Cwmbran railway station

This article is about the railway station opened in 1986. For the Great Western Railway station, see Cwmbran (GWR) railway station.
Cwmbran National Rail
Welsh: Cwmbrân
Location
Place Cwmbran
Local authority Torfaen
Coordinates 51°39′26″N 3°00′58″W / 51.6572°N 3.0160°W / 51.6572; -3.0160Coordinates: 51°39′26″N 3°00′58″W / 51.6572°N 3.0160°W / 51.6572; -3.0160
Grid reference ST298958
Operations
Station code CWM
Managed by Arriva Trains Wales
Number of platforms 2
DfT category E
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections
from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage*
2004/05  0.184 million
2005/06 Decrease 0.177 million
2006/07 Increase 0.210 million
2007/08 Increase 0.242 million
2008/09 Increase 0.269 million
2009/10 Increase 0.309 million
2010/11 Increase 0.318 million
2011/12 Increase 0.328 million
2012/13 Increase 0.336 million
2013/14 Increase 0.348 million
2014/15 Increase 0.354 million
History
Key dates Opened 12 May 1986 (12 May 1986)
National Rail – UK railway stations
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Cwmbran from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.
UK Railways portal

Cwmbran railway station (Welsh: Cwmbrân) is in the northeast of Cwmbran town centre, within five minutes' walking distance. It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is managed by Arriva Trains Wales, who operate all trains serving it. It lies on the Welsh Marches Line from Newport to Hereford. The station was opened at this site in 1986 to serve the commuter route to Newport and Cardiff, and shoppers to the town centre.

History

Historically, a number of railway stations served Cwmbran. The first station was opened by the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company in July 1852 or April 1878.[1][2] This closed on 11 March 1880 and a new station was opened on the same day by the Great Western Railway.[1][2] The station was located on a spur which linked the Monmouthshire Railway with the Pontypool, Caerleon and Newport Railway.[3] This closed to passengers on 30 April 1962[1][2] and to goods on 17 May 1965.[4] The first station, which had remained open for goods traffic, also closed on 17 May 1965.[4]

The Monmouthshire Railway line to Blaenavon ran to the west of the town.[3] The section between Pontypool and Blaenavon closed to passengers 30 April 1962, the mineral branches followed on 7 April 1969 and the branch to Talywain on 3 May 1980.[5] The section from Pontypool as far as Oakfield Siding near Cwmbran saw coal traffic until 1980.[6]

New station

The present station was opened by British Rail on 12 May 1986.[1][2] It is situated around 300 yards (270 m) to the south of Lower Pontnewydd railway station which closed to passengers on 9 June 1958 and to goods on 25 January 1965.[7][8][9]

Facilities

Refurbished facilities at the station were officially opened by Rhodri Morgan AM on Friday 14 March 2008. This included a larger car park, a new ticket hall, modern sheltered seating areas and new live departure boards like those seen at Newport. Previous to the refurbishment of the station, there used to be audio announcements, but these have since stopped. In addition to this, Torfaen County Borough Council have funded a limited Number 4 bus that serves the town centre and suburbs of Cwmbran, which is currently operated by Stagecoach in South Wales.

Service

Services that stop at Cwmbran in both directions are all operated by Arriva Trains Wales and include the hourly service between Manchester Piccadilly, Cardiff Central and West Wales and the two hourly service between Holyhead and Cardiff Central.[10] Most Sunday services only run on the former route (there are only two services each way to/from Holyhead).

Preceding station National Rail Following station
Pontypool and
New Inn
  Arriva Trains Wales
Welsh Marches Line
  Newport
Abergavenny
(Northbound only)
  Arriva Trains Wales
North-South "Premier" service
  Newport

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Butt 1995, p. 75.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Quick 2009, p. 142.
  3. 1 2 Conolly 2004, p. 43, section A3.
  4. 1 2 Clinker 1988, p. 36.
  5. Awdry 1990, p. 36.
  6. Cobb 2006, p. 141.
  7. Clinker 1988, p. 90.
  8. Quick 2009, pp. 142, 260.
  9. Butt 1995, p. 150.
  10. GB eNRT December 2015 Edition, Table 131

Sources

External links

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