Senedd to discuss petition to open historic south Wales railway station

Stephen Price

Senedd Members will discuss a petition this week calling for a feasibility study into reopening a historic valleys railway station.

The petition to reopen the old Nelson and Llancaiach Station will be discussed on Thursday afternoon in the Senedd’s Petition Committee, which was signed by 416 people.

The petition calls as a first step, to create an express bus service to nearby railway stations.

The village lost its station in 1964 during the Beeching cuts, a major series of route closures and service changes made as part of the restructuring of the nationalised railway system.

Built initially to serve the nearby Llancaiach Colliery, the Nelson and Llancaiach station once sat on two junction routes servicing freight and passenger transport throughout the Valleys.

While the original station was demolished in 1972, a small section of track still operates for freight around the Taff Bargoed branch. The nearest station for passengers is Ystrad Mynach, around two miles away.

The old Nelson and Llancaiach railway station at Tawelfan opened in 1912 but was closed in 1964. The old track and line still exist near Nelson.

Chief petitioner Nelson Community Councillor Aled John said: “I am pleased that the Senedd Petitions Committee will discuss the petition to have a feasibility study to reopen a railway station in Nelson. I would like to thank the hundreds of people who signed the petition.”

Lindsay Whittle MS for Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni said: “It is more than 60 years since Nelson railway was shut under the Beeching cuts. It was a short-sighted policy that left many communities without a railway.

“I fully support a feasibility study aimed at eventually reopening the station. The old track and line still exist near Nelson making its reopening a lot easier.

“We need to provide the services so that people can have the opportunity to let the train take the strain, rather than using a car for journeys to work and for leisure. Action is needed now to progress this scheme.”

Niamh Salkeld, Senedd Member for Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni added: “It is clear by the number of signatures on this petition that reopening Nelson Railway Station is of great importance for many constituents.

“I support improving public transport links and connectivity across our Valleys to ease pressure on busy road.

“The next step is to explore this project further with the Welsh Government.”

‘Ease the pressure on our busy roads’

The now-closed petition is titled ‘Conduct a feasibility study with regard to reopening Nelson railway station, Caerphilly County’.

The petition states: “We call upon you to conduct a feasibility study with regard to reopening Nelson railway station. As a first step, an option to create an express bus service to the nearby railway stations should be explored.

“The line, which was used by freight trains until recently, runs between Ystrad Mynach railway station and Merthyr Tydfil, passing through Nelson, Trelewis, and Bedlinog.

“Connecting Nelson to the network would make sense and would ease the pressure on our busy roads.

“The old Nelson and Llancaiach railway station at Tawelfan opened in 1912 but was closed in 1964.

“An old track and line are still near Nelson, which makes reopening this line much easier than many other projects.”

The station opened on 1 July 1912 by the Rhymney Railway, replacing the adjacent Llancaiach station.

It was situated on the north side of the neighbourhood of Tawelfan. The platforms also still exist.

HS2

Plaid Cymru MSs urged the UK Government to investigate reconnecting the village of Nelson in Caerphilly county to the rail network back in 2025, arguing that restoring services would ease congestion and improve transport links for local residents.

Caerphilly Member of the Senedd (MS) Lindsay Whittle confirmed that he had written to UK Rail Minister Lord Hendy of Richmond, requesting a feasibility review.

Rail infrastructure remains a non-devolved responsibility, meaning any decision on reopening lines rests with Westminster.

“There is still an old line and track close to Nelson, which makes reopening this line much easier than many other projects,” Mr Whittle said. “Connecting Nelson to the network would make sense and take pressure off our congested roads.”

At the time, Delyth Jewell MS,  Deputy Minister for Social Care said reopening the route would highlight long-standing concerns around how rail schemes are funded in Wales. She pointed to the way major projects such as HS2 are classified as “England and Wales” spending for budget purposes, despite routes running entirely in England.

Unlike Scotland and Northern Ireland, heavy rail is not devolved to Wales, meaning no equivalent Barnett formula uplift.

“The system of rail funding is a huge injustice for Wales,” Ms Jewell argued. “Wales misses out by billions of pounds of investment because Wales has to pay for spending on major projects in England.”

Peredur Owen Griffiths MS said at the time that funding announcements from Westminster were not based on Welsh network need, population or infrastructure condition. He warned little had changed despite a Labour Government at Westminster.

“We need a fair deal on funding for our railways in Wales,” he said.

While Welsh ministers can invest in services, the Welsh Government receives no dedicated block grant allocation for rail infrastructure. Responsibility for planning and upgrades lies with the UK Government, apart from the Core Valleys Lines, ownership of which transferred to Wales in 2020. Welsh ministers can also manage the Wales and Borders rail franchise.

Any feasibility review would be expected to examine track condition, engineering requirements, likely demand, cost and environmental impact.

---

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.