Chester and Holyhead Railway





Dates

  /  /    Chester and Holyhead Railway
Abergele renamed Abergele and Pensarn.
  /  /1844Chester and Holyhead Railway
Incorporated.
01/05/1848Chester and Holyhead Railway
Aber opened. Abergele opened.
05/10/1858Vale of Clwyd Railway
Line opened from Rhyl (Chester and Holyhead Railway) to a temporary station at Denbigh [1st].
  /  /1859Chester and Holyhead Railway
Station at Rhyl rebuilt to handle Vale of Clywd Railway traffic.
  /  /1859Chester and Holyhead Railway North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway)
London and North Western Railway steamers from Holyhead serve Dublin North Wall, where the LNWR opens a Dublin North Wall [LNWR] station and sidings connected to the Midland Great Western Railway line, the station located just east of Dublin North Wall Goods [MGWR].
12/09/1960Chester and Holyhead Railway
Aber closed.
02/03/1963Chester and Holyhead Railway
Short line to Port Penrhyn harbour closed. (The second Lord Penrhyn had built a private standard gauge line to the harbour at Port Penrhyn.)
23/05/1970Chester and Holyhead Railway
Fire badly damages the Britannia Bridge, leading to closure of line to Anglesey.
30/06/1972Chester and Holyhead Railway
Britannia Bridge re-opens following replacement of girders.

Locations along the line

These locations are along the line.

Mid-afternoon on 29th January 1977 sees a pair of BR Sulzer Type 2s, 25190 and 25153, bring a long block train comprised mainly of Presflos past ...
Bill Jamieson 29/01/1977
D1023 Western Fusilier roamed far and wide in the run-up to the final demise of the class in early 1977. On Saturday 29th January it ran from ...
Bill Jamieson 29/01/1977
2 of 2 images.






















The poor old ship is still there. Former TSS Duke of Lancaster at the Mostyn shoreline by Llannerch-y-Mor (half way between Mostyn and Holywell ...
John Yellowlees 18/06/2017
1 of 1 images.


The tired box at Mostyn. View looks north. ...
Ewan Crawford //
The former station building at Mostyn in May 1990. [With thanks to Messrs Kirk, Dunbar and Bijster] ...
Ian Dinmore /05/1990
Mostyn signal box on the North Wales coast in 2002. ...
Ewan Crawford //2002
3 of 3 images.


Talacre signal box on the North Wales Coast Line, seen from UK Railtours' excursion from Euston to Llandudno Junction behind 68034 passing on 6th ...
David Bosher 06/04/2019
1 of 1 images.




A slight air of dereliction on a main line. Looking west at Prestatyn. ...
Ewan Crawford //
In its last month of working 40098 looks in fine fettle as it hauls container flats through Prestatyn. An opportune picture from a Crewe to Holyhead ...
Mark Bartlett 15/03/1981
2 of 2 images.




Rhyl No.1 signalbox, seen from a westbound train in May 2013. ...
John McIntyre 29/05/2013
An Arriva Class 175 nears Rhyl station running along the embankment to the west of the station on 27th July 2017. The train is passing the Marine Lake ...
Mark Bartlett 27/07/2017
Part of the attractive station building at Rhyl, June 2012. ...
Veronica Clibbery /06/2012
Ticket office and platform entrance at Rhyl station, June 2012. ...
Veronica Clibbery 19/06/2012
4 of 6 images. more






Abergele & Pensarn, on the North Wales Coast Line, seen from UK Railtours' excursion from Euston to Llandudno Junction for the Ffestiniog and Welsh ...
David Bosher 06/04/2019
A 175 at Abergele and Pensarn with a Llundudno - Manchester Piccadilly service in August 2003 ...
Ian Dinmore /08/2003
View from a passing train of Abergele and Pensarn where the westbound platform was recently built out onto the old down loop to reach the down fast. ...
John Yellowlees 21/06/2017
3 of 3 images.


Llanddulas, the North Wales line runs just in front of the two silos and the Powell-Duffryn Quarry at the top of the picture was at one time rail ...
Gordon Steel /08/1972
1 of 1 images.






Stanier Coronation Class 46229 'Duchess of Hamilton' is seen running alongside the A55 expressway, between Colwyn Bay and Llandudno Junction, whilst ...
David Pesterfield 04/05/1991
47529 slows for the Colwyn Bay stop with a westbound passenger service along the North Wales Coast on 29th June 1980. This particular Brush Type 4 was ...
Mark Bartlett 29/06/1980
Stanier Pacific no 46229 Duchess of Hamilton runs alongside the A55 Expressway between Colwyn Bay and Llandudno Junction on 4 May 1991 bound ...
David Pesterfield 04/05/1991
Oops - and not an orange jacket in sight. Brush Class 47, 47463, heading for Holyhead with a passenger train, creeps gingerly past a derailed ...
Mark Bartlett 15/03/1981
4 of 4 images.






Llandudno Jct SB, seen from a passing westbound train on 29 May 2013. This box is a BR (LMR) Type 15 dating from 1985 but was refurbished and ...
John McIntyre 29/05/2013
40019 on the Manchester to Bangor service at Llandudno Junction in August 1980. Note the new signal installed but not operational as yet. ...
Roger Geach /08/1980
English Electric memories. Two Class 20s on a weed killer train at Llandudno Junction in August 1996. 20902 'Lorna' top and tailed with 20903 ...
Michael Green /08/1996
Class 40 No.232 at Llandudno Junction in August 1973. This loco was still carrying its 'Empress of Canada' nameplates at this time. ...
Doug Nicholls /08/1973
4 of 24 images. more




Colas 56096 passing through Colwyn station with a weedkilling train on 31st October 2017. A second 56 was at the rear.
...
Peter Todd 27/10/2017
I assume this is a late-running TfW DMU heading from Bangor to Conwy on 10th June 2019. This shot was take at 12:53 from the saddle between ...
Norman Glen 10/06/2019
A view from the train of the eastern portal of the Conwy tubular bridge on 29 May 2013. The white splash marks on the carriage were courtesy of the ...
John McIntyre 29/05/2013
A Holyhead bound Voyager emerges from the Conwy tubular bridge and runs beneath the ramparts of the castle with the estuary behind. See image ...
Mark Bartlett 26/11/2011
4 of 8 images. more




BR Sulzer type 2 24082 at Penmaenmawr ballast terminal in October 1978 awaiting departure towards Chester with a loaded train. ...
David Pesterfield 03/10/1978
1 of 1 images.
















150282, from Holyhead to Cardiff Central, calling at Bangor on 6th April 2019. This two coach unit left with standing room only and was barely into ...
David Bosher 06/04/2019
175001 to Holyhead, calling at Bangor, on 6th April 2019. ...
David Bosher 06/04/2019
Bangor on the North Wales Coast Line, opened 1st May 1848 for the Chester & Holyhead Railway, looking east on 6th April 2019. This was the junction ...
David Bosher 06/04/2019
Bangor signal box sits balanced atop a recess in a brick faced retaining wall beyond the west end of the station up side. It is a lengthy box as seen ...
David Pesterfield 05/09/2012
4 of 12 images. more






A view looking south west from Ffordd Caergybi / Holyhead Road on Anglesey, along the Menai Straits in 1988, to the lengthy Britannia Bridge that ...
David Pesterfield 26/03/1988
About to cross the Britannia Bridge over the Menai Strait westbound on 29 May 2013. Originally a tubular bridge designed by Robert Stephenson, it was ...
John McIntyre 29/05/2013
2 of 2 images.


Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll with 158836 on the 15:38 Holyhead to Birmingham International
...
Stephen Willetts 09/10/2023
You have more time to grab a shot of this station sign than most on the network. ...
John Yellowlees 03/07/2017
Snapshot from a passing train of *that station sign* taken on 10th April 2012. ...
Colin McDonald 10/04/2012
153313 makes for Holyhead at the unpronounceable Llanfair PG on 11th July 1996.
...
Graeme Blair 11/07/1996
4 of 5 images. more


Passing Gaerwen SB, Anglesey, on a westbound train in May 2013. This was the junction of the branch to Amlwch and although the track is still in place ...
John McIntyre 29/05/2013
1 of 1 images.












Arriva Trains Wales 175003 leaves Valley station some 12 minutes late on the 14.00 service to Holyhead, ex Cardiff Central, on 23 July 2014. ...
David Pesterfield 23/07/2014
View east from the level crossing by Valley station in July 2014, showing the up side west to north spur giving access to the nuclear flask loading ...
David Pesterfield 23/07/2014
Valley station looking west towards Holyhead in July 2014 showing the original up side building and signal box. The box controls the level crossing, ...
David Pesterfield 23/07/2014
View from the A5 at Valley through the vehicle entrance to the flask rail loading sidings for Wylfa nuclear power station located on Anglesey's north ...
David Pesterfield 23/07/2014
4 of 4 images.






A blast from the recent past. An Arriva Trains Wales, Holyhead Depot labelled, Hi-Viz given to my wife when she was assisting me carrying out survey ...
David Pesterfield 23/07/2014
47245 rests before its journey back to London Euston from Holyhead with the 'Steam Dreams' excursion on 6th June 2019. ...
John Steven 06/06/2019
45690 'Leander', prepares for the journey back to Crewe from Holyhead, its part of the 'Steam Dreams' outing from London Euston to Holyhead, 6th June ...
John Steven 06/06/2019
A view south over Holyhead station from the Celtic Gateway Bridge in May 2013 with 47580 having arrived with a railtour from Southport. ...
John McIntyre 29/05/2013
4 of 23 images. more