Radyr railway station

Radyr
Location
Place	Radyr
Local authority	Cardiff
Operations
Station code	RDR
Managed by	Arriva Trains Wales
Number of platforms	3
Live arrivals/departures and station information from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage
2004/05 *	0.296 million
2005/06 *	0.315 million
2006/07 *	0.356 million
2007/08 *	0.413 million
2008/09 *	0.450 million
2009/10 *	0.458 million
History
Opened 1863 (1863)
National Rail - UK railway stations
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Radyr from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. Please note: methodology may vary year on year.

See also: Rail transport in Cardiff

Radyr railway station is a railway station serving the Radyr area of Cardiff. It is located at the foot of the hill at the eastern edge of the village, alongside the River Taff and adjacent to the Taff Trail.

History

Radyr was originally a major railway junction and sidings for freight trains used in the industries located in the Glamorgan valleys. It was first opened by the Taff Vale Railway in 1863. originally there were three lines running south from the station, and two north:

• South: Coryton Line, Taff mainline, Cardiff City Line
• North: Taff mainline,

After the Beeching Axe cut the Coryton and X, and the Cardiff City line became freight only, and the down turn in coal traffic; the sidings were greatly rationalised and became a permanent way depot. The platforms were also rationalised, from five to two, one up and one down.

Redevelopment

In 1987, the City Line was reopened as a passenger line. This caused Radyr to become a major bottleneck, as the terminating trains coming off the line blocked the down platform, and delays along the line to the valleys were inevitable.

Redesigned as a commuter station in 1998, major renovations took place, resulting in the two freight lines being replaced by a third platform, eliminating the problem of congestion. Also, a new ticket office was built and modern shelters replaced the old waiting area. These renovations coincided with the upgrades along the Taff Main Line, where the most of the track was replaced between Cardiff and Pontypridd, and the old-fashioned semaphore signals were replaced with modern, colour light signals.

These renovation allowed the last of the old sidings to be removed, redeveloped for parking and as a housing developments.

Present

Today, the station has three platforms, all operated by Arriva Trains Wales. Platform 1 is used for trains heading towards Cardiff Central on the Rhondda and Merthyr lines. Platforms 2 and 3 are used both for trains heading away from Cardiff and as a terminus for the City line. The majority of the trains stopping at Radyr run on the Merthyr and Rhondda lines.

The car park is located on the opposite side of the rails to Platform 3. The station is not accessible to the disabled as a bridge is required to access all three platforms. Platform 1 is also accessible from a road that passes under the rails close to the car park entrance, up a flight of stairs and past the old waiting shelter. However, the proximity of the car park and ticket office to the aerial bridge has left this route largely disused.

The ticket office is manned during peak morning hours. Travel time into Cardiff Central is 15 minutes on all lines, with trains on the Rhondda and Merthyr lines running approximately every 15 minutes.

In July 2007, members of the Radyr Comprehensive Green Flag Committee formally adopted the station and now frequently check that the station is clean and that all amenities are working. This link ties in with a community response to ensure that railway crime (such as train robbery) is stamped out.

Services

During Monday-Saturday daytimes, there are usually eight trains an hour from Cardiff Central to destinations including Pontypridd, Treherbert, Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare and some terminate here. There are eight trains an hour to Cardiff Central with some trains continuing beyond Cardiff to Penarth, Barry Island or Coryton. A reduced service operates on Sundays.

See also

• List of railway stations in Cardiff

External links

• Train times and station information for Radyr railway station from National Rail

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Danescourt		Arriva Trains Wales Coryton - Cardiff Queen Street - Radyr		Terminus
Llandaf		Arriva Trains Wales Merthyr Line		Taffs Well
Llandaf		Arriva Trains Wales Rhondda Line		Taffs Well