Place Hirwaun Grid reference SN960059 Post-grouping Great Western Railway Platforms in use 3 | Area Rhondda Cynon Taf Pre-grouping Great Western Railway Original company Vale of Neath Railway | |
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24 September 1851 (1851-09-24) Station opened as Hirwain Similar Trehafod railway station, Llwynypia railway station, Troed‑y‑rhiw railway station, Penrhiwceiber railway station, Cwmbach railway station | ||
Walking albert the dog near hirwaun railway station
Hirwaun railway station was a railway station serving the town of Hirwaun in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.
Contents
History
The station was opened by the Vale of Neath Railway in 1851, although tramways and railways had existed in the area for at least 60+ years due to the Hirwaun Ironworks and other industries. It existed on the VoR 7 ft (2,134 mm) route between Neath and Merthyr Tydfil (1853), although the branch to Aberdare opened first in 1851.
Operations
Although only a relatively small station serving an industrial community, Hirwaun was an important junction station for the VoNR. At Gelli Tarw Junction just north of the station, it merged three lines:
The three platforms of the station were also supplemented by a brickworks just north of the station site. South of the station, there existed the goods yard and associated sidings, plus junctions for:
Between Glynneath and Hirwaun, a distance of only 6 miles (9.7 km), there were: five collieries; two quarries; and one gunpowder/silica factory. Each had their own private sidings, all to be tackled over the steep Glynneath embankment, which required a banking locomotive for northbound trains to be attached at Glynneath. During World War II, the Royal Ordnance Factory ROF Hirwaun added to both the goods and passenger traffic load.
In 1956, the station was used by HM Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to the village.
Closure
Taken over by the Great Western Railway on grouping in 1921, it fell victim to the Beeching Axe in 1964, with the last train running on 13 June. However, the line itself stayed in place to Aberdare on the renamed Merthyr Line, for coal trains serving Tower Colliery and a coking plant further down the valley towards Abercynon.
Current
There was a dedicated rail link bus that linked Aberdare with the community. It was only available to rail passengers, and operated to Penywaun, Hirwaun, Cefn Rhigos and Rhigos.
Freight continues to run several times a day from Tower colliery, over track it owned north of the former station site. Although Tower's underground workings final ceased on 18 January 2008, DB Schenker Rail (UK) still run trains to the Tower washery, which depart Aberdare at 7 pm on Wednesdays, and 1130 on the Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, most often hauled by a Class 66. Freightliner also operate stone trains to Tower, but this service varies in schedule, again hauled by a Class 66.
Reopening
In November 2009 the Welsh Government asked Network Rail to conduct a feasibility study on reopening the line to Hirwaun for passenger services.
It was announced in March 2011 that the Welsh Government’s 2011-12 capital programme would include the re-opening of the line to Hirwaun as part of the Cynon Valley Scheme. However, there is currently no information on when the work will commence.