Treforest railway station

This article is about the present station on the Merthyr and Rhondda lines. For the former Barry Railway station, see Treforest High Level railway station.
Treforest National Rail
Welsh: Trefforest
Location
Place Treforest
Local authority Rhondda Cynon Taf
Coordinates 51°35′31″N 3°19′30″W / 51.5920°N 3.3250°W / 51.5920; -3.3250Coordinates: 51°35′31″N 3°19′30″W / 51.5920°N 3.3250°W / 51.5920; -3.3250
Grid reference ST083889
Operations
Station code TRF
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  0.589 million
2005/06 Increase 0.597 million
2006/07 Increase 0.634 million
2007/08 Increase 0.671 million
2008/09 Increase 0.697 million
2009/10 Increase 0.747 million
2010/11 Increase 0.770 million
2011/12 Increase 0.911 million
2012/13 Decrease 0.834 million
2013/14 Decrease 0.825 million
2014/15 Decrease 0.810 million
History
Original company Taff Vale Railway
Pre-grouping Taff Vale Railway
Post-grouping Great Western Railway
December 1846 Station opened as Treforest
1 July 1924 Renamed Treforest Low Level
5 May 1930 Renamed Treforest
12 May 1980 Renamed Trefforest
National Rail – UK railway stations
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Treforest from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.
UK Railways portal

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 (11½ miles) north west of Cardiff Central. Passenger services are provided by Arriva Trains Wales.

History

A 1912 Railway Clearing House Junction Diagram showing (left) railways in the vicinity of Treforest (upper left)

The first section of the Taff Vale Railway (TVR), between Cardiff Docks and Navigation House (now Abercynon) was opened on 8 October 1840.[1] The station at Treforest was not opened until 1847.[2] As well as being served by trains between Merthyr & Cardiff on the main TVR route, it also acted as the junction station for the Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway branch line from its opening to passenger traffic in 1875.

The TVR was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1922, along with the Barry Railway and several others.[3] Both the Barry Railway and the TVR had stations named Treforest, so to avoid confusion, the ex-TVR station was renamed Treforest Low Level on 1 July 1924.[2]

The former Barry Railway passenger service between Porth and Barry was diverted via Treforest Low Level from 10 July 1930,[4] and on that date the station resumed its previous identity of Treforest.[2] Services to both Cardiff & Barry on this route ended on 10 September 1962, whilst that to Llantrisant had been withdrawn a decade earlier (on 31 March 1952). Both lines had closed completely by 1964.

Bilingual signage at Treforest station and, on the right, a drivers' reminder sign for Treforest Estate station

The Welsh spelling of Trefforest was adopted on 12 May 1980.[2]

Services

During Monday-Saturday daytimes, there are usually six trains an hour from Cardiff Central to destinations including Pontypridd, Treherbert, Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare. There are six trains an hour to Cardiff Central with some trains continuing beyond Cardiff to Bridgend via Llantwit Major or Barry Island.[5]

A reduced service operates on Sundays (2-hourly to all three northbound destinations, 3 trains every two hours to Cardiff and beyond)).

The station is a short walk from the Treforest campus of the University of South Wales, and many of the passengers using the station are staff or students of the university.

A station at this location was first opened by the Taff Vale Railway in 1845.[6]

References

  1. James, Leslie (November 1983). A Chronology of the Construction of Britain's Railways 1778-1855. Shepperton: Ian Allan. p. 33. ISBN 0-7110-1277-6. BE/1183.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 233. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
  3. Bryan, Tim (May 2010). The Great Western Railway - A Celebration. Hersham: Ian Allan. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-7110-3498-3. 1005/B2.
  4. Barrie, D.S.M. (1983) [1962]. The Barry Railway. Oakwood Library of Railway History. Salisbury: Oakwood Press. p. 207. ISBN 0-85361-236-6. OL57.
  5. GB eNRT December 2015 Edition, Table 130 (Network Rail)
  6. Hutton, John (2006). The Taff Vale Railway, vol. 1. Silver Link. ISBN 978-1-85794-249-1.
Preceding station National Rail Following station
Treforest Estate   Arriva Trains Wales
Merthyr Line
  Pontypridd
Taffs Well   Arriva Trains Wales
Rhondda Line
 
Disused railways
Tonteg Halt
Line and station closed
  Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway
Pontypridd-Llantrisant
  Pontypridd
Line and station open
  Great Western Railway
Porth-Barry
 
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