Aberthaw High Level railway station facts for kids

Aberthaw High Level railway station was a train station in Aberthaw, a village in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. It was part of the Vale of Glamorgan Railway. The station was operated by the Barry Railway and served the local area. It was located near the north shore of the Bristol Channel.

History of Aberthaw High Level Station

The Vale of Glamorgan Railway opened Aberthaw High Level station on 1 December 1897. The Barry Railway Company managed its operations. In 1923, during a big change called the "Grouping", the station became part of the Great Western Railway.

Later, in 1948, when the railways became owned by the government (a process called "nationalisation"), the line joined the Western Region of British Railways. The station officially closed on 15 June 1964. This closure was part of the Beeching Axe, a plan that shut down many railway lines across Britain.

Even though passenger trains stopped, the railway line itself stayed open. It was still used for freight trains, which carried goods to places like Aberthaw Power Station and local cement works. The line also served as a backup route for trains traveling between Cardiff and Bridgend.

What Remains at the Site Today

Passenger train services returned to the Vale of Glamorgan Line on 10 June 2005. This happened because more people were moving to and living in nearby towns like Llantwit Major and Rhoose. New train stations were built at Llantwit Major and Rhoose to serve these communities.

However, Aberthaw High Level station was not reopened. Today, private houses have been built on what used to be the "up platform" of the old station. The station at Rhoose also offers a bus connection to Cardiff International Airport.

Some railway tracks, called sidings, that served the Aberthaw "B" power station are still there. But since the power station closed in March 2020, these sidings are no longer used. The old Aberthaw signal box was taken out of use on 9 March 2013. All the old signals on the Vale of Glamorgan branch line were replaced with new LED signals. These new signals and the points (which switch tracks) are now controlled remotely from Cardiff.