Treforest railway station

Treforest railway station is a railway station serving the village of Treforest, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located on the Merthyr Line and the Rhondda Line 18 km (11½ miles) north west of Cardiff Central. Passenger services are provided by Transport for Wales.

This article is about the present station on the Merthyr and Rhondda lines. For the former Barry Railway station, see Treforest High Level railway station.

Treforest
Welsh: Trefforest
Location
PlaceTreforest
Local authorityRhondda Cynon Taf
Coordinates51.5920°N 3.3250°W / 51.5920; -3.3250
Grid referenceST083889
Operations
Station codeTRF
Managed byTransport for Wales
Number of platforms2
DfT categoryE
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections
from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage*
2014/15 0.810 million
2015/16 0.801 million
2016/17 0.810 million
2017/18 0.752 million
2018/19 0.719 million
History
Original companyTaff Vale Railway
Pre-groupingTaff Vale Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
1847Station opened as Treforest
1 July 1924Renamed Treforest Low Level
5 May 1930Renamed Treforest
12 May 1980Renamed Trefforest
National Rail – UK railway stations
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Treforest from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.

The station is a short walk from the Treforest campus of the University of South Wales, and many of the passengers using the station are staff or students of the university.

A station at this location was first opened by the Taff Vale Railway in 1845.[1]

History
A 1912 Railway Clearing House Junction Diagram showing (left) railways in the vicinity of Treforest (upper left)

The first section of the Taff Vale Railway (TVR), between Cardiff Docks and Navigation House (now Abercynon) was opened on 8 October 1840.[2] The station at Treforest was not opened until 1847.[3] As well as being served by trains between Merthyr & Cardiff on the main TVR route, it also acted as the junction station for the Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway branch line from its opening to passenger traffic in 1875.

The TVR was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1922, along with the Barry Railway and several others.[4] Both the Barry Railway and the TVR had stations named Treforest, so to avoid confusion, the ex-TVR station was renamed Treforest Low Level on 1 July 1924.[3]

The former Barry Railway passenger service between Porth and Barry was diverted via Treforest Low Level from 10 July 1930,[5] and on that date the station resumed its previous identity of Treforest.[3] Services to both Cardiff and Barry on this route ended on 10 September 1962, whilst that to Llantrisant had been withdrawn a decade earlier (on 31 March 1952). Both lines had closed completely by 1964.

Bilingual signage at Treforest station and, on the right, a drivers' reminder sign for Treforest Estate station

The Welsh spelling of Trefforest was adopted on 12 May 1980.[3]

Services

During Monday–Saturday daytimes, there are usually six trains an hour from Cardiff Central to destinations including Pontypridd, Treherbert, Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare. There are six trains an hour to Cardiff Central with some trains continuing beyond Cardiff to Bridgend via Llantwit Major or Barry Island.[6]

A reduced service operates on Sundays (2-hourly to all three northbound destinations, 3 trains every two hours to Cardiff and beyond).

Preceding station National Rail Following station
Treforest Estate   Transport for Wales
Merthyr Line
   Pontypridd
Taffs Well   Transport for Wales
Rhondda Line
  
Disused railways
Tonteg Halt
Line and station closed		   Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway
Pontypridd-Llantrisant		   Pontypridd
Line and station open
  Great Western Railway
Porth-Barry		  
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References
  1. Hutton, John (2006). The Taff Vale Railway, vol. 1. Silver Link. ISBN 978-1-85794-249-1.
  2. James, Leslie (November 1983). A Chronology of the Construction of Britain's Railways 1778-1855. Shepperton: Ian Allan. p. 33. ISBN 0-7110-1277-6. BE/1183.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  3. Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 233. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  4. Bryan, Tim (May 2010). The Great Western Railway - A Celebration. Hersham: Ian Allan. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-7110-3498-3. 1005/B2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  5. Barrie, D.S.M. (1983) [1962]. The Barry Railway. Oakwood Library of Railway History. Salisbury: Oakwood Press. p. 207. ISBN 0-85361-236-6. OL57.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  6. GB eNRT December 2015 Edition, Table 130 (Network Rail)
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