This is the station serving the South Wales town of Bridgend, the first major stop westwards after Cardiff, the junction for the branch line to Maesteg and the terminus of trains from the Vale of Glamorgan line which run via Cardiff Airport's station.
The station dates to 1850, when it was opened along with the rest of the South Wales Railway from Chepstow to Swansea. The line was built by Brunel, and was operated from the start as part of the Great Western Railway.
The original station building - an attractive stone building in a domestic Italianate Style - still survives, on the Down Line (to Swansea), although in the 1980s a new entrance and ticket hall in glass were erected at one end. The buildings on platform 2 (towards Cardiff and London) also date from the early 1980s. The original buildings of 1850 are Listed at Grade II.
As well as the hourly 125 mph (200 kph) London-Swansea service, the station is served by the hourly Maesteg-Cardiff trains, and is the terminus for the hourly trains from Cardiff via the Vale of Glamorgan Line, which terminate in the newly built platform 1A. It is also served by the regular services to and from West Wales and the North West of England.
The ticket and information offices are on platform 1 at the entrance, but the toilets and large (privately-run) buffet are on platform 2. The station has step-free access throughout, although passengers requiring assistance are advised to telephone in advance for wheelchair ramps, etc. The station has limited cycle-storage facilities, a taxi rank and a large 100-space car park (charges apply).
The station serves a wide area and is the fifth busiest in Wales, with over 1.1 million passengers a year. read more