Maesteg Line

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Maesteg Line

Principal stations

Cardiff Central
for Cardiff City Line
for Coryton Line
for Merthyr Line
for South Wales Main Line
for Rhondda Line
for Rhymney Line
for Vale of Glamorgan Line Pontyclun
Pencoed
Bridgend
for South Wales Main Line
for Vale of Glamorgan Line
Wildmill
Sarn
Tondu
Garth
Maesteg Ewenny Road
Maesteg

The Maesteg Line is the descriptive name given to the services in South Wales from Cardiff to Bridgend and Maesteg. The line follows the South Wales Main Line as far as Bridgend, where it then diverges to continue to Maesteg.

[edit] History

The lines over which this service operates are in two sections:

The South Wales Railway, between Cardiff and Bridgend. The line between Chepstow and Swansea opened on 18 June 1850; it later became the GWR main line.
From Bridgend, the Llynfi & Ogmore Valley Railway (L&OVR) was formed on 28 June 1866 (itself the amalgamation of earlier lines); a standard gauge line as opposed to the main line. When the L&OVR threatened to build a competing line to the GWR, it forced the latter to change the gauge over its whole line from Didcot. On 1 July 1873 the GWR took over the L&OVR.

The line from Bridgend originally operated beyond Maesteg through Caerau and the Cymmer Tunnel to Abergwynfi; and to Glyncorreg, to collieries near both places. Junctions at both Tondu and Cymmer connected with east-west routes across the Welsh valleys.

Today the line is operated on an itinerary is composed of all or part of the following Network Rail routes (echoing its history):

GW 900 from Cardiff Central
GW 874 from Bridgend Llynfi Junction to Maesteg

[edit] Places served

The places served by the line are listed below.

Cardiff Central
Pontyclun
Pencoed
Bridgend
- South Wales Main Line continues to Port Talbot and Swansea
- Connections with Vale of Glamorgan Line to Llantwit Major, Rhoose and Barry
Wildmill
Sarn
Tondu
Garth
Maesteg (Ewenny Road)
Maesteg

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.

edit Railway lines in Wales:
Main lines:	Gloucester-Newport Line North Wales Coast Line South Wales Main Line Welsh Marches Line


Commuter lines:		Butetown Branch	City Line	Coryton Line	Ebbw Valley Line	Maesteg Line
Commuter lines:		Merthyr Line	Rhondda Line	Rhymney Line	Vale of Glamorgan Line


Rural lines:	Borderlands Line Cambrian Line Conwy Valley Line Heart of Wales Line Shrewsbury-Chester Line West Wales Line