Pontypool and New Inn railway station
Encyclopedia
Pontypool and New Inn railway station is situated to the south east of Pontypool
town centre between the town and the suburb of New Inn
.
It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail
and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales
. It lies on the Welsh Marches Line
line from Newport
to Crewe
.
and named Pontypool Road; the addition of "Road" within the station name is common in railway parlance when the station is situated away from the centre of the town served.
.
Pontypool had more centrally-located stations on branch lines, including Pontypool Blaendare Road, Pontypool Clarence Street and Pontypool Crane Street, but Pontypool Road was by far the biggest. Indeed, at its peak it was one of the busiest junctions in the country with a large engine shed and many sidings, but as the railways went into decline in the 1950s the area was particularly badly hit by closures. The passenger service to Usk
and Monmouth
was withdrawn in 1955 and the local branch line from Newport
- Blaenavon
was closed in April 1962. The Beeching axe
put paid to the service to Neath
in June 1964 leaving Pontypool Road, as a main-line station, the only one remaining in the area. By the late 1970s the station was down to just 14 passenger trains a day on weekdays. Over the years the situation improved and by 2010 the station saw almost twice that number, but more than half of the passenger trains on the line go through without stopping.
In 1972 it was renamed to simply Pontypool. The station underwent significant refurbishment in 1994. This involved the demolition of the last surviving major building (that housed the ticket office, offices for railway maintenance personnel and space for a local scout group). The station name was once again changed to the current geographically descriptive name at this time.
The village of Griffithstown
, now a substantial part of Pontypool, was named after Henry Griffiths, the first stationmaster at Pontypool Road Station.
ROF Glascoed
munitions and armaments factory was once served by the Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway
which branched from the mainline at Little Mill.
A two hourly service between Holyhead
and Cardiff
, with an hourly peak time service in both directions.
Sundays
An irregular service operates.
Pontypool
Pontypool is a town of approximately 36,000 people in the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales....
town centre between the town and the suburb of New Inn
New Inn
New Inn is a village and community of approximately 3,000 households located to the south east of Pontypool, within the County Borough of Torfaen in Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire.- Location :...
.
It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
. It lies on the Welsh Marches Line
Welsh Marches Line
The Welsh Marches Line , known historically as the North and West Route, is the railway line running from Newport in south-east Wales to Shrewsbury in the West Midlands region of England by way of Abergavenny, Hereford and Craven Arms, and thence to Crewe via Whitchurch...
line from Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
to Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
.
History
The station was originally established by the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford RailwayNewport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway
The Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway was a railway line connecting the Welsh port city of Newport via Abergavenny, to the major English market town of Hereford.Sponsored by the LNWR, it opened on 6 December 1853...
and named Pontypool Road; the addition of "Road" within the station name is common in railway parlance when the station is situated away from the centre of the town served.
GWR
Subsequently, it became part of the Great Western RailwayGreat Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
.
Pontypool had more centrally-located stations on branch lines, including Pontypool Blaendare Road, Pontypool Clarence Street and Pontypool Crane Street, but Pontypool Road was by far the biggest. Indeed, at its peak it was one of the busiest junctions in the country with a large engine shed and many sidings, but as the railways went into decline in the 1950s the area was particularly badly hit by closures. The passenger service to Usk
Usk
Usk is a small town in Monmouthshire, Wales, situated 10 miles northeast of Newport.The River Usk flows through the town and is spanned by an ancient, arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. A castle above the town overlooks the ancient Anglo-Welsh border crossing - the river can...
and Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
was withdrawn in 1955 and the local branch line from Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
- Blaenavon
Blaenavon
Blaenavon is a town and World Heritage Site in south eastern Wales, lying at the source of the Afon Lwyd north of Pontypool, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. The town lies high on a hillside and has a population of 6,349 people...
was closed in April 1962. The Beeching axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
put paid to the service to Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
in June 1964 leaving Pontypool Road, as a main-line station, the only one remaining in the area. By the late 1970s the station was down to just 14 passenger trains a day on weekdays. Over the years the situation improved and by 2010 the station saw almost twice that number, but more than half of the passenger trains on the line go through without stopping.
In 1972 it was renamed to simply Pontypool. The station underwent significant refurbishment in 1994. This involved the demolition of the last surviving major building (that housed the ticket office, offices for railway maintenance personnel and space for a local scout group). The station name was once again changed to the current geographically descriptive name at this time.
The village of Griffithstown
Griffithstown
Griffithstown is a large community of Pontypool in the borough of Torfaen, Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is an ecclesiastical parish, formed in May, 1898, from Llanfrechfa Upper and Panteg, and includes Sebastopol, but, under the provisions of the Local Government Act...
, now a substantial part of Pontypool, was named after Henry Griffiths, the first stationmaster at Pontypool Road Station.
ROF Glascoed
ROF Glascoed
ROF Glascoed was a UK government-owned, Royal Ordnance Factory. It was designed as one of 20 munitions filling factories. It was planned as a Permanent Royal Ordnance Factory with the intention that, unlike some other similar facilities, it would remain open for production after the end of World...
munitions and armaments factory was once served by the Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway
Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway
The Coleford, Monmouth, Usk & Pontypool Railway was a standard gauge railway of which ran between Monmouth to Pontypool. It was opened in 1857, passenger services were withdrawn in 1955...
which branched from the mainline at Little Mill.
Facilities
The station has limited facilities due to its small size today and lack of great commuter use. There is a shelter that serves both platforms and a help point / telephone.Service
Mondays to SaturdaysA two hourly service between Holyhead
Holyhead railway station
Holyhead railway station serves the town of Holyhead on Holy Island, Anglesey. It is the western terminus of the North Wales Coast Line and is managed by Arriva Trains Wales, although Virgin Trains also serves it....
and Cardiff
Cardiff Central railway station
Cardiff Central railway station 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 , based on 2007/08...
, with an hourly peak time service in both directions.
Sundays
An irregular service operates.