Llanharan railway station explained

Llanharan
Symbol Location:gb
Symbol:rail
Borough:Llanharan, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Country:Wales
Coordinates:51.538°N -3.441°W
Grid Name:Grid reference
Manager:Transport for Wales Rail
Platforms:2
Code:LLR
Classification:DfT category F2
Original:South Wales Railway
Pregroup:Great Western Railway
Years:1850
Events:Opened
Years1:2 November 1964
Events1:Closed
Years2:10 December 2007
Events2:Reopened
Footnotes:Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Llanharan railway station serves the village of Llanharan in south Wales. Funded in part by SEWTA and at a cost of £4.3 million,[1] it opened in December 2007.[2] It is 183miles from the zero point at, measured via Stroud.[3]

History

A former station was on the site until 1964,[2] when it was closed under the Beeching Cuts. Following local campaigning from residents with backing from the MP and AM. EC funding was secured and a new station was agreed and work began in 2007.

Facilities

The station has two platforms connected by a footbridge and small shelters for passengers. It is unmanned but features CCTV and help points. A car park is next to the station.

The approved design features Corus Modular Platforms. The Modular Platform was selected as the majority of the structure can be erected with trains still running. Alternative forms of construction would have required extended blockage of the line (with associated disruption to through services on the South Wales Main Line).

The principal contractor for construction was Galliford Try Water & Rail, utilising local subcontractors where possible.

Services

The station has an hourly service westbound to and and eastbound towards, with some services continuing on towards,, and . These services are operated mainly by Class 170 Turbostar units.

On Sundays the service decreases slightly. There is roughly a 2-hourly service to however there are also four services a day to via and, the latter of which is usually operated by either Class 158 Express Sprinter or Class 175 Coradia units.

A few early morning and late evening services take the spur to to continue onto alongside Canton sidings, to retain route knowledge.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Janice Gregory AM for Ogmore. 15 March 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20120321100829/http://www.janicegregoryam.co.uk/news%20for%202007.htm. 21 March 2012. dead. dmy-all.
  2. Web site: Village back on track 43 years on . 2007-12-10 . 2007-12-10 . BBC News.
  3. Book: Padgett, David . Munsey . Myles . Railway Track Diagrams 3: Western & Wales . 6th . June 2018 . 1989 . Trackmaps . Frome . 978-1-9996271-0-2 . map 22A .