Valley Lines[1] was the trading name of the Cardiff Railway Company, a train operating company owned by Prism Rail and later National Express,[2][3] that ran local services around Cardiff from October 1996 until October 2001.
Routes operated consisted of four northern branches to Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney and Treherbert, which were interworked with the shorter southerly branches to Penarth, Barry Island and Cardiff Bay.
The City Line between Radyr and Coryton also formed part of the franchise, with all services calling at Cardiff Queen Street.
The operator originally undertook to introduce new services from Pontypridd to Manchester and Portsmouth,[4] but this did not take place.
Valley Lines' fleet was maintained at Cardiff Canton depot.