Index
- Chester to Holyhead Home
- Chester
- Saltney Ferry
- Sandycroft
- Queensferry
- Shotton
- Connahs Quay
- Flint
- Bagillt
- Holywell Junction
- Mostyn
- Talacre
- Prestatyn
- Rhyl
- Foryd
- Abergele and Pensarn
- Llandulas
- Llysfaen
- Old Colwyn
- Colwyn Bay
- Mochdre and Pabo
- Llandudno Junction
- Conwy
- Conway Marsh
- Penmaenmawr
- Llanfairfechan
- Aber
- Bangor
- Menai Bridge
- Britannia Bridge
- Llanfairpwll
- Gaerwen
- Bodorgan
- Ty Croes
- Rhosneigr
- Valley
- Holyhead
Chester to Holyhead Railway
(1848 - )
The Chester and Holyhead Railway was an early railway company conceived to improve transmission of Government dispatches between London and Ireland, as well as ordinary railway objectives
In January 1840, the British Government was considering the matter, and were given strong advice that Holyhead was the only suitable North Wales harbour, and that a line there from Chester was the best option
The works on the line were always expected to be difficult, and progress was slow. In 1848, it was decided to open from Chester to Bangor. The line on Anglesey from Llanfair to Holyhead was opened to public traffic on 1 August 1848 but the Britannia Bridge was not open until March 18 1850. The 85 mile long line was now complete
On the night of 23 May 1970, a fire took hold in the Britannia Bridge. The fire was very severe, and so intense that the main tubes buckled and were unusable. The line had to be closed at that point. A new bridge superstructure was designed, capable of carrying rail and road traffic on separate levels using the original foundations. The crossing was reopened to rail traffic on January 30 1972, and to road traffic in 1980
When the line was built, the dominant business was expected to be the Irish mail but E H W Gardiner wrote in 1938
Nevertheless the traffic on the line has grown to enormous proportions, but for reasons very different from those foreseen in 1848. The growth of the seaside holiday resorts of Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, and of Llandudno, and later of many smaller places, stretching from Prestatyn in Flintshire to Portmadoc on Cardigan Bay, has made the old Chester & Holyhead one of the busiest holiday lines in Britain
The 1938 Bradshaw shows an extraordinary number of trains on the line: on summer Saturdays 78 long distance trains passed through Chester to North Wales, together with 24 local or stopping trains
In January 1840, the British Government was considering the matter, and were given strong advice that Holyhead was the only suitable North Wales harbour, and that a line there from Chester was the best option
The works on the line were always expected to be difficult, and progress was slow. In 1848, it was decided to open from Chester to Bangor. The line on Anglesey from Llanfair to Holyhead was opened to public traffic on 1 August 1848 but the Britannia Bridge was not open until March 18 1850. The 85 mile long line was now complete
On the night of 23 May 1970, a fire took hold in the Britannia Bridge. The fire was very severe, and so intense that the main tubes buckled and were unusable. The line had to be closed at that point. A new bridge superstructure was designed, capable of carrying rail and road traffic on separate levels using the original foundations. The crossing was reopened to rail traffic on January 30 1972, and to road traffic in 1980
When the line was built, the dominant business was expected to be the Irish mail but E H W Gardiner wrote in 1938
Nevertheless the traffic on the line has grown to enormous proportions, but for reasons very different from those foreseen in 1848. The growth of the seaside holiday resorts of Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, and of Llandudno, and later of many smaller places, stretching from Prestatyn in Flintshire to Portmadoc on Cardigan Bay, has made the old Chester & Holyhead one of the busiest holiday lines in Britain
The 1938 Bradshaw shows an extraordinary number of trains on the line: on summer Saturdays 78 long distance trains passed through Chester to North Wales, together with 24 local or stopping trains
| Station name | Opened | Closed to passengers |
Goods closed |
| Chester | May 1848 | ||
| Saltney Ferry | Jan 1891 | Apl 1962 | |
| Sandycroft | Mar 1884 | May 1961 | May 1961 |
| Queensferry | May 1848 | Feb 1966 | May 1964 |
| Shotton | Apl 1867 | Aug 1972 | |
| Connahs Quay | Sep 1870 | Feb 1966 | Nov 1952 |
| Flint | May 1848 | ||
| Bagillt | Jan 1849 | Feb 1966 | May 1964 |
| Holywell Junction | May 1848 | Feb 1966 | Feb 1966 |
| Mostyn | May 1848 | Feb 1966 | May 1964 |
| Talacre | May 1903 | Feb 1966 | May 1964 |
| Prestatyn | May 1848 | ||
| Rhyl | May 1848 | ||
| Foryd | Apl 1885 | 1931 | |
| Abergele & Pensarn | May 1848 | ||
| Llandulas | Jul 1889 | Dec 1952 | |
| Llysfaen | Aug 1862 | Jan 1931 | Jan 1931 |
| Old Colwyn | May 1884 | Dec 1952 | May 1964 |
| Colwyn Bay | Oct 1849 | ||
| Mochdre & Pabo | Apl 1889 | Jun 1931 | |
| Llandudno Junction | Oct 1858 | ||
| Conwy | May 1848 | ||
| Conway Marsh | 1895 | 1929 | |
| Penmaenmawr | Nov 1849 | ||
| Llanfairfechan | May 1860 | Jun 1964 | |
| Aber | May 1848 | Sep 1960 | May 1964 |
| Bangor | May 1848 | ||
| Menai Bridge | Oct 1858 | Feb 1966 | Mar 1968 |
| Britannia Bridge | Jul 1851 | Oct 1858 | |
| Llanfairpwll | Jan 1848 | ||
| Gaerwen | Jan 1849 | Feb 1966 | |
| Bodorgan | May 1849 | Dec 1964 | |
| Ty Croes | Nov 1848 | 1964 | |
| Rhosneigr | May 1907 | ||
| Valley | Jun 1849 | ||
| Holyhead | May 1851 | 1991 |
