Abercynon railway station
{{Short description|Railway station in the Cynon Valley, Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Abercynon
| symbol_location = gb
| symbol = rail
| image = Abercynon station (geograph 4950543).jpg
| caption = An Arriva Trains Wales Class 150 Sprinter at the station in May 2016
| borough = Abercynon, Rhondda Cynon Taf
| country = Wales
| coordinates = {{coord|51.6431|-3.3294|type:railwaystation_region:GB_scale:10000|display=inline,title}}
| grid_name = Grid reference
| grid_position = {{gbmapscaled|ST082948|25|ST082948}}
| manager = Transport for Wales
| platforms = 2
| code = ACY
| classification = DfT category F1
| years = 9 October 1840
| events = Station opens as Navigation House
| years1 = 6 August 1846
| events1 = Renamed Aberdare Junction
| years2 = 1 December 1896
| events2 = Renamed Abercynon
| years3 = 3 October 1988
| events3 = Renamed Abercynon South upon opening of Abercynon North
| years4 = 2008
| events4 = Renamed Abercynon upon merger with Abercynon North
| mpassengers = {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2019/20 |passengers={{decrease}} 0.283 million |interchange={{pad|1em}} {{decrease}} 29,079}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2020/21 |passengers={{decrease}} 33,006 |interchange={{pad|1em}} {{decrease}} 1,887}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2021/22 |passengers={{increase}} 0.105 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 11,592}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers={{increase}} 0.135 million |interchange={{pad|1em}} {{increase}} 15,581}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers={{increase}} 0.145 million |interchange={{pad|1em}} {{decrease}} 15,129}}
| footnotes = Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 13
}}
Abercynon railway station serves the village of Abercynon in the Cynon Valley, Wales. It is located on the Merthyr Line, {{convert|15.5|mi|km|0}} north of {{stnlnk|Cardiff Central}}. Passenger services are provided by Transport for Wales.
History
File:Abercynon (Taff Vale) station geograph-2559836-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg
The station was first opened on this site as Navigation Road in 1840 and was then renamed Aberdare Junction by the Taff Vale Railway in 1846. It was further renamed Abercynon in 1896 and to Abercynon South in 1988.
The original station buildings, including the Great Western Railway signal box of 1932 which originally came from Birmingham Moor Street station,{{cite book| last=Hutton| first=John| title=The Taff Vale Railway, vol. 1| publisher=Silver Link| year=2006| isbn=978-1-85794-249-1}} have been demolished, with the signal box being demolished near the end of 2013.
In November 2007, a proposal was submitted by the Welsh Assembly Government to discontinue all services provided at {{stnlnk|Abercynon North}}. From a date "no sooner than 1st May 2008" as the notice ran, all services were to be transferred to Abercynon South, which would be rebuilt (with the reinstatement of the disused up side of the island platform) to accommodate all services serving both stations.{{cite web| archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080112133530/http://new.wales.gov.uk/docrepos/40382/4038231141/403821125/rail/1829906/Abercynon_New_Station_Proje2.pdf?lang=en|url=http://new.wales.gov.uk/docrepos/40382/4038231141/403821125/rail/1829906/Abercynon_New_Station_Proje2.pdf?lang=en| archive-date=12 January 2008| title=New Abercynon Station Project| website=Welsh Assembly| access-date=4 March 2009}}
File:Abercynon South railway station 1.jpg and the subsequent rebuilding of the station]]
Following the merger of Abercynon North and South, the latter station's name reverted to simply Abercynon.
On 14 December 2010, a free Park and Ride car park opened on the site of the station yard, with capacity for 160 cars. It was hoped to improve commuter travel to Cardiff and other areas on the Valley Lines network. This was funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Regional Development Fund.{{cite web |url=http://www.aberdareonline.co.uk/node/12391 |date=14 December 2010 |title=Abercynon Park & Ride Scheme Opens |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618220934/http://www.aberdareonline.co.uk/node/12391 |archive-date=18 June 2021 |access-date=18 June 2021 }}
On 26 and 27 April 2012, the British Royal Train visited the station as part of the tour of the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II.{{cite web |url=https://tfwrail.wales/stations/abercynon |date=18 June 2021 |title=- Overview - Abercynon's fame continued with a visit by the British Royal Train in April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618225138/https://tfwrail.wales/stations/abercynon |archive-date=18 June 2021 |access-date=18 June 2021 }} The train had to stop at Abercynon due to the tight curves on the line, with the Royals continuing their journey by road.
In October 2013, the Signal Box, which had been out of use since the aforementioned 2008 remodelling and resignalling,{{cite web| url=http://www.roscalen.com/signals/Abercynon/| website=Adrian The rock| title=Signalling at Abercynon| access-date=2013-09-16}}) was removed. A new Ticket Vending Machine was installed on the station to enable travellers to purchase tickets before boarding a train as well printing tickets for pre-booked journeys. The layout is currently controlled from an interim signalling centre next to the up (Cardiff-bound) platform. This was due to hand over control to the Cardiff Rail Operating Centre in 2014 as part of the wider modernisation of the area ahead of electrification of the Valley Lines network, but still appears to be under control.
On 21 February 2015, a blue plaque was unveiled at the station entrance to mark the location of trade unionist John Ewington's workplace. His claim against his employer, the Taff Vale Railway Company for unfair treatment led to the famous Taff Vale Case which was fundamental in the creation of the Labour Party.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-31555804 |title=Blue plaque honour for trade unionist John Ewington |work=BBC News South East Wales |date=21 February 2015 |access-date=14 March 2015 }}
In February 2016, work started at the station to improve the facilities ahead of the South Wales Metro system. Work included the installation of an extra shelter and a bike shelter where the old signal box stood.{{cite web| url=http://gov.wales/topics/transport/rail/rail-projects/south-east-wales/abercynon/?lang=en| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927042415/http://gov.wales/topics/transport/rail/rail-projects/south-east-wales/abercynon/?lang=en| archive-date=27 September 2016| title=Abercynon station| website=The Welsh Government| date=28 July 2016}} Transport for Wales replaced an existing shelter with a larger one, including TfW branding, in spring 2019.
In December 2017, Rhondda Cynon Taff funded the expansion of the car park to increase the number of spaces for users. There are future plans to further increase the number of spaces which is a reflection of the popularity of the site for commuters.{{Cite web |url=https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Newsroom/PressReleases/2017/December/AdditionalparkingspacesdeliveredatAbercynonRailwayStation.aspx |title=Additional parking spaces delivered at Abercynon railway station| date=7 December 2017 |access-date=5 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180306023645/https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Newsroom/PressReleases/2017/December/AdditionalparkingspacesdeliveredatAbercynonRailwayStation.aspx |archive-date=6 March 2018 |url-status=dead }}
In April 2019, Rhondda Cynon Taf council opened a further extension to the car park. An extra 310 spaces have been built in the nearby Navigation Park to cater for future increase in demand. Other work included adapting the footpath to the station and adding a bus stop in the existing car park. The council also installed signs at both entrances explaining the history of Abercynon and its transport history. The project was funded by the Welsh Government.{{Cite web| url=https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Newsroom/PressReleases/2019/March/New310spacecarparkservingAbercynonRailwayStation.aspx| title=New 310-space Park & Ride serving Abercynon Railway Station to open| date=31 March 2019| website=rctcbc.gov.uk}}
In October 2018, it was announced that the South Wales Metro would receive £119 million from the European Union. Some of this money is earmarked for doubling the line from Abercynon and Aberdare and from Abercynon to Merthyr Tydfil. Extra platforms would also be built to handle the extra services.{{Cite web| url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-45732233| title=South Wales Metro gets £119m investment| date=4 October 2018| website=BBC News}}
Passenger volume
| class="wikitable"
|+Passenger Volume at Abercynon{{Cite web |title=Estimates of station usage {{!}} ORR Data Portal |url=https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage |access-date=31 Jul 2024 |website=dataportal.orr.gov.uk}} ! !2019-20 !2020-21 !2021-22 !2022-23 |
| Entries and exits
|282,886 | 33,006 | 105822 | 134,880 |
Service
{{Merthyr Line|inline=y}}
There are four trains per hour in each direction on Mondays to Saturdays: northbound to {{rws|Aberdare}} and southbound to {{rws|Merthyr Tydfil}} via {{rws|Cardiff Central}}.{{Cite web |title=Timetables |work=Transport for Wales |date=2 June 2024 |access-date=15 November 2024 |url=https://tfw.wales/service-status/timetables}}
On Sundays, there are two trains per hour in each direction: northbound to Aberdare and to Merthyr Tydfil, with two southbound to Cardiff Central. The increase in the Sunday service frequency is due to a campaign by the local Assembly Member and a successful trial in December 2017; the extra services began in April 2018.{{Cite web |url=https://arrivatrainswales-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/extra-sunday-aberdare-services-confirmed-after-successful-trial |title=Extra Sunday Aberdare services confirmed after successful pilot |access-date=28 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428182030/https://arrivatrainswales-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/extra-sunday-aberdare-services-confirmed-after-successful-trial |archive-date=28 April 2018 |url-status=dead }}
{{rail start}}
{{rail line one to two |next1={{stnlnk|Quakers Yard}} |route1=Transport for Wales
Merthyr Line |previous={{stnlnk|Pontypridd}}
|next2={{stnlnk|Penrhiwceiber}} |route2=Transport for Wales
Aberdare Branch |col={{KAW colour}} |lightcol={{CV colour|Merthyr}} }}
{{s-end}}
References
=Citations=
{{Reflist}}
=Sources=
- {{Butt-Stations}}
- {{Jowett-Nationalised}}
External links
{{commons category}}
{{stn art lrnk|ACY|CF454EW}}
- [http://www.npemap.org.uk/tiles/map.html#307,194,1 Abercynon station on navigable O.S. map]
{{Cardiff, Newport and the Valleys railway stations}}
{{Transport in Rhondda Cynon Taf}}
Category:Railway stations in Rhondda Cynon Taf
Category:DfT Category F1 stations
Category:Former Taff Vale Railway stations
Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1840
Category:Railway stations served by Transport for Wales Rail