Caernarvon railway station

Caernarvon railway station was a station on the former Bangor and Carnarvon Railway between Caernarfon, Gwynedd and Menai Suspension Bridge near Bangor. The station was closed to all traffic in January 1972. The station has since been demolished and the site redeveloped.

For the modern station in the same town, see Caernarfon railway station.

Caernarvon
The site of the station in 2013
General information
LocationCaernarfon
Wales
Coordinates53.14461°N 4.27145°W / 53.14461; -4.27145
Grid referenceSH 481 632
Platforms5[1]
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyBangor and Carnarvon Railway
Pre-groupingLondon and North Western Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
1 July 1852Opened as Carnarvon[2][3]
27 March 1926Renamed Caernarvon[2][4]
5 January 1970Closed[4]
23 May 1970Temporarily reopened for freight
30 January 1972closed for freight

History

The station, which opened on 1 July 1852, was named "Carnarvon".[2] The town was originally the terminus of the branch line from Menai bridge, later becoming part of the Carnarvonshire Railway. In 1864 the Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway extended the branch line 8 miles (13 km) from Carnarvon station to Llanberis. A 300 yards (270 m) tunnel was constructed just south of the station to carry the new line. The tunnel was reopened in 1995 as a road tunnel.

By 1871 all three original companies were absorbed into the London and North Western Railway. The station was renamed "Caernarvon" on 27 March 1926.[2][4] In 1964 the lines to Afon Wen and Llanberis were closed under the Beeching Axe.[5]

On 5 January 1970, Caernarvon was closed to all services.[4] However following a fire that destroyed the Britannia Bridge over the Menai Straits on 23 May 1970, the branch and goods yard were temporarily reopened for freight traffic until 30 January 1972. The branch line to Caernarvon station was finally closed with the resumption of rail services to Anglesey and Holyhead in February 1972. The track was removed and the station completely demolished. A Morrisons store now occupies the site,[6] having been built under Safeway in the late 80's and opened by the mayor of Caernarfon, and then absorbed into Morrisons after they acquired Safeway in 2004.

Present

The Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) now operates from Caernarfon railway station which uses the original trackbed of the Carnarvonshire Railway just south of the tunnel on St Helen's Road beneath the high retaining walls of Segontium Terrace.

Caernarfon Council have a longer-term plan to reinstate the rail transport link to Bangor. After speculation that the WHR would at some point in time be extended to Bangor, the owner of the WHR (the Ffestiniog Railway) wrote to the council in January 2014 to confirm that they would not themselves be supportive of such a scheme in narrow gauge, but supported the reconnection of the town to the national rail network using standard gauge.[7]

Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Griffith's Crossing   London and North Western Railway
Carnarvonshire Railway		   Dinas Junction
  London and North Western Railway
Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway		   Pont Rug (Halt)

References
  1. "Disused Stations: Caernarvon Station". www.disused-stations.org.uk. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  2. Butt (1995), page 54
  3. Turner 2003, p. 4.
  4. Butt (1995), page 51
  5. Baughan (1988)
  6. Shannon & Hillmer 1999, pp. 16–17.
  7. "Ffestiniog Railway: No plans to extend link from Caernarfon to Bangor". Daily Post. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014.

Sources

Further material
  • Clemens, Jim (2003) [1959-67]. North Wales Steam Lines No. 6 (DVD). Uffington, Shropshire: B&R Video Productions. BRVP No 79.
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