Rhondda Line

Rhondda Line
Overview
Type	Heavy Rail
System	National Rail
Locale	Cardiff Rhondda Cynon Taff
Termini	Cardiff 51.4760°N 3.1790°W / 51.4760; -3.1790 (Cardiff Central station) Treherbert 51.6722°N 3.5361°W / 51.6722; -3.5361 (Treherbert station)
Operation
Owner	Network Rail
Technical
No. of tracks	Double track throughout
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (Standard gauge)

Rhondda Line
Legend Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway Treherbert Ynyswen Treorchy Ton Pentre Ystrad Rhondda Llwynypia Tonypandy Dinas Rhondda Porth Trehafod Merthyr Line and Aberdare Line Pontypridd Treforest Treforest Estate (closed Sundays) Taffs Well M4 motorway Radyr City Line Llandaf Cathays Coryton Line & Rhymney Line Cardiff Queen Street Butetown Branch Line Cardiff Central

The Rhondda Line is a commuter railway line in South Wales from Cardiff to Treherbert. The line follows the Merthyr Line as far as Pontypridd, where it then diverges to continue along the Rhondda Valley.

The places served by the line are listed below:

• Cardiff city centre
• Cathays
• Llandaf
• Radyr
• Taff's Well
• Treforest
• Pontypridd
• Trehafod
• Porth
• Dinas Rhondda
• Tonypandy
• Llwynypia
• Ystrad Rhondda
• Ton Pentre
• Treorchy
• Ynyswen
• Treherbert

The line is currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) as part of the Valley Lines network. ATW replaced the previous franchise, Wales & Borders Trains in December 2003.

The first section of the line, as far as Pontypridd, is historically, part of the Taff Vale Railway, from Cardiff to Merthyr Tydfil. At Pontypridd the Rhondda branch diverges and follows the course of the Rhondda Valley. Now single track beyond Porth, the branch suffered from being singled in the early 1980s, just prior to the commencement of the revival of the Valley Lines network. By 1986 a passing loop was constructed at Ystrad Rhondda station (itself newly built, with the original station of that name renamed Ton Pentre), to enable a half hourly service to be introduced. Another new station was opened at Ynyswen on the same day.

In March 2007 it was announced that platforms on the branch are to be lengthened to enable 6 car trains to run, together with leasing of an additional eight Class 150s for the whole network. This has been completed.

See also

• List of railway stations in Cardiff