This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: It needs more explanation of the South Wales Metro and corresponding changes to the line. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(April 2022)
The line is historically the Taff Vale Railway, the first rail development in the Valleys in the 1840s and associated with the notorious Taff Vale Judgment in 1901 when the courts penalised trade unions for losses caused by strikes.
The Aberdare line was closed in 1964 under the Beeching Axe. The line was re-opened in 1988 in an attempt to stimulate jobs and employment in the valley in response to the closure of the last few coal mines.
In 2005, following further grant from the Welsh Assembly, the stations at Abercynon, Penrhiwceiber, Fernhill, Cwmbach and Aberdare were extended to four-car length to accommodate longer peak trains in an initiative to relieve overcrowding, train leasing/running costs also funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.
The Merthyr branch serves Quakers Yard, Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw, Pentre-bach and Merthyr Tydfil. The Welsh Assembly Government confirmed in February 2007 that it is grant funding, in conjunction with European Union Objective 1 assistance, a scheme to upgrade the line north of Abercynon, including reinstatement of 2 miles of double track, to enable the introduction of a half-hourly train service, the revenue costs of which the Welsh Assembly Government will also meet. The enhanced service was said to commence in 2008 but postponed to May 2009.[3][4]
The Aberdare branch serves Penrhiwceiber, Mountain Ash, Fernhill, Cwmbach and Aberdare. Although following the original TVR route, beyond the former Abercwmboi Halt to access Tower Colliery, the line diverts onto the route of the former Vale of Neath Railway. The line continues beyond Aberdare – for goods purposes only – to serve Tower Colliery, which was the last deep coal mine to remain open in South Wales. Mountain Ash station was redeveloped with a grant from the Welsh Assembly Government in the early part of the decade, the scheme including the provision of a new station and a passing loop to permit an upgrade of the passenger service to two trains per hour from late 2003. There are a few gaps in the half-hourly service to enable coal/stone trains to run to/from Tower Colliery/Hirwaun.
Both the Merthyr and Aberdare branch lines have a half-hourly service during the day which decreases to hourly in the evening. On a Sunday service frequency decreases to two-hourly.
In December 2017, Arriva Trains Wales introduced extra sunday morning services on the Aberdare line on a trial basis. This was in response to demand from the local Assembly Member.[5] The trial was deemed a success and the extra Sunday services were made permanent from April 2018.[6]
Since its termination at Aberdare following the Beeching Axe, there have been various proposals to extend the line northwards towards Hirwaun again. In recent years, these have been driven by the Welsh Assembly Government.
In 2006, a study by local transport alliance Sewta appeared to rule out any such extension for the foreseeable future.
In November 2009, WAG sponsored Network Rail in a feasibility study to reopening both the section to Hirwaun, and parts of the former Anglesey Central Railway between Llangefni on Anglesey, and Bangor. Network Rail has already begun work on gathering evidence for its study, beginning with cutting away vegetation on track sections to examine the condition of rails and track bedding. Its report was expected to be published in early 2010, before any business case to reopen the lines can be developed.[7]
It was announced in March 2011 that the Welsh Assembly Government's 2011–12 capital programme would include the re-opening of the line to Hirwaun as part of the Cynon Valley Scheme[8] although the project appears to have advanced little at that time. In 2019-2020, the Cardiff Capital Region's transport authority secured £100,000 of funding from the Welsh Government's Local Transport Fund to undertake a Welsh Transport Appraisal Guidance (WelTAG) 1 study into the feasibility of extending Aberdare Line passenger services through reopened Trecynon and Hirwaun stations to a new terminus serving the Tower strategic development site.[9]
As already noted the line is now closed above Aberdare, but the aspiration to reopen with a passenger service remains, so the track is being retained in situ.
Electrification
On 16 July 2012 plans to electrify the line were announced by the Government as part of a £9.4bn package of investment of the railways in England and Wales.[10]
The announcement was made as an extension of the electrification of the South Wales Main Line from Cardiff to Swansea and the electrification of the south Wales Valley Lines at a total cost of £350 million. The investment will require new trains and should result in reduced journeys times and cheaper maintenance. Work was expected to start between 2014 and 2019.[11]
However, as part of Welsh Government's South Wales Metro this line has been taken over,[12] and is now being electrified[13] in preparation for new Class 398 tram-train rolling stock.[14]
^"Impact of Core Valley Lines divestment on the Wales & Western region" (PDF). orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^Yonge, John; Padgett, David (August 2010) [1989]. Bridge, Mike (ed.). Railway Track Diagrams 3: Western (5th ed.). Bradford on Avon: Trackmaps. maps 28B & 29A. ISBN978-0-9549866-6-7.
^Green Light for New Rail Links Welsh Assembly website. Retrieved 4 March 2009
^New half-hourly train service due to start Wales Online. Retrieved 14 May 2009
^. Arriva Trains Wales News. Archived from the original on 7 December 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
^. Archived from the original on 28 April 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
^"Old tracks could see trains again". BBC News. 5 March 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
^WalesOnline (24 March 2011). "Aberdare-to-Hirwaun rail line set to reopen". walesonline.co.uk.
^Gupwell, Katie-Ann (2 July 2020). "Brand new train station to be built as part of £2m valleys railway line improvements - Wales Online". Wales Online. Retrieved 23 December 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^"£9Bn Railway Investment Announced By Coalition". BBC News. 16 July 2012.
^"Rail electrification to Swansea and south Wales valleys welcomed". BBC News. 16 July 2012.
^"Impact of Core Valley Lines divestment on the Wales & Western region" (PDF). orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^"Core Valley Lines Transformation | Transport for Wales". tfw.wales. Retrieved 23 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^"Transport for Wales: meet the fleet". Railcolornews. Retrieved 23 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
Further reading
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Merthyr Line.
Allen, David (6–19 May 1998). "Taff Vale Update". RAIL. No. 330. EMAP Apex Publications. pp. 38–39. ISSN 0953-4563. OCLC 49953699.
merthyr, line, this, article, needs, updated, reason, given, needs, more, explanation, south, wales, metro, corresponding, changes, line, please, help, update, this, article, reflect, recent, events, newly, available, information, april, 2022, commuter, railwa. This article needs to be updated The reason given is It needs more explanation of the South Wales Metro and corresponding changes to the line Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information April 2022 The Merthyr line is a commuter railway line in South Wales from central Cardiff to Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare The line is part of the Cardiff urban rail network known as the Valley Lines Merthyr LineTransport for Wales Rail Class 150 at PontypriddOverviewOwnerTransport for Wales 1 LocaleCardiffRhondda Cynon TaffTerminiCardiff CentralMerthyr TydfilAberdareServiceTypeHeavy railSystemNational RailOperator s Transport for Wales RailRolling stockClass 150 DMUsTechnicalLine lengthMerthyr Abercynon 8 miles 18 chains 13 2 km Aberdare Abercynon 6 miles 8 chains 9 8 km Abercynon Cardiff 15 miles 74 chains 25 6 km Total 30 miles 20 chains 48 7 km 2 Number of tracksDouble track Cardiff to Abercynon single track with loops on Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil branchesTrack gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm standard gaugevte Merthyr lineLegendTower CollieryHirwaunTrecynon HaltAberdareCwmbachAbercwmboi HaltFernhillMountain AshPenrhiwceiberMatthewstown HaltPontcynon HaltMerthyr TydfilPentre bachTroed y rhiwMerthyr ValeQuakers YardAbercynon NorthAbercynonRhondda linePontypriddTreforestTreforest EstateTaffs WellRadyrCity LineLlandafCathaysCoryton amp Rhymney linesCardiff Queen StreetButetown branch lineCardiff CentralSouth Wales Main LineVale of Glamorgan Line Contents 1 History 2 The route 3 Services 4 Extension to Hirwaun 5 Electrification 6 See also 7 References 8 Further readingHistory EditThe line is historically the Taff Vale Railway the first rail development in the Valleys in the 1840s and associated with the notorious Taff Vale Judgment in 1901 when the courts penalised trade unions for losses caused by strikes The Aberdare line was closed in 1964 under the Beeching Axe The line was re opened in 1988 in an attempt to stimulate jobs and employment in the valley in response to the closure of the last few coal mines In 2005 following further grant from the Welsh Assembly the stations at Abercynon Penrhiwceiber Fernhill Cwmbach and Aberdare were extended to four car length to accommodate longer peak trains in an initiative to relieve overcrowding train leasing running costs also funded by the Welsh Assembly Government The route EditThe line follows the Rhondda line as far as Pontypridd serving Cathays Llandaf Radyr Taff s Well Treforest and Pontypridd It then divides at Abercynon with separate branches to Merthyr and Aberdare up diverging valleys The Merthyr branch serves Quakers Yard Merthyr Vale Troed y rhiw Pentre bach and Merthyr Tydfil The Welsh Assembly Government confirmed in February 2007 that it is grant funding in conjunction with European Union Objective 1 assistance a scheme to upgrade the line north of Abercynon including reinstatement of 2 miles of double track to enable the introduction of a half hourly train service the revenue costs of which the Welsh Assembly Government will also meet The enhanced service was said to commence in 2008 but postponed to May 2009 3 4 The Aberdare branch serves Penrhiwceiber Mountain Ash Fernhill Cwmbach and Aberdare Although following the original TVR route beyond the former Abercwmboi Halt to access Tower Colliery the line diverts onto the route of the former Vale of Neath Railway The line continues beyond Aberdare for goods purposes only to serve Tower Colliery which was the last deep coal mine to remain open in South Wales Mountain Ash station was redeveloped with a grant from the Welsh Assembly Government in the early part of the decade the scheme including the provision of a new station and a passing loop to permit an upgrade of the passenger service to two trains per hour from late 2003 There are a few gaps in the half hourly service to enable coal stone trains to run to from Tower Colliery Hirwaun Services EditThe line is currently operated by Transport for Wales TfW as part of the Valley Lines network TfW replaced the previous franchise Arriva Trains Wales in October 2018 Both the Merthyr and Aberdare branch lines have a half hourly service during the day which decreases to hourly in the evening On a Sunday service frequency decreases to two hourly In December 2017 Arriva Trains Wales introduced extra sunday morning services on the Aberdare line on a trial basis This was in response to demand from the local Assembly Member 5 The trial was deemed a success and the extra Sunday services were made permanent from April 2018 6 Extension to Hirwaun Edit EWS Class 66 moves coal from Tower Colliery towards Aberdare 2006Since its termination at Aberdare following the Beeching Axe there have been various proposals to extend the line northwards towards Hirwaun again In recent years these have been driven by the Welsh Assembly Government In 2006 a study by local transport alliance Sewta appeared to rule out any such extension for the foreseeable future In November 2009 WAG sponsored Network Rail in a feasibility study to reopening both the section to Hirwaun and parts of the former Anglesey Central Railway between Llangefni on Anglesey and Bangor Network Rail has already begun work on gathering evidence for its study beginning with cutting away vegetation on track sections to examine the condition of rails and track bedding Its report was expected to be published in early 2010 before any business case to reopen the lines can be developed 7 It was announced in March 2011 that the Welsh Assembly Government s 2011 12 capital programme would include the re opening of the line to Hirwaun as part of the Cynon Valley Scheme 8 although the project appears to have advanced little at that time In 2019 2020 the Cardiff Capital Region s transport authority secured 100 000 of funding from the Welsh Government s Local Transport Fund to undertake a Welsh Transport Appraisal Guidance WelTAG 1 study into the feasibility of extending Aberdare Line passenger services through reopened Trecynon and Hirwaun stations to a new terminus serving the Tower strategic development site 9 As already noted the line is now closed above Aberdare but the aspiration to reopen with a passenger service remains so the track is being retained in situ Electrification EditOn 16 July 2012 plans to electrify the line were announced by the Government as part of a 9 4bn package of investment of the railways in England and Wales 10 The announcement was made as an extension of the electrification of the South Wales Main Line from Cardiff to Swansea and the electrification of the south Wales Valley Lines at a total cost of 350 million The investment will require new trains and should result in reduced journeys times and cheaper maintenance Work was expected to start between 2014 and 2019 11 However as part of Welsh Government s South Wales Metro this line has been taken over 12 and is now being electrified 13 in preparation for new Class 398 tram train rolling stock 14 See also EditList of railway stations in CardiffReferences Edit Impact of Core Valley Lines divestment on the Wales amp Western region PDF orr gov uk Retrieved 23 April 2022 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Yonge John Padgett David August 2010 1989 Bridge Mike ed Railway Track Diagrams 3 Western 5th ed Bradford on Avon Trackmaps maps 28B amp 29A ISBN 978 0 9549866 6 7 Green Light for New Rail Links Welsh Assembly website Retrieved 4 March 2009 New half hourly train service due to start Wales Online Retrieved 14 May 2009 Christmas boost for Cynon Valley as Arriva Trains Wales confirms pilot of extra Sunday services Arriva Trains Wales News Archived from the original on 7 December 2017 Retrieved 6 December 2017 Extra Sunday Aberdare services confirmed after successful pilot Archived from the original on 28 April 2018 Retrieved 28 April 2018 Old tracks could see trains again BBC News 5 March 2009 Retrieved 6 November 2009 WalesOnline 24 March 2011 Aberdare to Hirwaun rail line set to reopen walesonline co uk Gupwell Katie Ann 2 July 2020 Brand new train station to be built as part of 2m valleys railway line improvements Wales Online Wales Online Retrieved 23 December 2020 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link 9Bn Railway Investment Announced By Coalition BBC News 16 July 2012 Rail electrification to Swansea and south Wales valleys welcomed BBC News 16 July 2012 Impact of Core Valley Lines divestment on the Wales amp Western region PDF orr gov uk Retrieved 23 April 2022 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Core Valley Lines Transformation Transport for Wales tfw wales Retrieved 23 April 2022 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Transport for Wales meet the fleet Railcolornews Retrieved 23 April 2022 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Further reading Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Merthyr Line Allen David 6 19 May 1998 Taff Vale Update RAIL No 330 EMAP Apex Publications pp 38 39 ISSN 0953 4563 OCLC 49953699 Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMapDownload coordinates as KML GPX all coordinates GPX primary coordinates GPX secondary coordinates 51 36 50 N 3 19 50 W 51 6140 N 3 3306 W 51 6140 3 3306 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Merthyr line amp oldid 1152870795, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
