<p>Class 142 Pacer Unit 142080 is seen arriving at Pontypridd with the 2T14 1006 Cardiff Central to Treherbert service.  Pontypridd station - built by the Taff Vale Railway, opened in 1840.  The station building and main island platform which are in use today date back to the early 20th century.  This platform was the longest in the world when originally opened, and it accommodated seven platform faces in total.  British Rail eventually took the eastern face of the platform out of use, just leaving the western face on operation, which is actually two platforms - one set back from the other.  A similar layout exists at Colchester.  From memory, these two platforms were the only ones in use at Pontypridd until a new northbound platform was opened in the 1990s.  on what had previously been a freight line.  The train in this picture is about to call at that platform.  In late 2014 the southern end of the island platform's eastern face was brought back into use as a bay platform.
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Pontypridd station has a very special feel - the sheer length of the main island platform, and the beautiful station buildings are such a strong reminder of the railway's past.
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/126337928@N05">Jeremy Segrott</a> from Cardiff, Wales, UK
CC BY 2.0
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/126337928@N05/21531317921/">Pontypridd</a>