Pontypool and New Inn railway station

Infobox UK station
name = Pontypool and New Inn
other_name= Pont-y-pŵl
code = PPL


manager = Arriva Trains Wales
locale = Pontypool
borough = Torfaen
lowusage0405 = 39,876
lowusage0506 = 36,922
lowusage0607 = 33,410
platforms = 2
start = 1852

Pontypool and New Inn railway station ( _cy. Pont-y-pŵl a New Inn) is situated to the south east of Pontypool town centre between the town and the suburb of New Inn.

It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales. It lies on the Welsh Marches Line line from Newport to Crewe.

History

The station was originally established by the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway and named Pontypool Road; the addition of "Road" within the station name is common in railway parlance when the station is situated away from the centre of the town served.

GWR

Subsequently, it became part of the Great Western Railway.

Pontypool had more centrally-located stations on branch lines, including "Pontypool Blaendare Road", "Pontypool Clarence Street" and "Pontypool Crane Street", but with the closing of many branch lines in the 1960s under the Beeching axe Pontypool Road, as a main-line station, was the only one remaining.

In 1972 it was renamed to simply Pontypool. The station under went significant refurbishment in 1994. This involved the demolition of the last surviving major building (that housed the ticket office, offices for railway maintenance personnel and space for a local scout group). The station name was once again changed to the current geographically descriptive name at this time.

The village of Griffithstown, now a substantial part of Pontypool, was named after Henry Griffiths, the first stationmaster at Pontypool Road Station.

ROF Glascoed munitions and armaments factory was once served by the Monmouth branch from the mainline at Little Mill

Facilities

The station has limited facilities due to its small size today and lack of great commuter use. There is a shelter that serves both platforms and a help point / telephone.

ervice

Mondays to Saturdays

A two hourly service between Holyhead and Cardiff Central & Cardiff Central and Holyhead, with an hourly peak time service in both directions.

Sundays

An irregular service operates.

External links

* [http://www.mrsoc.co.uk/ Monmouthshire Railway Society]
* [http://www.community-council.org.uk/NewInn/index.asp?pageid=16351 A Short History of Pontypool Road Station]

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