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{{short description|Train operating company in Wales, United Kingdom}}
{{Unreferenced|date=February 2008}}
{{for|the urban rail network around Cardiff, formerly operated by this franchise but today by Transport for Wales|Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes}}
''Not to be confused with the [[Valley Lines]]''
{{Refimprove|date=October 2012}}
{{Infobox Rail companies |
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
bgcolor=FFFFFF|
{{Use British English|date=July 2017}}
image_filename=Image:ATW-143605-CardiffCentral-01.jpg|300px|
{{Infobox Rail companies
widthpx=300px|
franchise=Valley Lines<br>1995 – 2001|
|name = Valley Lines
|image_filename = Cardiff DMU1.png
logo_filename= Valleylineslogo.jpg|
|caption = [[British Rail Class 143|Class 143 ''Pacer'']] at {{stnlnk|Cardiff Central}} in 2000
nameforarea=region|
|image_size = 200px
regions=[[Cardiff]] and [[South Wales Valleys]]|
|franchise = Valley Lines<br>13 October 1996 – 13 October 2001
secregions=[[Bridgend]] and [[Vale of Glamorgan]]|
|logo_filename = Valley lines logo.svg
fleet= 36|
|nameforarea = region
stations= ?|
|regions = [[Cardiff]] and [[South Wales Valleys]]
parent_company=[[Prism Rail]]|
|secregions = [[Bridgend]] and [[Vale of Glamorgan]]
website= |
|fleet = 36
}}
|abbr = VL
|parent_company = [[National Express]]
|website =
|successor=[[Wales and Borders]]}}


'''Valley Lines'''<ref>[http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/03007927 Companies House extract company no 3007927] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419014137/http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/03007927 |date=19 April 2014 }} Cardiff Railway Company Limited</ref> was the trading name of the Cardiff Railway Company, a [[train operating company]] owned by [[Prism Rail]] and later [[National Express]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Osborne |first=Alistair |date=19 July 2000 |title=National Express buys Prism for £166m |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/4458960/National-Express-buys-Prism-for-166m.html |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201122152744/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/4458960/National-Express-buys-Prism-for-166m.html |archive-date=22 November 2020 |access-date=3 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Harper |first=Keith |date=19 July 2000 |title=National Express buys Prism for £166m |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2000/jul/19/5 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023081315/http://www.theguardian.com/business/2000/jul/19/5 |archive-date=23 October 2013 |access-date=3 September 2020}}</ref> that ran local services around Cardiff from October 1996 until October 2001.
'''Valley Lines''' was the trading name of the Cardiff Railway Company, the franchise which operated most of these services (the [[Maesteg Line]] being the exception, which was operated by [[Wales and West]]) from privatisation in [[1996]] until [[2001]], when it became part of the new [[Wales and Borders]] franchise. Both franchises were part of the [[National Express Group]]. The company operated on what is the [[Valley Lines]] network in [[South Wales]].


==Fleet==
==Services==
Valley Lines operated passenger services around [[Cardiff]] and the [[South Wales Valleys|Valleys]] in [[South Wales]].
{| class="wikitable"

|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9
Routes operated consisted of four northern branches to Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney and Treherbert, which were interworked with the shorter southerly branches to Penarth, Barry Island and Cardiff Bay. The City Line between Radyr and Coryton also formed part of the franchise, with all services calling at Cardiff Queen Street.

The operator originally undertook to introduce new services from Pontypridd to Manchester and Portsmouth,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/RP97-72/RP97-72.pdf|title=The Railway Passenger Companies - Research Paper 97/72|last=Poole|first=Fiona|date=30 May 1997|work=House of Commons Library|access-date=3 September 2020|archive-date=25 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025101939/http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/RP97-72/RP97-72.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> but this did not take place.

The franchise predates the introduction of services that are now generally included under the 'Valley Lines' umbrella, such as those via the Vale of Glamorgan line and to Ebbw Vale.

==Rolling stock==
Valley Lines inherited a fleet of [[British Rail Class 143|Class 143s]] and [[British Rail Class 150|Class 150s]] from [[British Rail]]. Starting in 1998, the operator changed its fleet by exchanging some of its Class 150s for [[British Rail Class 142|Class 142]]s from the north of England.

Valley Lines also used [[British Rail Mark 2|Mark 2 carriages]] on [[Rhymney Line]] services with [[British Rail Class 37|EWS Class 37]]s and [[British Rail Class 50|''Fifty Fund'' Class 50]]s among the locomotives used.

===Fleet===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#f9f9f9;"
! rowspan="2" |Class
! rowspan="2" |Class
! rowspan="2" |Image
! rowspan="2" |Image
Line 27: Line 45:
! rowspan="2" |Number
! rowspan="2" |Number
! rowspan="2" |Built
! rowspan="2" |Built
|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9
|- style="background:#f9f9f9;"
!mph
!mph
!km/h
!km/h
|-
|-
|[[British Rail Class 142|Class 142 ''Pacer'']]
|[[British Rail Class 142|142 ''Pacer'']]
|[[Image:ATW-142002-CardiffCentral-01.jpg|100px]]
|[[File:142069 Cardiff Central GMPTE.png|100px]]
|[[Diesel multiple unit]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Diesel multiple unit]]
| rowspan="2" |75
|75
|120
| rowspan="2" |120
|15
|15
|1985–1987
|1985
|-
|-
|[[British Rail Class 143|Class 143 ''Pacer'']]
| rowspan="2" |[[British Rail Class 143|143 ''Pacer'']]
|[[Image:ATW-143605-CardiffCentral-01.jpg|100px]]
| rowspan="2" |[[File:143607 at Gloucester.JPG|100px]]
|[[Diesel multiple unit]]
|75
|120
|14
|14
|1985–1986
|1985 - 1986
|-
|-
| colspan="5" |[[File:Class 143 Diagram, Valley Lines.png|633px]]
|[[British Rail Class 150|Class 150/2 ''Sprinter'']]
|-
|[[Image:ATW-150264-CardiffCentral-01.jpg|100px]]
|[[British Rail Class 150|150 ''Sprinter'']]
|[[File:150279 at Gloucester.JPG|100px]]
|[[Diesel multiple unit]]
|[[Diesel multiple unit]]
|75
|75
|120
|120
|6
|6
|1984–1987
|1985 - 1987
|}
|}


Valley Lines' fleet was maintained at [[Cardiff Canton TMD|Cardiff Canton]] depot.
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:142010 Cardiff Central.JPG|<center>Class 142 in old franchise livery
Image:143607 at Gloucester.JPG|<center>Class 143 in old franchise livery
Image:150279 at Gloucester.JPG|<center>Class 150 in alternative Arriva livery
</gallery>


==Demise==
{{Defunct UK TOCs}}
In 2000 the [[Strategic Rail Authority]] announced its intention that a [[Wales & Borders franchise|single all-Wales franchise]] should take over the majority of rail services in Wales.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/798989.stm|title=Plan for single Welsh rail franchise|date=20 June 2000|work=BBC News|access-date=2 September 2020|archive-date=31 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831002740/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/798989.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Accordingly, in October 2001, various operations of the [[Wales & West]] franchise were merged with those of Valley Lines to create [[Wales & Borders]].

== References ==
{{commons category|Valley Lines}}
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Regional Railways]]<br /><small>As part of [[British Rail]]</small>}}
{{s-ttl|title=Operator of Valley Lines franchise
|years=1996–2001}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Wales and Borders]]<br /><small>[[Wales & Borders franchise]]</small>}}
{{s-end}}
{{UK TOCs|defunct|state=collapsed}}
{{NEXG}}
{{NEXG}}
{{Transport in Wales|state=collapsed}}
<br>

{{s-start}}
[[Category:Defunct train operating companies in the United Kingdom]]
{{s-bef|before=[[Regional Railways]]'''<br><small>As part of [[British Rail]]</small>}}
[[Category:Mobico Group]]
{{s-ttl|title=Operator of Valley Lines franchise
[[Category:Railway companies established in 1996]]
|years=1995 - 2001}}
[[Category:British companies established in 1996]]
{{s-aft|after=[[Wales and Borders]]<br><small>Wales and Borders franchise</small>}}
[[Category:Railway companies disestablished in 2001]]
{{end}}
[[Category:Rail transport in Wales]]
[[Category:Transport in Cardiff|Valley Lines]]
[[Category:Transport in Cardiff|Valley Lines]]
[[Category:2001 disestablishments]]
[[Category:1996 establishments in Wales]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1995]]
[[Category:2001 disestablishments in Wales]]

Latest revision as of 04:43, 22 October 2024

For the urban rail network around Cardiff, formerly operated by this franchise but today by Transport for Wales, see Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes.

Valley Lines
Class 143 Pacer at Cardiff Central in 2000
Overview
Franchise(s)Valley Lines
13 October 1996 – 13 October 2001
Main region(s)Cardiff and South Wales Valleys
Other region(s)Bridgend and Vale of Glamorgan
Fleet size36
Parent companyNational Express
Reporting markVL
SuccessorWales and Borders

Valley Lines[1] was the trading name of the Cardiff Railway Company, a train operating company owned by Prism Rail and later National Express,[2][3] that ran local services around Cardiff from October 1996 until October 2001.

Services

[edit]

Valley Lines operated passenger services around Cardiff and the Valleys in South Wales.

Routes operated consisted of four northern branches to Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney and Treherbert, which were interworked with the shorter southerly branches to Penarth, Barry Island and Cardiff Bay. The City Line between Radyr and Coryton also formed part of the franchise, with all services calling at Cardiff Queen Street.

The operator originally undertook to introduce new services from Pontypridd to Manchester and Portsmouth,[4] but this did not take place.

The franchise predates the introduction of services that are now generally included under the 'Valley Lines' umbrella, such as those via the Vale of Glamorgan line and to Ebbw Vale.

Rolling stock

[edit]

Valley Lines inherited a fleet of Class 143s and Class 150s from British Rail. Starting in 1998, the operator changed its fleet by exchanging some of its Class 150s for Class 142s from the north of England.

Valley Lines also used Mark 2 carriages on Rhymney Line services with EWS Class 37s and Fifty Fund Class 50s among the locomotives used.

Fleet

[edit]
Class Image Type Top speed Number Built
mph km/h
142 Pacer Diesel multiple unit 75 120 15 1985–1987
143 Pacer 14 1985–1986
150 Sprinter Diesel multiple unit 75 120 6 1984–1987

Valley Lines' fleet was maintained at Cardiff Canton depot.

Demise

[edit]

In 2000 the Strategic Rail Authority announced its intention that a single all-Wales franchise should take over the majority of rail services in Wales.[5] Accordingly, in October 2001, various operations of the Wales & West franchise were merged with those of Valley Lines to create Wales & Borders.

References

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Valley Lines.
  1. ^ Companies House extract company no 3007927 Archived 19 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine Cardiff Railway Company Limited
  2. ^ Osborne, Alistair (19 July 2000). "National Express buys Prism for £166m". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  3. ^ Harper, Keith (19 July 2000). "National Express buys Prism for £166m". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  4. ^ Poole, Fiona (30 May 1997). "The Railway Passenger Companies - Research Paper 97/72" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  5. ^ "Plan for single Welsh rail franchise". BBC News. 20 June 2000. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
Preceded by Operator of Valley Lines franchise
1996–2001 		Succeeded by
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