Some Early Lines, Old Railway Companies, Bangor & Caernarfon Railway

Some Early Lines

Old Railway Companies

Bangor & Caernarfon  Railway

Incorporated on 20 May 1851 to build between the two towns, the junction with the Chester & Holyhead Railway, which was authorised to work the line, was actually a Menai Bridge. It was an 8.5 single line, with a one-mile branch to Port Dinorwic (Y Felinheli), which opened on 1 March 1852 for goods. The line opened throughout for passengers on 1 July and for goods on 10 August. Agreement to lease the line to the Chester & Holyhead Railway for 999 years was made with effect from 1 July 1852, but the Company was instead transferred by an Act on 10 July 1854; dissolution was delayed until 15 July 1867. The line was doubled in 1872, re-singled in 1966, and closed to goods on 4 August 1969, though there was a respite when Caernarfon became a temporary freight terminal during the rebuilding of the Britannia Bridge in 1970-72.

The old Britannia Bridge on a postcard from the private collection of Jochem Hollestelle

Andrew Dixon.
Location: Britannia Bridge taken from the Nelson memorial on the Menai Strait, Anglesey – 2005

Britannia Bridge is a bridge across the Menai Strait between the island of Anglesey and the mainland of Wales. It was originally designed and built by Robert Stephenson as a tubular bridge of wrought iron rectangular box-section spans for carrying rail traffic. Following a fire in 1970 it was rebuilt as a two-tier steel truss arch bridge, carrying both road and rail traffic.

A view looking west from the island platform at Menai Bridge in August 1964. The goods train is standing at the up Afon Wen line platform which was used by passenger services travelling towards Bangor. To the left can be seen the down Afon Wen line platform. The platform that can be seen to the right served trains travelling towards Holyhead.
Photo by Bevan Price

JOHN POWELL COLLECTION
http://www.6g.nwrail.org.uk640 × 452Search by image
Caernarfon Station, 10th August 1962. Engine No 42487 arrives with a train for Afonwen.

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.

 

News – July 2011

News

 Cannock Chase Mining Historical Society

Peter R.Lewis 2005 – Longton on Tern Aquaduct
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 License.

On Wednesday 13^th July, the Society held its third talk of the year at the Museum of Cannock Chase.  The subject on this occasion was ‘The Life of Thomas Telford’, given by Richard Bifield.  It was a very informative and entertaining talk – as they always are – and well received by the members and non-members alike.The Pontcysyllte Aquaduct on the Llangollen Canal, Denbighshire, Wales. Photographed by Adrian Pingstone on June 30th 2008

Unfortunately, the Chairman, Alan Dean, had been admitted to hospital on Tuesday so could not be there.  We send Alan and Margaret our best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Menai Suspension Bridge. By Mick Knapton 25-12-2004
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 License.   Menai Bridge

 The final talk of the year will be on Wednesday, 19^th October, 2011, at 3.00pm at the Museum of Cannock Chase – all welcome, on the subject of the ‘Restoration of the Hatherton Canal’ by Bob Williams.

Hatherton Canal – Waterscape.com

Dobermanns

Occasionally Dobermanns are mentioned in my blog – and seen in photographs – so I thought that I would give the Birmingham & District Dobermann Club a mention, (I am an Honorary Life Member and a former Chairman) as they have recently changed venue.  The Club can now be found at Walsall Wood Methodist Church, Lichfield Road, Walsall Wood, WS9 9NP  from 8.00pm till 10.00pm each Tuesday.  Perhaps oakparkrunner will be tempted to rush out a buy a Dobe – the venue is on his doorstep!  But there again, praps not!!