Tongwynlais was a stop on the Cardiff Railway between Coryton and Glan y Llyn.
Information
Type:
National Rail
(Cardiff Railway)
Opened:
1911
Closed:
1931
Platforms:
2
The station was opened by the Cardiff Railway in 1911. The station was one of the largest stations on the line with two platforms and a footbridge between then. One of the platforms was taken out of use in 1928 when the line was singled. The line did not attract the numbers of passengers hoped for due to competition from motor buses.
The station was closed for good in 1931. Although the line was re-opened in 1947 the station did not re-open.
Station on opening [1]
[1] "Opening a new branch of the Cardiff Railway", Railway Times (March 4 1911) p. 217
Cardiff Queen Street (Caerdydd Heol y Frenhines) is the second busiest station in Wales and is a hub for the Valley Lines in South Wales and Cardiff local services as well as the Butetown branch line to Cardiff Bay.
TfW 143 624 stands at the station
Information
Type:
National Rail (Valley Lines & Butetown Branch)
Station code:
CDQ
Opened:
1840
Platforms:
5
The station was opened in 1840 as Crockherbtown by the Taff Vale Railway. It gained its current name in 1887 following a rebuild of the station. The station was much changed in 1973 following another rebuild where the overall roof and Taff Vale Railway frontage was removed. Further rebuilding work took place in 2014 where two platforms were reinstated bringing the total in use to five.
The station is managed by Transport for Wales who also operate all services to the station.
View of station canopies
Main station building
The Cardiff Bay shuttle arrives
Bilingual signage of course
View down the platform against a backdrop of the Welsh capital
Cogan is a station near Penarth Marina, about four and a half kilometres South of Cardiff Central on the Vale of Glamorgan Line between Grangetown and Eastbrook.
Transport for Wales 142 085 arrives with a Cardiff bound service
Information
Type:
National Rail (Vale of
Glamorgan Line)
Station code:
CGN
Opened:
1888
Platforms:
2
The current station was opened in 1888 next to an existing station called Penarth Dock on the Penarth & Sully branch which was opened in 1878. This part of the station closed in 1962 though there have been proposals to re-open a platform on this line at Cogan.
The current station is a fairly standard suburban one with "bus" shelters, information displays and a ticket machine but no staff. Access between the platforms is via a footbridge. From Cogan there are regular services to Cardiff Central, Barry Island and Bridgend.
The station is served and managed by Transport for Wales
View down the platform
The old footbridge has been replaced by a temporary structure (as of Summer 2019)
Cardiff Bay (Bae Caerdydd) is at the end of the two kilometre long Butetown branch line from Cardiff Queen Street and serves Cardiff Bay and the various notable buildings in that area including the Welsh Parliament.
Transport for Wales 153 303 waits at Cardiff Bay
Information
Type:
National Rail (Butetown Branch Line)
Station code:
CDB
Opened:
1844
Platforms:
1
The station opened in 1844 as Cardiff Bute Dock and later Cardiff Docks and Cardiff Bute Road. It was given its current name in 1994. The station has been reduced since its heyday with the station building boarded up (though is Grade II* listed) and only one platform now in use. A shuttle service operated by Transport for Wales and using a diesel multiple unit (often a single Class 153) runs between Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay every twelve minutes. Despite it's small size Cardiff Bay is the sixth busiest railway station in Wales [1].
The station building was originally used as the offices of the Taff Vale Railway and later used as a consulate by a number of countries, a staging post for wounded soldiers returning to the UK from the First World War and a museum. The station once had two platforms.
The current Cardiff Bay is likely to be replaced as part of a major upgrade of the branch line being planned by Transport for Wales. The branch line will be doubled and electrified, to be operated by tram-trains, with a short extension to allow for a new Cardiff Bay station to be built nearer to the bay itself. The upgrade will be carried out in the early 2020s with the new station expected to open in 2023. A new station/stop at Loudoun Square will also be added to the branch [2].
Station entrance
Station sign
In ATW days 153 362 waits at the station
[1] "South Wales Metro: the Transformation Begins", Tramways & Urban Transit (October 2019) No. 982 p.372 [2] Ibid. p. 371
Cardiff Central is the main station in Cardiff. It is the largest and busiest station in Wales. As well as long distance services including to London Paddington, it is also the hub of local services around the capital.
Transport for Wales 143 623 at Cardiff Central
Information
Type:
National Rail
(South Wales Main Line, Valley and Local Lines)
Station code:
CDF
Opened:
1850
Platforms:
8
Cardiff was opened in 1850 by the South Wales Railway. The land the station was to be built on was prone to flooding, Isambard Kingdom Brunel solving this by diverting the river Taff! When the station was opened services were run by the South Wales Railway and Great Western Railway. Cardiff was originally a broad gauge station but was converted to standard gauge in 1872.
In 1896 the station was expanded, including a flying junction for a link to the other central station Cardiff Queen Street. The number of platforms was also increased to six. The station was renamed Cardiff General in 1924. A few years later the station was rebuilt by the GWR, including the current Art Deco styled station building. The station is now Grade II listed.
The station was renamed Cardiff Central in 1973 by British Rail. The station gained an eighth platform and a new entrance to the South in the early 2010s as part of a modernisation of the station. The South Wales Main Line through Cardiff Central is currently in the process of being electrified with a completion date late in 2019.
The station is served by Transport for Wales, Great Western Railway and Cross Country.
