# Who remembers the old Cardiff Queen Street railway station?



## editor (Jan 3, 2013)

It's great that the station is finally getting some care and attention, but can anyone remember how the place was before it was demolished in the 70s?

It used to be a lovely Victorian affair, with overall canopies, a restaurant room and bay platform for Bute Rd/Cardiff general. 














Demolition in 1973
http://www.flickr.com/photos/taffytank/6189500691/in/photostream/


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## 1927 (Jan 3, 2013)

I must have seen it as a kid, bud sadly dont recall. What a travesty that such a beautiful building could be demolished in an age when architecture was being recognised!


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## davesgcr (Jan 3, 2013)

Interesting - it looks like the Brunel House building in the background is up (planned to be the HQ for Western Region (Wales) under the doomed "field" re-organisation  of the mid 1960's , I suppose to the futurists of the time , the old Victorian station was an anathema , so down it had to come. I suppose it was suffering from deferred maintenance etc , and at the time , traffic was falling , pressure on BR to reduce costs /overheads etc. Usual story.

Today of course , massive increase in passenger numbers will lead to more capacity through Queen Street , 16 trains per hour , but an utilitarian passenger station.


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## editor (Jan 4, 2013)

I remember one of the porters handed me an old GWR staff handbook and an old GWR route map he found in one of the rooms under the platforms.

I've still got the map too.


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## editor (Jan 4, 2013)

Here's how it looks now, with work started on putting back the old platform 1.



I can just about remember that there was a restaurant on the platform too but haven't been able to source any photos.

Here's how the old station looked like near the end in the 1970s (looking north);



http://www.flickr.com/photos/10163027@N05/4182035395/


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## davesgcr (Mar 20, 2013)

Regret cannot find the thread on the "Baycar" - or the ATW single unit 1960's railcar , but the old girl has done her last trip from Queen Street to Cardiff Bay.

Withdrawn and sold (for spares) to Chiltern Railways - due to frequent technical problems and so on. Went to Cardiff Bay on the 6th Feb , and the old girl was running up and down like a good one.


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## ddraig (Mar 20, 2013)

boo!

the work at queen st station is getting there with a fair few platform edges already in place yesterday


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## Yr Ellyll Goch. (Mar 27, 2013)

i remember the old station when it first closed (1972/3) and the "new" station opened, i used to go to the golliwog cafe "Dots" dead opposite.


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## Yr Ellyll Goch. (Mar 28, 2013)

oops, thought i'd posted that on another site..


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## editor (Mar 28, 2013)

It was a mighty fine station back in its day:


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## shygirl (Mar 30, 2013)

I can't remember how it looked inside, but we used it regularly to go to Barry Island.  Do you remember the Guilford Baths nearby, I loved that pool.  When did it close?


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## editor (Mar 31, 2013)

Blimey, the Guilford Baths. I'd forgotten about them.






Here's another pic of the station. 





https://www.facebook.com/RememberOldCardiff?filter=1


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## shygirl (Apr 7, 2013)

editor said:


> Blimey, the Guilford Baths. I'd forgotten about them.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Thanks for posting the pic of Guilford Baths, love the changing cubicles.  We didn't go swimming as much after its closure, cos the Empire Pool was, well, less inviting.


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## shygirl (Apr 7, 2013)

Those kids could have been from St Peter's, my junior school!


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## editor (Jun 6, 2013)

Two more photos. It's criminal that such a lovely building should  have been flattened.


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## ddraig (Jun 25, 2013)

re numbering of platforms on 1 July
http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/ImprovingTheRailwayAroundCardiff/


> *Renumbering of platforms at Cardiff Queen Street station 1st July 2013*
> 
> Arriva Trains Wales is advising passengers that there will be changes to platform numbers at Cardiff Queen St station from 1st July 2013. This is in preparation for the 2 new platforms currently under construction at Cardiff Queen Street station.
> The renumbering will be as follows:
> ...


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## editor (Jun 25, 2013)

About time too - and at least they're not doing that utterly ridiculous 'Platform 0' nonsense that you can see at Cardiff Central/General.


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## editor (Jun 25, 2013)

From the site: 


> The project, scheduled to be completed by 2015, will ‘future proof’ the railway by increasing capacity for potential future passenger services. It will also provide a more robust and flexible infrastructure in order to maintain and improve train reliability and punctuality.


If only they hadn't un-future proofed the railway by taking out the tracks in the first place  

Here's how it was:


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## ddraig (Jun 25, 2013)

editor said:


> About time too - and at least they're not doing that utterly ridiculous 'Platform 0' nonsense that you can see at Cardiff Central/General.


 
awww
platform zero cracks me up 
and there is a song about it too


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## editor (Jan 17, 2014)

Can someone remember if I've got this right? I seem to recall that for a while only the island platform was in use, with the Bay terminus platform opposite coming back into use later on.

I can remember the big old station box that was between the junction too (and the four track layout), but haven't managed to track down any photos.


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## davesgcr (Jan 17, 2014)

editor said:


> Can someone remember if I've got this right? I seem to recall that for a while only the island platform was in use, with the Bay terminus platform opposite coming back into use later on.
> 
> I can remember the big old station box that was between the junction too (and the four track layout), but haven't managed to track down any photos.


 

The 1966 layout was the bare minimum - remember , the commuting traffic then was a shadow of today - and in the 1970's there were plans to close the Taff Vale line north of Pontypridd and turn it into  busway - whilst rockbottom was around 1978 when north of Bargoed was slated for the chop. Thank John Davies - parachuted in as manager who started the turn round in 1980 - and one of the first things was opening Cathays station and putting some modest track changes into Queen Street.

My first ever useful bit of railway work was clipping the points at Queen St North with an old school inspector to get things moving one afternoon. I was a wet behind the years trainee .....I treasure that now 35 years on.


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## editor (Jan 17, 2014)

davesgcr said:


> The 1966 layout was the bare minimum - remember , the commuting traffic then was a shadow of today - and in the 1970's there were plans to close the Taff Vale line north of Pontypridd and turn it into  busway - whilst rockbottom was around 1978 when north of Bargoed was slated for the chop. Thank John Davies - parachuted in as manager who started the turn round in 1980 - and one of the first things was opening Cathays station and putting some modest track changes into Queen Street.
> 
> My first ever useful bit of railway work was clipping the points at Queen St North with an old school inspector to get things moving one afternoon. I was a wet behind the years trainee .....I treasure that now 35 years on.


I'm currently writing a piece about the station, so if you don't mind , I'll add your observations and appreciate anything else you may have on the station.


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## davesgcr (Jan 18, 2014)

editor said:


> I'm currently writing a piece about the station, so if you don't mind , I'll add your observations and appreciate anything else you may have on the station.


 
I need to dig out the book "The People's Railway" - and will happily hand it over to you in person ....over a pint !


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## editor (Feb 27, 2014)

The old platform 1 is well underway. 







http://www.urban75.org/blog/cardiff...back-as-part-of-220m-rail-improvement-scheme/


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## ginger_syn (Mar 24, 2014)

for anyone interested @ old cardiff pics. on twitter has some great photos of old cardiff,   I don't know how to do a link otherwise I would.


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## ddraig (Mar 24, 2014)

just copy their twitter address or for specific tweets, copy the time of it and paste the link which then embeds the tweet on here


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## ddraig (Mar 24, 2014)

this is their account
https://twitter.com/OldCardiffPics
this is an individual tweet from the time link


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## editor (Mar 24, 2014)

I wrote a piece about Queen Street here - and a reader confirmed my memory of the of refreshment rooms!






http://www.urban75.org/blog/cardiff...back-as-part-of-220m-rail-improvement-scheme/


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## davesgcr (Mar 24, 2014)

Do not forget "Brunel House" - the 1960 era tower block opposite which was to house the "Welsh Division" or "Territory Management Plan" - I think BR in my 1979-1980 days as a trainee only had 3 floors of in use (the rest hired out to other non railway functions) - great views on a clear day - and he traincrew always acted properly at Queen Street with 3 floors of "management" watching their every move ...well between 0900 and 1630 anyway...I had a very boring week in the Safety and Accidents section , enlivened only by some of the material and the odd coal train running through with a pair of 37's from say Barry to Cwmbargoed......


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## ginger_syn (Mar 25, 2014)

ddraig said:


> just copy their twitter address or for specific tweets, copy the time of it and paste the link which then embeds the tweet on here


ta for that  will that work on a phone?


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## ddraig (Mar 25, 2014)

No probs
Yes should do


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## ddraig (Aug 19, 2014)

from Cardiff before Cardiff


> Taff Vale Rail Office, by Queen St R/Bridge, where Greggs are now


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## ddraig (Nov 19, 2014)

another Cardiff before Cardiff pic


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## editor (Nov 19, 2014)

It was fucking criminal to smash down such a fine station.


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## pepper78 (Nov 19, 2014)

editor said:


> It was fucking criminal to smash down such a fine station.


Aye. I sadly can't remember anything  other than the depressing frontage in place now. I don't think the new one is much better either.


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## editor (Nov 19, 2014)

pepper78 said:


> Aye. I sadly can't remember anything  other than the depressing frontage in place now. I don't think the new one is much better either.


It looks hideous.


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## pepper78 (Nov 19, 2014)

That's bloody awful!  Looks like something from a ski resort.


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## ddraig (Nov 19, 2014)

that's not finished
not that i'm defending it!
new platform will be good


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## pepper78 (Nov 19, 2014)

I wonder how much longer it is before Brunel House gets pulled down?

I sometimes have to work in that building and it's fairly tired and run down inside. The ceiling height makes it feel like the office in Being John Malkovich!


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## editor (Jan 6, 2015)

Here it is in all its glory:











http://www.urban75.org/blog/cardiff...ation-adds-new-platforms-for-valleys-traffic/


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## editor (Jan 17, 2020)

Here's a cracking set of photos: 















__





						In photos: Cardiff Queen Street railway station in the 1960s - urban75: art, photos, walks
					

Although recent works have seen station platforms reinstated and a new booking hall constructed, Cardiff Queen Street remains a shadow of its former self. The overall roof and Taff Vale Railway offices have long since been swept away, but I'm grateful to Rob Masterman for sending in these...




					www.urban75.org


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## editor (Jan 30, 2022)

1959 pic. What a station it was!


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## Declanrandordlc (Aug 12, 2022)

Yr Ellyll Goch. said:


> oops, thought i'd posted that on another site..


Hi mate spoke to a guy recently that bought a custom bike of Charlie way back when a souped up BSA


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## editor (Aug 12, 2022)

Found this on eBay


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## editor (Aug 12, 2022)

Some more pics 















						Cardiff Queen Street Station
					

I’ve spent a lot of time on Cardiff Queen Street station. As a child my friends and I would usually alight there to go for days out around Cardiff. Years later, I worked in Admiral Insurance …




					kriscarter.wordpress.com


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## editor (Sep 6, 2022)

Some cracking archive pics here:















						Cardiff Queen Street railway station in the 1960s – a series of fascinating photos by Rob Masterman
					

Once again, this site is obliged to Rob Masterman for giving us permission to reproduce this wonderful set of photographs of Cardiff Queen  Street railway station in the 1960s. The station looks ve…




					www.urban75.org


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