South Wales main line

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South Wales Main Line
The entrance to the Severn Tunnel on the English side
Owerview
TeepHeavy rail
SeestemNational Rail
StatusOperational
LocaleSooth Wales
Sooth Wast Ingland
Stations18
Operation
Appent1850 (Chepstow-Swansea)
1903 (Swindon-Patchway)
AwnerNetwork Rail
Operator(s)Arriva Trains Wales
CrossCountry
Great Western Railway
ChairacterMain line
Technical
Line lenth84 mile 30 chain (135.79 km)
Nummer o tracksMainly double track, though quadruple track from Severn Tunnel Junction via Newport to Cardiff Central.
Track gauge4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm) staundart gauge
Electrification25kV 50Hz AC OHLE
(Wootton Bassett to Cardiff Central by December 2018)

The South Wales Main Line (Welsh: Prif Linell De Cymru), oreeginally kent as the Lunnon, Bristol an South Wales Direct Railway or simply as the Bristol an South Wales Direct Railway, is a branch o the Great Western Main Line in Great Britain. It diverges frae the core Lunnon-Bristol line at Royal Wootton Bassett near Swindon, first calling at Bristol Parkway, efter which the line continues throu the Severn Tunnel intae South Wales.

Great Western Railway operates High Speed Trains atween Lunnon an South Wales an services atween Cardiff an South West England. CrossCountry provides services frae Cardiff tae Nottingham via Severn Tunnel Junction an thence the Gloucester tae Newport Line via Gloucester an Birmingham. Arriva Trains Wales operates services atween South Wales, an North Wales an the Midlands on the line.

It is planned tae electrify the line uisin the AC owerheid seestem, wi completion bi 2018.