Figures after Station names show approximate journey times
from Bridgend with approximate journey times from Swansea in brackets.
Bridgend (43 mins)
A market town, Bridgend gives access to the Vale of Glamorgan, and has a number of
medieval castle ruins in the area. Among these are Coity and Ogmore, the latter close to
stepping stones across the River Ogmore which also gives access to the Glamorgan Coastal
Path. Two miles from Bridgend is the village of Ewenny, with its pottery and Norman
Priory. North of the town are the formerly industrialised valleys of Llynfi, Garw and
Ogmore, while to the west is the traditional seaside resort of Porthcawl. Arriva
Trains Wales run services into the Llynfi Valley serving stations to
Maesteg. There are also connection with the
Vale of Glamorgan line to Barry and Cardiff.
Pyle 7 mins (36)
Pyle is one of the stations opened by local authorities, resulting from the National Union
of Railmen-inspired Swanline initiative. Mainly residential with a light-industrial estate
nearby, to the west of the town is Kenfig Burrows, an area of sand dunes part of which
covers the buried city of Kenfig. Kenfig Pool lies at the heart of the nature reserve. The
dunes run westward into the Bristol Channel. At the southern extremity of the bay is Sker
House, made famous in the R. D. Blackmore novel: The Maid of Sker.
Port Talbot Parkway 13 mins (28)
Port Talbot is dominated by the steel works to the south and the oil refinery to the
north, but beyond the industrialised areas there are many areas of beauty and interest.
Aberavon, nearby, was once a seaside resort, but this function ceased soon after the
closure of the railway from the Rhondda and Afan valleys, on the course of which, the Afan
Country Park has been created. The revival of the town as a leisure-based resort
relies on the Aquadome watersport centre, and the multiplex cinema close by. Surfers are attracted to the beach area, where cross
currents and straight-off-the Atlantic breezes can whip up some pretty fair waves.
Three miles east of the town, is fifth-century Margam Abbey, around which has been created
Margam Country Park, which includes a boating lake and a narrow-gauge railway. The abbey houses a
remarkable collection of Celtic and medieval stone crosses.
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Baglan 19 mins (27)
Opened as recently as June 2nd 1996, this was the fifth and last of the Swanline stations.
Mainly residential, the village is dominated by the oil refinery to the west. Close to the
station, there is an interesting church, the Bagle Brook Hotel, and the newly-opened Neath
and Port Talbot General Hospital.
Briton Ferry 22mins (21)
Site of a small wharf on the River Neath, the village is 'graced' by not one, but two
motorway bridges soaring overhead. The station serves a mainly residential community.
Neath 26mins (17)
Standing on the River Neath, the town has its origins in the Roman fortress of Nidum. An
attractive market town, here is the ruin of the castle and Neath Abbey which was founded
in 1129. Before the coming of the railways, the port was served by two canals - the
Tennant and the Vale of Neath - the latter having being restored in its upper reaches.
Outside the town are the Aberdulais Falls with its restored tin plate works, and,
rather
more distant, Cefn Coed Colliery Museum. Throughout the Vale of Neath, there are many
waterfalls and cascades, principal among which are the Melincourt near Resolven
(pictured), Ysgwyd Gwladys (the Lady Fall) and Ysgwyd Einon Gam near Pontneathvaughan.
Also reached by an hour's strenuous walk from Pontneathvaughan is Ysgwyd-yr-eira (the Fall
of Snow), remarkable because it is possible to walk behind the torrent of water from one side
of the valley to the other.
Skewen 31 mins (12)
This Swanline station serves a mainly residential area.
Llansamlet 35 mins (8)
On the northern outskirts of Swansea, Llansamlet is another Swanline station which serves
a largely residential area, though the Enterprise Zone is not too far away. Of interest as
the train approaches the station are four 'flying buttresses' over the track, designed by
the celebrated railway engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel to combat the effects of
subsidence in the area. After more than 150 years, they still demonstrate their
effectiveness. The Swansea Vale preserved railway is within walking
distance of the station.
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Swansea is approached over the 389-yard steel viaduct at Landore, which
replaced an original Brunel structure. On the top of the hill to the right of
the train just before this crossing are the jagged stone ruins of Morris Castle.
Not really a castle at all, it is the remains of the first tenement building in
Britain - and possibly the world - built by John Morris to accommodate workers
at his Landore copper works. The town of Morriston is named after him.
Swansea 43 mins
Wales' second city, Swansea was extensively damaged during World War II. Over the years,
the bomb damaged areas have been replaced with modern shops and houses, a process
completed with redevelopment of defunct dockland to create the Maritime Quarter.
It has a modern shopping centre, with many attractive parks close by.
The Grand Theatre celebrated its centenary in 1997, and has been refurbished to a very
high standard. It was opened by the celebrated Italian soprano Madame Adelina Patti, whose
pavilion stands in Gors Lane.
A barrage across the mouth of the River Tawe, and the conversion of part of the former
dockland area into a picturesque marina, has given Swansea an attractive waterfront
quarter which harks back to its seagoing heritage. On the northern quay of the marina is
the Swansea Industrial and Maritime Museum - which will soon become the Welsh Industrial
and Maritime Museum - with extensive displays and artefacts which highlight that
heritage. Close to the Dylan Thomas Theatre is a statue of one of Swansea's most famous
sons: the writer, poet and playwright, most notoriously of 'Under Milk Wood' a wickedly
whimsical day in the life of the fishing village of Llareggub (try reading the cod-Welsh
name backwards!).
The city's university is located at Singleton Park, a public area which has a boating lake
amongst its many attractions.
Swansea is the gateway to west Wales, but closer at hand is the Mumbles, famed as the site of the world's first passenger railway, which used steam,
diesel, electric - and even sail - power in its 153-year existence from 1807 until 1960.
There were plans to resurrect the Railway using a revolutionary flywheel driven tram
system, but this has been abandoned, one reason - ironically - being that the original
route has been developed as a promenade and cycleway. Mumbles pier houses the
Swansea lifeboat station.
To the west is the Gower peninsular - the first region in Britain to be
designated an area of outstanding natural beauty - with numerous bays and inlets
and a coastal cliff-top path. The northern coast is flatter with salt marshes
forming the boundary with the sea.
This is an extract from the page on Arriva Trains Wales.
To access the main site select either the North Wales, The Marches,
and Chepstow-Swansea section, the Heart of Wales, Swansea and
West Wales section, or the full version which combines the
two.
Select this link to return to the Gazetteer of Stations or Route Sections page.
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Copyright © 1996/7/8/9/2000/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 by Deryck Lewis.
All rights reserved.
Page created July 14 1996; Redesigned March 29 1999; Updated May 21 2008
If you have any suggestions, comments, or glitches to report, please contact the author at
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