Cardiff Central railway station

Cardiff Central railway station (Welsh: Caerdydd Canolog) is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.

It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London (30th busiest overall), based on 2007/08 total entries and exits.^[1]

It is located near the Millennium Stadium in the city centre and is one of 20 railway stations in the city and one of two in the city centre, the other being Cardiff Queen Street, both of which are hubs for the Valley Lines urban rail network, with several lines in Cardiff and the surrounding valleys.

Cardiff Central is a Grade II listed building managed by Arriva Trains Wales. It is an interchange between the rest of South and West Wales, and other major British cities. Arriva Trains Wales operate services to West Wales, Holyhead, Crewe and Manchester, as well as the South Wales Valley Lines. First Great Western runs intercity services to Bristol and London, and regional services to Bath, Taunton, Southampton and Portsmouth, whilst CrossCountry operates trains to Gloucester, Birmingham, Nottingham and Manchester.

History

In the early 1840s the South Wales Railway was trying to find a suitable site for a railway station, but the area that is now Cardiff Central railway station was prone to flooding. It was Isambard Kingdom Brunel's solution to divert the River Taff to the west, creating a larger and safer site for the station.^[2]

The station was opened by the South Wales Railway in 1850. Its successor, the Great Western Railway (GWR), rebuilt it in 1932 as is marked by the name carved onto the façade (larger than the name of the station). As a result of representations by the GWR, a nearby working-class district, Temperance Town, was cleared during the late 1930s in order to improve the outlook of the rebuilt station.^[3] The formerly separate Cardiff Riverside suburban station of 1893 was integrated into the main station in 1940 but its platforms ceased to be used for passenger traffic in the 1960s.^[4]

The station was renamed from Cardiff General on 7 May 1973.^[5]

Station layout

There are two entrances to the station. The northern main entrance leads to the main concourse and is on Central Square, the plaza that accommodates Cardiff Central bus station,^[6] a multi-storey car park and two main city centre taxi ranks. Three main city centre landmarks are visible from here: the Millennium Stadium, Stadium House and Southgate House.^[7]

The southern entrance is at the rear of the station on Tresillian Way, accessed from St. Mary Street, where the station pay and display car park is found.

The railway lines are above the station's concourses. Two subways, one each at the eastern and western side of the station, run parallel under the tracks linking the two main entrances, from which the platforms are accessed by stairs and lifts, with the exception of Platform 0 which is accessed from the main concourse near Marks and Spencer. A valid ticket is required to pass through a barrier and gain access to the platforms.

Facilities

The majority of facilities are in the main concourse, including ticket desks and machines, cash machines, an information desk, LED departures and arrivals screens, public telephones, a W H Smith branch, an Upper Crust takeaway, a sandwich bar, a Marks and Spencer Simply Food store. The station has the only First Class waiting room in Wales.^[8][9]

WCs, vending machines, departures and arrivals screens and waiting rooms are on all island platforms. Another Upper Crust kiosk is situated between Platforms 1 and 2.

Cycle parking is available in the Wood Street car park and at the end of Platform 3b. Cycles can be taken on most trains without a reservation, except CrossCountry trains and rush hour trains to London Paddington, when a reservation must be made at least two hours before departure.

Security

British Transport Police maintains a presence at Cardiff Central.^[10] In December 2009, the force announced a three-month pilot scheme to arm officers at the station, as well as in London and Manchester, with stun guns.^[11]

Platforms

Cardiff Central has seven platforms, numbered 0, 1, 2, 3a/b, 4a/b, 6 and 7. There is no longer, despite signage, a Platform 5; this was a west-facing bay platform situated between Platforms 4 and 6.^[12]

Platforms 3 and 4 are divided into 'A' and 'B' sections and are capable of holding two local trains or a single HST train. Other platforms can be used by more than one train, but are not sectioned.

Platform 6 is used by Valley Lines trains to the north and east of Cardiff and to the Valleys. Every train from Platform 6 calls at Cardiff Queen Street. Valley Line trains from Cardiff Queen Street call at Platform 7 and continue to north-west Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

The normal pattern of usage is:

• Platform 0
  • Arriva Trains Wales:
    • Ebbw Vale Parkway via Rogerstone and Risca and Pontymister, usually Class 150 'Sprinter' units
• Platform 1
  • CrossCountry:
    • Nottingham via Birmingham New Street and Derby, usually Class 170 'Turbostar' units
  • Arriva Trains Wales:
    • Cheltenham Spa via Gloucester, usually Class 158 or Class 150 'Sprinter' units from Maesteg.
    • Terminating trains from Swansea, Carmarthen and Milford Haven
  • First Great Western:
    • London Paddington via Bristol Parkway, Swindon and Reading, usually High Speed Trains from Swansea
• Platform 2
  • Arriva Trains Wales:
    • Cheltenham Spa via Gloucester, usually Class 158 or Class 150 'Sprinter' units from Maesteg One service starts from Fishguard Harbour
    • Holyhead via Newport, Hereford, Shrewsbury, Wrexham General, Chester, Llandudno Junction and Bangor, usually Class 175 'Coradia' units
    • Manchester Piccadilly via Newport, Hereford, Shrewsbury and Crewe, usually Class 175 'Coradia' units from Carmarthen or Milford Haven, with one from Fishguard Harbour
  • First Great Western:
    • Taunton via Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare, usually Class 150 'Sprinter' units and Class 158 'Express Sprinter' units. Some of these trains were operated by Class 67 and Class 57 locomotives with four Mk2 coaches for a time.
    • Portsmouth Harbour via Bristol Temple Meads, Bath Spa, Westbury, Salisbury, Southampton Central, Fareham, Cosham, Fratton and Portsmouth and Southsea
  • CrossCountry:
    • Manchester Piccadilly via Bristol Temple Meads and Birmingham New Street, usually Class 221 'SuperVoyager' units
• Platforms 3a/3b
  • Arriva Trains Wales:
    • Milford Haven/Carmarthen via Bridgend and Swansea, usually Coradia units from Manchester Piccadilly
  • First Great Western:
    • Swansea via Bridgend, Port Talbot Parkway and Neath, usually High Speed Trains from London Paddington
• Platform 4a/4b
  • Arriva Trains Wales:
    • Fishguard Harbour (two via Swansea and Carmarthen, plus one fast service avoiding both).
    • Maesteg via Pontyclun and Bridgend, usually Class 158 or Class 150 'Sprinter' units from Cheltenham Spa.
  • First Great Western
    • Terminating trains from London Paddington, Taunton, Westbury and Portsmouth Harbour
  • CrossCountry
    • Terminating trains from Nottingham, Birmingham New Street and Manchester Piccadilly.
• Platform 6
  • Arriva Trains Wales:
    • Coryton via Cardiff Queen Street, Heath Low Level, Ty Glas, Birchgrove, Rhiwbina and Whitchurch
    • Bargoed via Cardiff Queen Street, Caerphilly and Ystrad Mynach
    • Rhymney via Cardiff Queen Street, Ystrad Mynach, Bargoed and Tir-Phil
    • Merthyr Tydfil via Cardiff Queen Street, Radyr, Pontypridd, Abercynon and Quakers Yard
    • Aberdare via Cardiff Queen Street, Radyr, Pontypridd, Abercynon and Mountain Ash
    • Treherbert via Cardiff Queen Street, Radyr, Pontypridd, Tonypandy, Llwynypia, Ystrad Rhondda, Ton Pentre, Treorchy and Ynyswen
    • Terminating trains from Bridgend via the Vale of Glamorgan Line.
• Platform 7
  • Arriva Trains Wales:
    • Radyr via Ninian Park, Waun-Gron Park, Fairwater and Danescourt
    • Penarth via Grangetown and Dingle Road
    • Barry Island via Grangetown, Dinas Powys and Barry
    • Bridgend via Grangetown, Dinas Powys, Barry, Rhoose Cardiff International Airport and Llantwit Major
    • Terminating trains from Treherbert

Cardiff Central bus station

Cardiff Central bus station is located directly opposite the front of the railway station. It is the central point for all local and national bus services in Cardiff. It contains six covered ranks on the north side for most Cardiff Bus services and other services such as EST buses. Long-distance services to the valleys and coach services such as TrawsCambria and National Express depart from rank A at the north end. Stops either side of Wood Street, which runs alongside the main terminal, are used mainly for departures to Barry, Penarth, Cardiff Bay, Caerau, Ely and Tremorfa.

There is also a bus stop on the south side of the station, referred to as "rear of the station" by station staff. On National Rail departure boards this is sometimes referred to as Cardiff Central Bus Stn CCB. The stop is used by Rail Replacement buses and Cardiff Bus BayCar service.

Buses run weekdays from early morning (around 05:00), the last buses leaving at 23:20 on almost all major routes.

Central Square

Central Square is the large public space directly outside the main entrance to the station.

In 1999 a 4m high sculpture, Cadar Idris, was erected in the square. However, within 6 months it was reportedly described as a 'dirty disgrace'^[13] and attracting undesirables to congregate on it.^[14]. It was later demolished.

In 2010 hotel developer Urban Solutions promised £300,000 towards improvements towards the long term regeneration of Central Square. They also agreed to fund 12 cycle stands and the OYBike hire point outside Central Station.^[15]

Future plans

As part of a £200m scheme to boost train capacity in Cardiff and surrounding areas, Cardiff Central and Cardiff Queen Street stations are to be redeveloped from June 2014 and April 2013 respectively. The Cardiff Area Signalling Renewal project is due to be completed by May 2015, funded by the Department for Transport, Assembly Government and Network Rail. The Assembly Government has committed £7m for the enhancements programme.

The stations will be similar in design, featuring slate panels, grey brickwork, pavilion-style roofs, large windows and stainless steel signage. Cardiff Central will have a new two-storey southern entrance and ticket hall. An eighth platform at Cardiff Central and a fourth at Cardiff Queen Street will be installed. Once finished, the number of trains running to the Valleys will increase from 12 per hour to 16 per hour.^[16]

Gallery

Routes

See also

• List of railway stations in Wales
• Transport in Wales
• Commuter rail in the United Kingdom
• Rail transport in Cardiff

Notes

External links

Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Cardiff_Central_railway_station Cardiff Central railway station] at Wikimedia Commons