Cardiff Valley Lines

The South Wales area covered by this simulation incorporates mainly rural services between Cardiff and outlying areas, though some mainline services between England, Scotland and Swansea are also provided running via Newport, Cardiff and Bridgend. Merry-go-round coal services also make an appearance periodically running between the Tower Colliery at Aberdare and Aberthaw power station – both of which are now closed.

Cardiff Valley Lines
Description	The South Wales Area, focused around Cardiff
Country	United Kingdom
Time period	2020
Train Operating Company	Great Western Railway, Transport for Wales, CrossCountry
Simulation difficulty
Author	RailOS Dev Team
Repository	Cardiff Valley Lines
Website	Cardiff Valley Lines
Rolling Stock	Class 150 Class 153 Class 158 Class 170 Class 175 Class 800 Class 802 Class 43 + 4*Mk3 “Castle Class” Class 67 + 4*Mk4 “Premier Service”
Route map (Tref Glynebwy) Ebbw Vale Town (Parcffordd Glynebwy) Ebbw Vale Parkway (Llanhiledd) Llanhilleth (Trecelyn) Newbridge Crosskeys (Risga a Phont-y-meistr) Risca & Pontymister South Wales Main Line (Ty Du) Rogerstone Newport (Casnewydd) Pye Corner Alexandra Dock (Bargod) Bargoed Brithdir Gilfach Fargoed Tir-phil Pengam (Pontlotyn) Pontlottyn Hengoed Rhymney Ystrad Mynach Rhymney Siding Llanbradach Coryton Stabling Area Energlyn & Churchill Park (Eneu'rglyn a Pharc Churchill) Coryton Aber (Yr Eglwys Newydd) Whitchurch Caerphilly (Caerfili) (Rhiwbeina) Rhiwbina (Llwynbedw) Birchgrove Lisvane & Thornhill (Llys-faen a'r Ddraenen) Ty Glas Llanishen (Llanisien) (Lefel Isel y Mynydd Bychan) Heath Low Level Heath High Level (Lefel Uchel y Mynydd Bychan) Wentlooge Freightliner Terminal Tremorfa Steel Works Cathays (Llandaf) Llandaff Cardiff Queen Street (Caerdydd Heol y Frenhines) (Radur) Radyr Cardiff Bay (Bae Caerdydd) (Fynnon Taff) Taffs Well Cardiff Central (Caerdydd Canalog) (Ystad Trefforest) Treforest Estate (Trefforest) Treforest Canton CSD Danescourt (Y Tyllgoed) Fairwater Ninian Park (Parc Ninian) (Parc Waungron) Waungron Park Grangetown Pontypridd Trehafod Cogan Porth Dingle Road (Hoel Dingle) Dina Rhondda Penarth Tonypandy Penarth Siding Llwynypia Eastbrook Ystrad Rhondda Dinas Powys Cadoxton (Tregatwg) Ton Pentre Barry Docks (Treorci) Treorchy Barry (Y Barri) (Ynys-Wen) Ynyswen Barry Yard (Pont-y-clun) Pontyclun Llanharan Barry Island (Ynys y Barri) Treherbert Barry Island Siding Treherbert Siding Rhoose Cardiff Airport (Y Rhws Maes Awyr Caredydd) Abercynon Aberthaw Power Station Pencoed Llantwit Major (Llaniltud Fawr) (Mynwent y Crynwyn) Quakers Yard Penrhiwceiber (Ynysowen) Merthyr Vale Mountain Ash (Aberpennar) Troed-y-Rhiw Fernhill Pentre Bach Cwmbach (Merthyr Tudful) Merthyr Tydfil Bridgend (Pen-y-Bont Ar Ogwr) Merthyr Tydfil Stabling Area Aberdare Aberdare Siding Tower Colliery (Y Felin-wyllt) Wildmill South Wales Main Line Sarn (Ton-du) Tondu South Wales Main Line Pontycymer Garth (Maesteg (Heol Ewenni)) Maesteg (Ewenny Road) Maesteg Maesteg Stabling Area

Timetable

The timetable is quite intense, and it is recommended to have a copy of the included notes to hand to avoid misrouting trains – which is very easy to do! The standard service pattern is as follows:

Cardiff Valley Lines Services
Train Operating Company	Origin	Destination	Frequency (tph)
Transport for Wales	Milford Haven	Manchester Piccadilly	0.5
	Carmarthen		0.5
	Maesteg	Cheltenham Spa	1
	Penarth	Bargoed	4
	Bridgend	Aberdare	1
	Barry Island		1
		Merthyr Tydfil	2
	Radyr	Coryton	2
	Cardiff Bay	Cardiff Queen Street	5
	Cardiff Central	Holyhead	0.5
		Swansea	0.5
		Ebbw Vale Town	1
		Treherbert	2
CrossCountry		Nottingham	1
Great Western Railway		Taunton	1
		Portsmouth Harbour	1
		London Paddington	1
	Swansea		1

Operational Notes

The simulation is best run using version 2.5.1 or better of the program because many services change direction at Cardiff Central, and this version automatically removes redundant routes left over after a train has arrived and changed direction. With earlier versions these routes have to be removed manually.