Could passenger services run along the Vale of Neath Again?

[adamt958]

Apologies if this has been spoken about a bit before.

But could passenger services ever run along the line again?

I know its very vague.

But should they reconnect the north section at Hirwaen and run the line alongside the road to reconnect with existing track in place as far as Blaengwrach (is that how its spelled?)

You could then run the current Bridgend/Cardiff Central to Aberdare services extend it then from Aberdare to call at...

Aberdare - Hirwaen - Glyn neath - Resolven - Tonna - Neath Riverside & Port Tennant (By The Fabian Way Park and Ride) and then perhaps for a partnership with the park and ride to give free links for rail passengers into Swansea?

Just a thought.

Adam

 

[ChiefPlanner]

A nice thought - and would love to see it - there has , however been a great investment in roads around there from circa 1970 - question , "what is the market" ....Swansea is not a London or Leeds / Manchester.

BTW - born in the area , so have some local knowledge.

 

[adamt958]

I know that, but a lot of them places are very isolated if people don't drive. plus it gives people a direct route to Swansea from places to Pontypridd - Aberdare should they want them

As i've seen stated on here a long time ago though. the way the roads were built in the area pretty much crushed any chance of a rail resurgence in Swansea.

It would be in a better located area than the high street station though. (looks wise anyway). especially with the park and ride bus straight into the centre.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Would there be any infrastructural problems that would be encountered which will cause project cost-budgeting to rise alarmingly in the northern areas that you make reference to in your posting. How does the local authorities feel about such a proposal?

Incidentally, the now closed station of Glyn Neath was open up to its closure in 1964, but may I ask if that would be on the same line that you make reference to.

 

[adamt958]

there would need to be bridge repairs and up to 2 miles of new (i guess?) track laid. but thats it. maybe signalling work to allow passenger traffic & about 2 miles of reinstated track to port tennant but where the old trackbed was is still all in tact.

 

[Scouse77]

Incidentally, the now closed station of Glyn Neath was open up to its closure in 1964, but may I ask if that would be on the same line that you make reference to.

I believe that all closed stations were open until their closure?

 

[anthony263]

The section between Hirwaun and Glyneath would need some rebuilding as the A465 cuts across the trackbed however a bridge or tunnel might be possible.

I do think a Aberdare - Swansea docks service might be a good idea as there is a lot of traffic down the A465 in the peaks and you do have the new university bay campus and Amazon so a station near Swansea Burrows yard served by the various bus routes around that area such as the 8 & 10 would be great as they can provide direct access to both these places and the 10 does serve Swansea railway station.

 

[Envoy]

Extending from Aberdare to Hirwaun seems to me to be entirely justified and would be easy to accomplish. (A short direct road link from the A4059 would help people in Penderyn easily reach Hirwaun station (Park & Ride).

Re-opening Hirwaun to Cwmgwrach (where the track at present ends) would be more a problem. If you go on Google Earth, with Photos ticked from the side menu, you will see photos uploaded (via Panoramio) of the tunnel portal & Pont Walby Viaduct. You will also see one of the ex rail bridge over the River Neath taking the line into Glyn Neath - I presume this was a branch? From near the tunnel portal, if re-opened, it would surely justify a halt with a footpath to Pontneddfechan - which is the gateway to 'The Waterfall Country' for hikers. So, such a line, would not only be serving locals, but would also be useful for tourists coming up from say Cardiff.

Just S of Resolven, another halt could be constructed to enable easy (15 minute walk) access to the Melincourt Waterfall. A new station at Tonna would not only serve locals but also the Aberdulais Falls National Trust site.
Neath Abbey would also be an obvious place for a new halt.

It looks like it would be difficult to construct a link into Neath Station so we must assume that such a line would continue into the Port Tennant area of east Swansea. (The line already exists but parts nearer Swansea have unfortunately been built upon - yet another case for protecting old rail routes)? Anyway, this part of Swansea has seen much development in recent years including the Swansea Bay University.

Due to the excellent roads that exist on most this routing, plus the difficulty of linking with mainline trains at Neath and the fact that the planners of SA1 have not had the foresight to protect former rail routes into Swansea's eastern docks, I cannot unfortunately see such a line re-opening.

http://www.abayoflife.com/business-development/development-highlights/

 

[Greenback]

It isn't going to happen. The geography of the line means that there would be no easy interchanges with main line services at either Neath or Swansea. This isn't really surprising since many of the lines in the Valleys were built with the aim of taking coal and other products to the ports, rather than as a means of conveying passengers to where they wanted to go.

I don't doubt that the redevelopment of Swansea's docks into SA1, along witht he new university campus near Jersey Marine, will mean more demand for transport services tot hat area, but the railway lines won't serve that demand well, even if the money could somehow be found to build new stations, restore missing lines and improve the infrastructure to allow passenger trains to run. which, of course, it won't.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I believe that all closed stations were open until their closure?

Now then, Man of Liver Bird, you know full well what my posting said...