Valley Lines
Region North Wales Mid Wales South Wales National Network Route Sections Gazetteer of Stations About Wales	Arriva Trains Wales services on the Cardiff to Bridgend Branch via Vale of Glamorgan This  is an extract from the page on Valley Lines. To access the main site select either the Taff Valleys and Cardiff section, the Rhymney Valley, Ebbw Vale, Cardiff and coast section, or the full version which combines the two. Select this link to return to the Gazetteer of Stations or Route Sections page. Trevithick 1804-2004 February 21 2004 marked the 200th anniversary of the first steam train to run on rails. The historic journey began in Merthyr Tydfil, and throughout 2004, a series of commemorative events were planned. Search WalesRails .......... Message Board	Preserved: Standard gauge Narrow gauge WalesRails: The Grand Tour Official Websites What's New Back to Welcome page

Since June 12 2005, some trains from Cardiff use the reopened Vale of Glamorgan Railway branch, continuing from Barry station to Bridgend.

Please note. The period of validity of the National Network timetables has changed.
Any times and travel details given  apply only for the currency of the timetable valid until September 7 2008.

Monday to Saturday, there is an hourly service leaving Cardiff Central at 41 minutes past the hour between 5.41am and 10.41pm. On Saturdays, the 10.41pm service does not run. Trains call at Barry at 4 minutes past the hour between 6.04am and 11.04pm.
On Sundays, services are two-hourly service leaving Cardiff Central at 41 minutes past the hour between 8.41am and 8.41pm. Trains call at Barry at 3 minutes past the hour between 9.03am and 9.03pm.

Monday to Saturday, there is an hourly service leaving Bridgend at 42 minutes past the hour between 5.42am and 10.42pm. Trains arrive at Barry at 16 minutes past the hour between 6.16am and 11.16pm, and Cardiff Central 23 minutes later.
On Sundays, services are two-hourly service leaving Bridgend at 42 minutes past the hour between 9.42am and 9.42pm. Trains arrive at Barry at 16 minutes past the hour between 10.16am and 10.16pm.

Figures after station names show the approximate journey times from Barry, with the approximate journey times from Bridgend in brackets.

Places of Interest

The route passes through the scenic Vale of Glamorgan, though unfortunately much of this aspect is lost as many stretches of the track are located in cuttings. However, soon after leaving Barry and passing through Porthkerry Tunnel, the line passes over Porthkerry Viaduct , with a pleasing view over Porthkerry Park (from which a train on the viaduct is pictured, left) and the Bristol Channel to the left of the train. To the right, the view looks up a small valley with Cardiff International Airport on the skyline at the top.

The following stations on the Vale of Glamorgan branch are served:

Rhoose Cardiff International Airport 6 mins (23)
Rhoose is linked with a bus shuttle service to the airport which by road is about a mile away.
The village of Rhoose itself is about 400 metres north of the station. There are a number of caravan parks in the area.
South of the station there is a pebble beach, to the east of which is Rhoose Point, the most southerly point of mainland Wales (out in the Bristol Channel is the island of Flat Holm, administered by Cardiff, and thus the most southerly point of the principality).
Situated on the Glamorgan Coastal path, the coastline consists of rocky headlands breached only where rivers flow into the Bristol Channel, except a couple of miles to the west where Aberthaw Power Station is located.
Llantwit Major 17 mins (12)
Llantwit Major is one of the principal towns in the Vale of Glamorgan, and has a great significance in the county's religious history.
St Illtyd's Church is the largest in Glamorgan, parts of which date from the 12th century, but was founded around 500AD and contains Celtic crosses of the 9th century.
The ruined Grange with its intact dovecote also dates from the 13th century while streets and houses can be traced back to the 16th century - some of the latter are now the town's public houses. Castle Street contains, not a castle, but the Old Place, a 16th century manor house.
Bridgend 30 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.

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This is an extract from the Valley Lines pages. To access the main site select either the Taff Valleys and Cardiff section, the Rhymney Valley, Cardiff and coast 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 March 17 2005; Last updated May 21 2008
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