train down the Big Hill ran in June 1982, [3] whilst the latter branch was finally taken out of use in 1991 after the demise of the colliery and nearby coking works some five years earlier.
After the dismantling of the Viaduct,only one pier remains. This was used to display a goodwill message for Elizabeth II Silver and Golden Jubilee. These are still visible from the train approaching the station from the south.
During Monday-Saturday daytimes,there are usually six trains an hour from Cardiff Central to Pontypridd and thence to one of Treherbert,Merthyr Tydfil or Aberdare (half-hourly to each). There are six trains an hour to Cardiff Central with some trains continuing beyond Cardiff to Barry Island (3 per hour) and Bridgend via Barry (hourly). Connections for the City line can be made at Radyr,for Cardiff Bay &Coryton at Queen Street and at Central for Penarth. [4]
The first City Line service of the day starts back from Taffs Well at 0653 to Coryton (with a 0704 departure from Radyr). There is no service in the opposite direction.
A reduced service operates in the evenings (3 trains per hour each way) and on Sundays.
Preceding station | ![]() | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Radyr | Transport for Wales Merthyr Line | Treforest Estate | ||
Transport for Wales Rhondda Line | Treforest |
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.
The Taff Vale Railway (TVR) was a standard gauge railway in South Wales,built by the Taff Vale Railway Company to serve the iron and coal industries around Merthyr Tydfil and to connect them with docks in Cardiff. It was opened in stages in 1840 and 1841.
Cardiff Queen Street railway station is a railway station serving the north and east of Central Cardiff,Wales. It is the fourth busiest railway station in Wales. It is located near the major thoroughfare of Queen Street and is one of 20 stations in the city. Along with Cardiff Central,it is one of the two major hubs of the Valleys &Cardiff Local Routes local rail network. The station and its services are run by Transport for Wales.
From 1839 the Trustees of the Marquis of Bute,operated a large dock operation in Cardiff,the "Bute Docks". This was very successful,but was overwhelmed by the huge volume of coal exported through Cardiff. At the same time it was seen that railway companies,especially the Taff Vale Railway (TVR),were making money conveying the coal to the docks.
The Rhymney Railway was a railway company in South Wales,founded to transport minerals and materials to and from collieries and ironworks in the Rhymney Valley of South Wales,and to docks in Cardiff. It opened a main line in 1858,and a limited passenger service was operated in addition.
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.
Barry Docks Railway Station is one of three railway stations serving the town of Barry,South Wales. Rail passenger services are operated by Transport for Wales as part of the Valley Lines network.
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.
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.
Rhymney railway station serves the town of Rhymney in Wales. Situated on the Valley Lines network 23 miles (37 km) north of Cardiff Central,it is the terminus of the Rhymney Line. The station has sidings to the west of its single platform which are used for the overnight stabling of the diesel multiple unit trains
Trehafod railway station is a railway station serving the township of Trehafod in Rhondda Cynon Taf,Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line.
Porth railway station is a railway station serving the town of Porth in Rhondda Cynon Taf,Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line.
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.
Llwynypia railway station is a railway station serving the town of Llwynypia in Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line.
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.
Treherbert railway station serves the village of Treherbert in Rhondda Cynon Taf,Wales. It is the northern terminus of the Rhondda Line,23 miles (37 km) north west of Cardiff Central.
Aber railway station is a railway station serving the town of Caerphilly,south Wales. It is a stop on the Rhymney Line 8+1⁄4 miles (13.3 km) north of Cardiff Central on the Valley Lines network.
The Barry Railway Company was a railway and docks company in South Wales,first incorporated as the Barry Dock and Railway Company in 1884. It arose out of frustration among Rhondda coal owners at congestion and high charges at Cardiff Docks as well the monopoly held by the Taff Vale Railway in transporting coal from the Rhondda. In addition,the Taff Vale did not have the required capacity for the mineral traffic using the route,leading to lengthy delays in getting to Cardiff.
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.
Walnut Tree Viaduct was a railway viaduct located above the southern edge of the village of Taffs Well,South Wales. Originally built to carry the Barry Railway across a narrow gorge through which the River Taff,Taff Vale Railway and Cardiff Railway passed,it was deconstructed in 1969,leaving only two of the support columns visible from the A470 road.