Chepstow railway station

Chepstow
Welsh: Cas-gwent
Chepstow station at 7am on a Saturday
Location
Place Chepstow
Local authority Monmouthshire
Operations
Station code CPW
Managed by Arriva Trains Wales
Number of platforms 2
Live arrivals/departures and station information
from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage
2004/05 *   113,613
2005/06 * 120,543
2006/07 * 129,076
2007/08 * 146,338
2008/09 * 168,828
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 Chepstow from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. Please note: methodology may vary year on year.
UK Railways portal

Chepstow railway station is a part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales. Chepstow station is on the Gloucester to Newport Line. It is located within 300 metres (980 ft) of the town centre, at Station Road, Chepstow. Chepstow is a historic walled border town and ancient port, situated at the southern end of the Wye Valley, two hours from London.

The line continues east from the station to Gloucester over the Chepstow railway bridge. It was formerly the junction station for the Wye Valley Railway to Monmouth Troy Station until this line closed to passengers in 1959. The railway has since been extensively rationalised and currently consists of a double track line with a trailing crossover to the east of the station, plus some disused track in the former yard.

Although numerous trains pass through the station, the local train service is sporadic, running at best an hourly service in each direction. A local campaign has been established, with the support of the local MP, Welsh Assembly members, County Council and town council, to improve rail services to the town.[1][2] In May 2011, CrossCountry commenced a year long trial of stopping its Cardiff-Birmingham-Nottingham services at the station on weekdays and Saturdays. In December 2011, it was reported that the trial would be extended until at least December 2012.[3]

The station is unmanned apart from occasional Saturday mornings or when major events occur at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff when a temporary kiosk may be opened. Train times are on an electronic board with up to date information of the train times.

Station buildings on the Gloucester/Birmingham side are traditional stone and timber-built structures, the canopy providing plenty of shelter. Unfortunately, on the more popular Newport/Cardiff side, there is just a small breeze block-built shelter. Access to this platform is via a wooden footbridge, making it difficult for passengers with pushchairs and the old and the infirm to cross.

The nearest bus stop is a 5 minute walk away in the Tesco car park, however the service from here is infrequent and consists of just a local service. Chepstow bus station is approx half a kilometre further; from here buses to a wider area may be found.

On race days, special buses are normally laid on to convey racegoers to and from Chepstow racecourse, this is a walk of approximately half an hour's duration.

There is limited station parking available, with a free car park nearby of about 50 spaces.

Service

Preceding station National Rail Following station
Caldicot   Arriva Trains Wales
Maesteg / Cardiff Central - Cheltenham Spa		   Lydney
Caldicot   CrossCountry
Cardiff Central - Birmingham New Street / Nottingham
(Mondays to Saturdays only)		   Lydney
Historical railways
Terminus   Wye Valley Railway
British Railways		   Tutshill Halt

References

  1. ^ Better Trains 4 Chepstow campaign site
  2. ^ Daily Telegraph, Rail passengers face service cuts threat, 3 May 2010
  3. ^ Clark, Rhodri (December 2011). "Chepstow trial extended". Modern Railways 68 (759): 9. ISSN 0026-8356. 

External links

Transport in Monmouthshire
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National Cycle Network
Railway lines
Railway stations
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