Barry Island Station - Further Deterioration

[Envoy]

I raised the issue of the deterioration of Barry Island station about 4 years ago. I revisited last weekend and sadly the deterioration has continued - although some remedial work is taking place on the canopy - presumably because it was starting to collapse? The GWR iron work continues to rust away, window frames are rotting due to not being painted and a large patch of weeds greets visitors alighting from the trains. The original station building remains fenced off.

What is more disturbing is that Barry Museum - who have taken rooms inside the original building - have placed a large plastic hoarding on the exterior that has been secured by drilling holes into the brickwork. So, this grade 2 listed by CADW will forever have holes in the original Victorian brickwork once the hoarding is removed. Did they have planning permission for this? Where is the CADW (Welsh Government) inspectorate?

It’s all very different to Great Malvern station!

Historic platform canopies restored at Great Malvern station

Victorian platform canopies have been renovated at Great Malvern station in Worcestershire as part a £5m investment to improve the station for passengers.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

"Network Rail has worked with its contractor Murphy to replace overhead glazing, complete structural strengthening and repainting of the ornate ironwork on both of the station's platform canopies."

I have attached some photos below to illustrate the points mentioned above.

 

[Brush 4]

I thought I read somewhere a couple of years ago that the closed part was being reopened by GWR. Obviously not....

 

[VR494]

Sadly this is a common sight now across the network, Pontypridd station is another station that has been left to the elements too.
The reality is, there is no extra capital, the budget is not big enough to cover the costs of owning the CVL and maintaining it, alongside running a fleet of expensive trains, staff wages and other various things that have no relation to running a railway.

Hopefully it gets some attention soon, even reintroducing the second platform or improving the line speeds in and out of Barry Island would be a massive step forward.

 

[pdeaves]

I thought I read somewhere a couple of years ago that the closed part was being reopened by GWR. Obviously not....

Modern GWR the TOC? I can't see any reason for that.

 

[Cardiff123]

Barry Island typifies the ridiculousness of rail infrastructure ownership and management in Wales.
TfW own the former Barry Tourist Railway bits - including the station building & sidings and the land for Barry Depot, whilst Network Rail own the operational track for passenger services and the passenger platform at Barry Island.

 

[Brush 4]

That may have been the gist of what I read a while back. Integrating the 2 and opening up the whole station. I said GWR when I meant TfW. it seems that TfW took over the whole station in 2022. It is also listed.

 

[VR494]

That may have been the gist of what I read a while back. Integrating the 2 and opening up the whole station. I said GWR when I meant TfW. it seems that TfW took over the whole station in 2022. It is also listed.

It's quite clear the relationship between Amey and TFW has not been the best, the CVL despite being in public ownership is in serious decline. Overgrown weeds, unfixed track defects, crumbling structures, depots and mess rooms in a mess, it has the lot. Sadly Barry Island is not the only affected area. But never mind, atleast the money invested went to the right places, installing OLE on the Rhymney line.