The thumbnail maps on each of the WalesRails pages now all
indicate the location of the route or railway covered by that page, a facility previously
restricted to preserved railways only.
National Network times
The period of validity of published timetables has changed and do not fall
into their usual Summer and winter designations. WalesRails pages carry details
of timings which are valid until May 17 2008.
Check with the route operator if you
plan to travel after those dates.
- Wales and Borders and Cardiff Railway Company services in Wales are now operated by
Arriva Trains Wales which took over the franchise on December 7 2003. These pages have
expanded so much that they tend to take some time to load. Both sites have now been split
into two sections, so that the visitor can hasten access by choosing which section to open.
For those with faster connections, the full version remains available.
- Arriva Trains Wales opened the Vale of Glamorgan Line on June 12 2005, and
the page on the Cardiff to Barry Island Branch has been expanded to include
the new line to Bridgend and its intermediate stations at Rhoose and
Llantwit Major
- Arriva Trains Wales now serves a new station at Llanharan on the
mainline between Cardiff and Bridgend
- On February 6 2008, the Western Valleys Branch between
Ebbw Vale and Cardiff opened.
Preserved Railways
- For the first time the Llanelli
and Mynydd Mawr Railway Company is included on the WalesRails site. The
company hopes to reopen this historic line, beginning with a heritage centre
and stock shed at Cynheidre, site of one of the collieries served by the
branch.
Finally, the usual reminders
- In response to the FAQ: Is it possible to make a circular tour of Wales using the
railway? the answer is yes and no. There are two 'loops' of track - one in North Wales,
and the other in the south, linked by a length of common track, but rather than a circular
tour it is more like a grotesquely-shaped figure-of-eight. Another possible objection is
that about a fifth of the 500-mile circumnavigation takes place in England. However, you
can judge for yourself by accessing WalesRails: the Grand
Tour page.
- The impact of transport on the environment are considered briefly in Railways and Green Issues: while details of the Greenway scheme, designed to promote sustainable tourism in
South Pembrokeshire, can also be found
- As well as selecting by category/location, information on routes and locations can also
be obtained by selecting the Gazetteer of stations,
which lists stations in alphabetical order with links to the page where further details
will be found, or selecting Routes and Branches
to access the entire national network, which is broken down into shorter sections, with
links to the relevant WalesRails page.
- Freedom of Wales Flexi-Pass tickets allow bus
and rail travel throughout Wales, and free or discounted admission to a number of
attractions, including eight preserved railways.
While it is believed that all links have been tested and are working properly, there
are inevitably some that may have been missed, or may have been broken during the update
process. Notification of any problems would be welcomed by the author at WalesRails. Thanks!
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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; Last updated February 6
2008
If you have any suggestions, comments, or glitches to report, please contact the
author at WalesRails
