Cardiff Queen Street railway station

Cardiff Queen Street

Welsh: *Caerdydd Heol y Frenhines*
Cardiff Queen Street; Welsh: Caerdydd Heol y Frenhines
	Cardiff Queen Street seen from the north.
Location	Cardiff, City and County of Cardiff; Wales
Coordinates	51°28′55″N 3°10′13″W / 51.4819°N 3.1703°WCoordinates: 51°28′55″N 3°10′13″W / 51.4819°N 3.1703°W
Grid reference	ST188765
Managed by	Transport for Wales
Platforms	5
Other information
Station code	CDQ
Classification	DfT category C1
Key dates
9 October 1840	Opened as Cardiff Taff Vale
1887	Rebuilt and renamed Cardiff Queen Street
1928	Enlarged
1973	Rebuilt
2014	Redeveloped
Passengers
2015/16	2.644 million
Interchange	1.019 million
2016/17	2.851 million
Interchange	1.078 million
2017/18	2.912 million
Interchange	1.154 million
2018/19	2.919 million
Interchange	1.366 million
2019/20	2.694 million
Interchange	1.311 million
Location
	Wikimedia \| © OpenStreetMap
Notes
	Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Cardiff Queen Street railway station (Welsh: Caerdydd Heol y Frenhines) is a railway station serving the north and east of Central Cardiff, Wales. It is the second busiest railway station in Wales, being located near Queen Street, it is one of 20 stations in the city. It is, along with Cardiff Central, one of the two major hubs of the Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes local rail network. The station, and all of its services are run by Transport for Wales.

In 2014, a reconstruction of the station was completed in order to reduce bottlenecks, with two extra platforms being put in (a previously existing platform, opposite platform 4, and a new bay platform next to platform 2 for the line to Cardiff Bay), taking the total number of platforms to 5

History[]

Early history[]

The first station close to the site of the current station, was opened by the Taff Vale Railway in October 1840 and was known as Cardiff Taff Vale. This station had one platform to begin with, but a second was added in 1862, and at the same time, the head office of the Taff Vale Railway was moved alongside the station. In 1887, Taff Vale station was demolished and replaced by a new station with the current name Cardiff Queen Street, which at this time consisted of two through platforms and a south facing bay, all covered by a large overall roof.^[1]

1911 map of railways in central Cardiff, Queen Street & Rhymney stations are upper centre.

Nearby, the Rhymney Railway built its own terminus just to the east of Queen Street called Adam Street in 1858. This was replaced in 1871 by a new station called Cardiff Crockherbtown which was a short distance to the north-east of Queen Street. Crockherbtown station was renamed Cardiff (Rhymney) in 1888 and then Cardiff Parade in 1924.^[1]

The Taff Vale and Rhymney railways became part of the Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1922. As there was no longer any need for two rival stations in close proximity, on 15 April 1928, the GWR opened a short connection just north of Queen Street connecting the Ryhmney line to the Taff Vale line, this allowed Parade station to be closed and its services diverted to into Queen Street. In order to accommodate the extra Rhymney line services, Queen Street was enlarged at this time from three to five platforms, with the addition of a new island platform.^[1]

1973 rebuild[]

The station remained fairly unaltered until 1973, when it was completely rebuilt by British Rail.^[2] The rebuild saw the station's overall roof removed, the original Taff Vale station frontage and booking hall demolished and replaced with a modern structure, and the number of platforms reduced to three, consisting of a central island platform, and a south facing bay. Modern electric lifts were installed to take passengers from the subway to the new platforms. On the east side of the station, a large office block was constructed called Brunel House, which was until 1984, the headquarters of the Cardiff division of British Rail's Western Region^[1]^[3]

In 1988, the entrance building was refurbished, and in March 1990, the bay platform 3 was turned into a through platform.^[1]

In 2005, the station was fitted with new ticket gates, operational when the station is staffed, which allow easier access in both directions. In 2006 LED screens replaced the old information display monitors.

The old station car park is now dedicated for private use by residents of a nearby modern development of apartments known as "The Aspect".

Cardiff Queen Street Station in 2009, before the addition of a fifth platform

2014 redevelopment[]

As part of a £220m regeneration scheme to boost train capacity in Cardiff and the surrounding areas, Cardiff Central and Cardiff Queen Street stations were redeveloped from April 2013 and June 2014 respectively. The whole Cardiff Area Signalling Renewal project was completed by early 2017, funded by the Department for Transport, Assembly Government and Network Rail. The Assembly Government committed £17m for the enhancements programme.^[4]^[5]

As part of the scheme, a new entrance building and two new platforms were constructed at Queen Street, bringing the number of platforms back up to the pre-1973 number of five, allowing the number of trains running through the station to be increased from 12 per hour to 16 per hour.^[6] These included a second northbound through platform, and a south facing bay platform reserved for the shuttle service to Cardiff Bay. The new platforms were brought into use on Sunday 14 December 2014.^[7]

Platform 1 is the new bay platform for the Cardiff Bay shuttle, platform 2 is for City Line services to Radyr and trains to Penarth, Platform 3 is for trains to Barry Island and the Vale of Glamorgan line, Platform 4 is for trains to Coryton and Rhymney and the new Platform 5 is for trains to Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil.^[8]

In the Spring of 2016, the Roll of Honour of those who served the armed forces between 1914 and 1919 from the Taff Vale Railway was put on display in the Ticket Hall. In November 2017, a QR Code was added to give more information about the men commemorated in the roll call.^[9]

Gallery[]

February 1975
2001
After redevelopment, May 2015

Services[]

Map of the south-east Wales rail network

show Railway lines in Cardiff

Queen Street is the main hub of the Valley Lines network – a railway system serving Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend and the South Wales Valleys – and has the solitary connection to Cardiff Bay. The station is located at the eastern end of the city centre, near the Capitol Centre as well as St David's Centre, and sees heavy volumes of commuter rail traffic during the rush hour.

The station has five utilised platforms at a level raised above the surrounding roads:

_	Direction	Line	Destination	Frequency
1	Southbound	Butetown Branch Line Shuttle	Cardiff Bay	5t/h [12 min]
2		Rhymney Line	Penarth	4t/h [15 min]
2		Cardiff City Line	Radyr	2t/h [30 min]
3		Vale of Glamorgan Line	Bridgend via Rhoose	1t/h [60 min]
3		Vale of Glamorgan Line	Barry Island	3t/h [15-30 min]
4	Northbound	Coryton Line	Coryton	2t/h [30 min]
		Rhymney Line	Rhymney	1t/h [60 min]
		Rhymney Line	Bargoed	3t/h^[I] [15 min]^[II]
5		Rhondda Line	Treherbert	2t/h [30 min]
		Cynon Line	Aberdare	2t/h [30 min]
		Taff Line	Merthyr Tydfil	2t/h [30 min]

Platform 5 is used for services to Rhondda Cynon Taff (Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil and Treherbert). Platform 4 is used for services to Rhymney and Bargoed as well as Coryton in north-west Cardiff. Platform 3 is used for services towards Cardiff Central and onwards to Barry Island and Bridgend via Rhoose Cardiff International Airport. Platform 2 is used for services towards Cardiff Central and onwards to Penarth and Radyr via City Line. Platform 1 is now only used for services to Cardiff Bay, which operate every 12 minutes.^[10]

The typical Monday – Saturday service per hour (as of March 2016) is as follows:^[11]

Northbound (towards Coryton and the Valleys):

6 trains per hour (tph) to Pontypridd via Cathays and Radyr, of which
- 2 tph continue to Aberdare
- 2 tph continue to Merthyr Tydfil
- 2 tph continue to Treherbert
4 tph to Ystrad Mynach, of which
- 4 tph continue to Bargoed
- 1 tph continues to Rhymney
2 tph to Coryton

Southbound (towards Cardiff Central, Cardiff Bay, The Vale and to Radyr via the City Line):

12 tph to Cardiff Central, of which
- 8 tph continue to Grangetown via the Vale of Glamorgan Line of which
  - 4 tph continue to Penarth
  - 4 tph continue to Barry, of which
    - 3 tph continue to Barry Island
    - 1 tph continues to Bridgend via Rhoose Cardiff International Airport
- 2 tph to Radyr via the Cardiff City Line
- 2 tph terminate
5 tph to Cardiff Bay via the Butetown Branch Line

Preceding station		Following station
Terminus	Transport for Wales Butetown Branch	Cardiff Bay
Heath Low Level	Transport for Wales Coryton Line	Cardiff Central
Heath High Level	Transport for Wales Rhymney Line	Cardiff Central
Cathays	Transport for Wales Merthyr Line	Cardiff Central
Cathays	Transport for Wales Rhondda Line	Cardiff Central

In popular culture[]

Both the station and this very page feature prominently in the Torchwood audiobook Ghost Train.

Notes[]

^ 3t/h terminate at Bargoed,...
^ ...but the 1t/h travelling to Rhymney covers the exact same route, but continues for 4 more stops, so passengers travelling from Queen Street to Bargoed could get one of 4t/h.

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Walters, Laurence (1995). Railways of Cardiff. Ian Allan Ltd. pp. 72–86. ISBN 0-7110-2380-8.
^ Hutton, John (2006). The Taff Vale Railway, vol. 1. Silver Link. ISBN 978-1-85794-249-1.
^ "Cardiff Queen Street station gets its old platforms back as part of £220m rail improvement scheme" Archived 3 April 2016 at the Wayback MachineUrban 75 Blog article 27 February 2014; Retrieved 24 March 2016
^ "£220m Cardiff and Valleys rail congestion scheme starts". BBC News. 6 August 2012. Archived from the original on 24 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
^ "Regenerating Cardiff Central & Queen Street". Premier Construction News. Archived from the original on 24 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
^ "Cardiff rail stations set for revamp". walesonline. 9 February 2011. Archived from the original on 28 April 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
^ "Early Christmas present for commuters as Network Rail says new platform at Cardiff Queen Street will be ready before the end of the year". Wales Online. 15 September 2014. Archived from the original on 24 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
^ "Cardiff's station upgrades begin to see real benefits". Rail.co.uk. 25 January 2015. Archived from the original on 24 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
^ "Rail workers' deaths in WW1 remembered". BBC. 9 November 2017. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
^ "Network Rail South Wales Valleys Business Plan 2007" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
^ GB National Rail Timetable 2015–16 Edition, Table 130 (Network Rail)

External links[]

Media related to Cardiff Queen Street railway station at Wikimedia Commons

[10] 3t/h terminate at Bargoed,...

[11] ...but the 1t/h travelling to Rhymney covers the exact same route, but continues for 4 more stops, so passengers travelling from Queen Street to Bargoed could get one of 4t/h.

[Walters-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Walters, Laurence (1995). Railways of Cardiff. Ian Allan Ltd. pp. 72–86. ISBN 0-7110-2380-8.

[2] Hutton, John (2006). The Taff Vale Railway, vol. 1. Silver Link. ISBN 978-1-85794-249-1.

[3] "Cardiff Queen Street station gets its old platforms back as part of £220m rail improvement scheme" Archived 3 April 2016 at the Wayback MachineUrban 75 Blog article 27 February 2014; Retrieved 24 March 2016

[BBCN-4] "£220m Cardiff and Valleys rail congestion scheme starts". BBC News. 6 August 2012. Archived from the original on 24 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.

[PCN-5] "Regenerating Cardiff Central & Queen Street". Premier Construction News. Archived from the original on 24 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.

[6] "Cardiff rail stations set for revamp". walesonline. 9 February 2011. Archived from the original on 28 April 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2019.

[WOCP-7] "Early Christmas present for commuters as Network Rail says new platform at Cardiff Queen Street will be ready before the end of the year". Wales Online. 15 September 2014. Archived from the original on 24 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.

[RCU-8] "Cardiff's station upgrades begin to see real benefits". Rail.co.uk. 25 January 2015. Archived from the original on 24 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.

[9] "Rail workers' deaths in WW1 remembered". BBC. 9 November 2017. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2019.

[12] "Network Rail South Wales Valleys Business Plan 2007" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2008.

[13] GB National Rail Timetable 2015–16 Edition, Table 130 (Network Rail)

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[11]

show v t Railway stations in Cardiff, Newport and the Valleys
Valley lines	Butetown Cardiff City Coryton Ebbw Valley Maesteg Merthyr Rhondda Rhymney Vale of Glamorgan
Other lines	South Wales Main Line Gloucester–Newport line Welsh Marches line South Wales Metro
Major stations	Cardiff Central Cardiff Queen Street Newport Bridgend
Cardiff stations	Rail transport in Cardiff Birchgrove Cardiff Bay Cathays Coryton Danescourt Fairwater Grangetown Heath High Level Heath Low Level Lisvane and Thornhill Llandaf Llanishen Ninian Park Radyr Rhiwbina Ty Glas Waun-gron Park Whitchurch
Valley Lines stations	Aber Abercynon Aberdare Bargoed Barry Barry Docks Barry Island Brithdir Cadoxton Caerphilly Cogan Crosskeys Cwmbach Dinas Powys Dinas Rhondda Dingle Road Eastbrook Ebbw Vale Parkway Ebbw Vale Town Energlyn and Churchill Park Fernhill Garth Gilfach Fargoed Hengoed Llanbradach Llanharan Llanhilleth Llantwit Major Llwynypia Maesteg Maesteg (Ewenny Road) Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Vale Mountain Ash Newbridge Penarth Pencoed Pengam Penrhiwceiber Pentre-bach Pontlottyn Pontyclun Pontypridd Porth Pye Corner Quakers Yard Rhoose Cardiff International Airport Rhymney Risca and Pontymister Rogerstone Sarn Taffs Well Tir-Phil Tondu Ton Pentre Tonypandy Treforest Treforest Estate Trehafod Treherbert Treorchy Troed-y-rhiw Wildmill Ynyswen Ystrad Mynach Ystrad Rhondda
Other stations	Abergavenny Caldicot Chepstow Cwmbran Pontypool and New Inn Severn Tunnel Junction
Proposed stations	Aberbeeg Abertillery Cardiff Parkway Caerleon Crumlin Low Level Cwm Llanwern Newport West St Fagans
Transport in Bridgend County Borough Transport in Caerphilly County Borough Transport in Cardiff Transport in Newport Transport in Rhondda Cynon Taf Transport in the Vale of Glamorgan UK railway stations: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

show v t Transport in Cardiff
Motorways and A roads	M4 motorway European route E30 A48(M) motorway A48 road A470 road A469 road A4054 road A4119 road A4160 road A4161 road A4232 road
Pedestrian precincts and commercial streets	Bute Street Caroline Street Cathedral Road City Road Cowbridge Road East Cowbridge Road West St Mary Street and High Street Lloyd George Avenue Newport Road West Grove Womanby Street
Bus	Bus transport in Cardiff Cardiff Bus Baycar Capital City Green Capital City Red Iff card Cardiff Central bus station Cardiff Transport Interchange First Cymru NAT Group Stagecoach South Wales Fflecsi (TfW)
Cycling	Cycling in Cardiff Taff Trail Lôn Las Cymru Ely Valley Trail NCR 88 Pont y Werin
Railway lines	Rail transport in Cardiff South Wales Main Line Valley lines ■ Butetown branch ■ City Line ■ Coryton Line ■ Maesteg Line ■ Merthyr line ■ Rhondda line ■ Rhymney line ■ Vale of Glamorgan Line
Railway operators	CrossCountry Great Western Railway Transport for Wales
Major railway stations	Cardiff Central Cardiff Queen Street
Other city railway stations	Birchgrove Cardiff Bay Cathays Coryton Danescourt Fairwater Grangetown Heath High Level Heath Low Level Lisvane and Thornhill Llandaf Llanishen Ninian Park Radyr Rhiwbina Ty Glas Waun-gron Park Whitchurch List of railway stations in Cardiff
Air	Cardiff Airport Cardiff Heliport
Water	Cardiff Bay Barrage Cardiff Waterbus River Taff River Ely Tiger Bay
Proposed transport network	South Wales Metro Proposed South Wales Metro stations in Cardiff Flourish Cardiff Parkway Crwys Road Gabalfa Loudoun Square

show v South Wales Metro
Organisations	South Wales Metro Transport for Wales KeolisAmey Wales Transport for Wales Rail Welsh Government
Main lines	Gloucester–Newport line South Wales Main Line Welsh Marches line
Metro lines	Butetown Cardiff City Coryton Ebbw Valley Maesteg Merthyr Rhondda Rhymney Vale of Glamorgan
Major rail stations	Barry Bridgend Caerphilly Bay Central Queen Street Cathays List of railway stations in Cardiff Newport Pontypridd Treforest
Bus interchanges	Blackwood Bargoed Cardiff New (2023) 1954–2015 Cwmbran Ebbw Vale Merthyr Tydfil Newport
Bus operators	Bus transport in Cardiff Cardiff Bus First Cymru NAT Group Newport Bus Stagecoach South Wales
Proposed stations	Caerleon Flourish Cardiff Parkway Crwys Road Gabalfa Magor Newport West Newport West Central Llanwern Loudoun Square Treforest Estate (relocated)
Active travel	Bute Park Celtic Trail cycle route Cistercian Way Cycling in Cardiff Llandaff Fields National Cycle Network NCR 88 NCR 4 NCR 46 NCR 47 Roald Dahl Plass Sophia Gardens Taff Trail Usk Valley Walk Wales Coast Path