:Chepstow railway station

{{short description|Historic railway station in Monmouthshire, Wales}}

{{Infobox station

| name = Chepstow

| native_name = {{langx|cy|Cas-gwent}}

| symbol_location = gb

| symbol = rail

| image = 2022 at Chepstow station - platform 2.JPG

| caption = Chepstow station in June 2022

| borough = Chepstow, Monmouthshire

| country = Wales

| coordinates = {{Coord|51.6399|-2.6711|format=dms|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:railwaystation}}

| grid_name = Grid reference

| grid_position = {{gbmapscaled|ST536936|25|ST536936}}

| manager = Transport for Wales

| platforms = 2

| code = CPW

| classification = DfT category F1

| mpassengers =

{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2019/20 |passengers={{decrease}} 0.229 million}}

{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2020/21 |passengers={{decrease}} 35,062}}

{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2021/22 |passengers={{increase}} 0.147 million}}

{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers={{increase}} 0.179 million}}

{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers={{increase}} 0.211 million}}

| footnotes = Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

| embedded = {{Infobox designation list|embed=yes

| designation1 = Grade II

| designation1_feature = Chepstow Railway Station

| designation1_date = 26 November 1974

| designation1_number = 2586{{NHAW|desc=Chepstow Railway Station|num=2586|accessdate=28 October 2021}}

}}

Chepstow railway station is a part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Transport for Wales. Chepstow station is on the Gloucester to Newport Line, {{convert|141|mi|33|chain|km|lk=in}} from the zero point at {{stnlnk|Paddington}}, measured via Stroud.{{cite book |last=Padgett |first=David |editor-last=Munsey |editor-first=Myles |title=Railway Track Diagrams 3: Western & Wales |edition=6th |date=June 2018 |orig-year=1989 |publisher=Trackmaps |location=Frome |isbn=978-1-9996271-0-2 |at=map 19B }} It is {{convert|330|yd|m}} from the town centre, at Station Road. Chepstow is a historic walled border town and ancient port, situated at the southern end of the Wye Valley, two hours from London.

The line continues east from the station to Gloucester over the Chepstow railway bridge. It was formerly the junction station for the Wye Valley Railway to Monmouth Troy station until this line closed to passengers in 1959. The railway now consists of a double track line with a trailing crossover to the east of the station, plus some disused track in the former yard.

Description

File:The footbridge restored at Chepstow Railway Station (geograph 6973912).jpg

The single-storey buildings on the Gloucester/Birmingham side of the line are stone and timber-built structures, in an Italianate style. They were completed in 1850 for Isambard Kingdom Brunel's South Wales Railway, and according to architectural historian John Newman were designed by N. Lancaster Owen.John Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire, Penguin Books, 2000, {{ISBN|0-14-071053-1}}, p.184 A canopy provides shelter. On the more popular Newport/Cardiff side, there is just a small modern shelter.

Access to this platform is via a cast-iron footbridge, making it difficult for passengers with pushchairs and the old and the infirm to cross. The footbridge is a now-rare survival of a typical GWR iron pattern, still with its wooden cladding and canopy, and is Grade II listed.{{Cite web |title=Footbridge at Chepstow Station, Chepstow |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-27112-footbridge-at-chepstow-station-chepstow#.VY1NSEZK0_Y |website=British Listed Buildings |id=27112}} It was cast in Edward Finch's ironworks, adjoining the station. In January 2021, the footbridge was removed for extensive repairs and is due to be reinstalled during the Spring. A temporary footbridge was installed prior to its removal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.david-davies.org.uk/news/chepstow-station-footbridge-improvement-works|title=Chepstow station footbridge improvement works|website=David TC Davies MP|date=9 February 2021|access-date=8 May 2021}}

Other Grade II listings at the station include the two bridges: the surviving piers and abutment of the Chepstow Railway Bridge,{{Cite web |title=Piers and SW abutment of Brunel's railway bridge over River Wye, Chepstow |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-2736-piers-and-sw-abutment-of-brunel-s-railway-#.VY1NYkZK0_Y |website=British Listed Buildings |id=2736}} and the bridge providing access to the steam mill and ironworks site.{{Cite web |title=Railway Bridge by Chepstow Station, Chepstow |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-27113-railway-bridge-by-chepstow-station-chepst#.VY1NZkZK0_Y |website=British Listed Buildings |id=27113 }}

Services

File:Chepstow - Crosscountry 170521 Nottingham service.JPG

The local rail service is sporadic, running an hourly service in each direction. A local campaign has been established, with the support of the local MP, Welsh Assembly members, County Council and town council, to improve rail services to the town.{{Cite web|url=http://bettertrains4chepstow.co.uk/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918155001/http://www.bettertrains4chepstow.co.uk/|url-status=dead|title=Home Page | bettertrains4chepstow.co.uk|archivedate=18 September 2010|website=bettertrains4chepstow.co.uk}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/7658993/Rail-passengers-face-service-cuts-threat..html|title=Rail passengers face service cuts threat.|website=The Daily Telegraph|date=3 May 2010 }} In May 2011, CrossCountry commenced a year-long trial of stopping its Cardiff-Birmingham-{{stnlnk|Nottingham}} services at the station on weekdays and Saturdays. In December 2011, it was reported that the trial would be extended until at least December 2012.{{cite journal |last1=Clark |first1=Rhodri |date=December 2011 |title=Chepstow trial extended|journal=Modern Railways|volume=68 |issue=759 |page=9 |issn=0026-8356}}

As of May 2016, the service pattern consists of the hourly (with occasional two-hour gaps) {{rws|Cheltenham Spa}} - Cardiff Central - {{rws|Maesteg}} service (serving all intermediate stations between Gloucester & Newport) plus calls every second hour by the CrossCountry Nottingham - Cardiff Central trains.GB National Rail Timetable May–December 2016, Table 57 (Network Rail) On Sundays, there is a two-hourly service in each direction (no CrossCountry services).

{{rail line|next=Lydney|previous=Caldicot|route=Transport for Wales
Maesteg / Cardiff Central - Cheltenham Spa |col={{KAW colour}} |lightcol={{CV colour|Cheltenham}} }}

{{rail line|next=Lydney|previous=Caldicot or Newport|route=CrossCountry
Cardiff Central - Birmingham New Street / Nottingham
(Mondays to Saturdays only) |col={{XC colour}} }}

{{rail line |next=Chepstow East
(Across the River Wye by road)|previous=Portskewett|route=Wye Valley Railway
British Railways |col={{temporary rail colour|41A317}} }}

Facilities

File:Chepstow railway station building (geograph 7359503).jpg

The station is staffed, and a cafe offering light refreshments is available in the main building. The ticket office is run by a third-party operator, Chepstow Trains, on behalf of Network Rail and Transport for Wales, and is open part-time, six days per week (closed from late afternoon and all day Sundays). A self-service ticket machine is provided for use and for collecting pre-paid tickets. Train running information is offered via digital CIS displays and timetable poster boards.

The nearest bus stop is a 5-minute walk away in the Tesco car park; however the service is infrequent and consists of just a local service. Chepstow bus station is about {{convert|550|yd|km|1}} further; from here buses to a wider area may be found. On race days, special buses are normally laid on to convey racegoers to and from Chepstow Racecourse; this is a walk of approximately half an hour's duration.

Limited station parking is available, with eleven spaces. There is a car park near the station with more spaces.[http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/cpw/details.html Station Facilities for Chepstow] Retrieved 22 April 2012