Pye Corner on Ebbw Vale branch

[Mike87f]

The planning application for the construction of a new railway station with platform, car park, highway alterations, stepped access, retaining walls, cctv, cycle parking, waiting shelter, help point and ticket machine at Western Valley Road, Rogerstone, Newport has been granted with conditions at committee on 5 February 2014. (Newport CC Application 13/1254)

This will be the first station along the Ebbw Vale branch. Network Rail partly cleared the ground at the end of last year.

[Newport_rod]

I was interested to read in the response to the planning application about the need to control evasive plants.

[dwrathan]

Were will the new station be in relation to the previous one at Bassaleg Jn ? The picture shows the site of wild undergrowth, which brings to mind Mieri lle bu mawredd (Briars where was greatness) in the famous poem of Ieuan Brydydd Hir, "Llys Ifor Hael". Could the new station be called "Pye Corner/Maesaleg " in deference to Dafydd ap Gwilym? Has any groundwork started at Ebbw Vale ?
Best wishes from Conwy. Jeff Stone.

[Newport_rod]

I understand that the new station is a little to the north of the site of the old Bassaleg station.

[Menelaus]

..." Has any groundwork started at Ebbw Vale ?"
Best wishes from Conwy. Jeff Stone.[/quote]

Ebbw Vale Station has been open for some time and a trip along it is worthwhile as there is a quite a lot of the former infrastructure still visible. At the moment if you want to travel from Ebbw Vale to Newport by train, you have to go to Cardiff and change...

[Rhobat Bryn]

Is there some confusion here? Ebbw Vale Parkway has been open since 6th February 2008 but I wonder if dwrathan is referring to Ebbw Vale Town.

[dwrathan]

Sorry, I meant Ebbw Vale Town (I still think of Ebbw Vale Parkway as Waunlwyd or Victoria). Has there been any groundwork between Ebbw Vale Parkway and Ebbw Vale Town ? Jeff.

[Mike87f]

Work is progressing on the £3.5m station. Photographed on 6th May 2014. Due to open by end of 2014.

[dwrathan]

I went on the train to Ebbw Vale Parkway today (the day after Mike87f's picture) and walked to the proposed end of the line. The route appears to be clear from Ebbw Vale Parkway to the proposed site of the new station (behind the General Offices, now Gwent Archives), but is not visible from the road for some of the way. There is a vantage point from the new footbridge over the course of the railway just north of the school and south of Tyllwyn. It doesn't look as if any work has been done to prepare the route for the permanent way and the new station site looks untouched. Let's hope they start before they've finished Pye Corner. I believe the Kemble redoubling was postponed for the Dawlish work so is Ebbw Vale in the same queue? Jeff.

[Mike87f]

It has come as a surprise that the new platform is not being built adjacent to the present running line but next to a new one. I do not know why a new line is required or if the original is being retained (as a loop). It helps explain the £3m+ cost and the need for so many demountable buildings on site. The photos show a northward view from the road bridge and the station site itself which has the platform faces in place.