St. Athan railway station
St Athan | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Location | Vale of Glamorgan |
| Coordinates | 51°24′29″N 3°27′33″W / 51.4080°N 3.4591°W |
| Platforms | 2 |
| History | |
| Original company | Great Western Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 1 September 1939 | opened as St Athan Halt |
| 3 May 1943 | renamed St Athan |
| 15 June 1964 | closed |
St Athan railway station was a railway station in South Wales.
Opening
When RAF St Athan opened in the late 1930s, it caused the Vale of Glamorgan Line to experience a much-needed surge in traffic.[1] The nearest station was Gileston. Whilst this was convenient for the eastern area of the base, the western part was poorly served.[2] This caused the Great Western Railway to open a new halt on the line. Despite its name, it was over two miles away from St Athan. In 1943, the halt was upgraded to a station to reflect its growing importance. However, many local people still referred to it as 'the halt'.[3]
Description
St Athan was located to the east of a bridge which carried the former main road between Llantwit Major and Barry. The station occupied a very cramped position in a cutting. The booking office was at road level and was linked to both platforms below by long ramps. Each platform had a wooden shelter.[4]
Closure
The station closed in 1964 when passenger services were withdrawn on the line. Although they were restored in 2005, there is no longer any station at St Athan.
| Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gileston | Great Western Railway Vale of Glamorgan Line |
Llantwit Major |
Notes
References
Chapman, Colin (1998) The Vale of Glamorgan Railway The Oakwood Press