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Notes: Menai Bridge Station was opened on the 1st October 1858 by the Chester and Holyhead Railway Company. The station was a replacement for an earlier short lived station called Britannia Bridge. The station was located at the point where the Chester and Holyhead line, opened at this point on the 18th March 1850, had a junction with the Bangor and Caernarvon Railway, which had opened throughout on the 1st July 1852. The Caernarvon line had been transferred to the Chester & Holyhead Railway Company on 10th July 1854.
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The station was provided with four platform faces. Two platforms catered for the line to Holyhead and two catered for the line to Caernarvon (Modern name Caernarfon) . The eastbound platform on the Caernarfon line and the westbound platform on the Holyhead line came together as an island platform. The main station building was a substantial brick built |
structure and was located on the eastbound platform on the Holyhead line. An awning was provided on the island platform and a brick built waiting shelter was located on the westbound Caernarfon platform. The station was also provided with goods faculties at its east end.
| Menai Bridge Station was located close to the famous Britannia Tubular Bridge which was designed by Robert Stephenson and which carried the Chester to Holyhead line across the Menai straights which divide North Wales from the Isle of Anglesey. The first train to cross the bridge was driven by Stephenson himself on the 5th March 1850. It opened for public train |
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services on the 18th March 1850. On the 1st of January 1859 the Chester and Holyhead Railway company was absorbed into the LNWR.
From the start the station would have been served by trains running between Chester and Holyhead and between Bangor and Caernarfon. The station was also a useful interchange point for passengers travelling from Anglesey towards Caernarfon. Otherwise though it was in a fairly remote location. Menai Bridge Station closed to passenger services on the 14th February 1966.
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In 1966 the Caernarfon line was singled and on the 4th August 1969 it closed to goods services. On the 5th January 1970 the line also closed to Passenger services. It was brought back into use for container traffic after the 23rd May 1970. The reason for this was the disastrous fire that swept through the Britannia Bridge during the night of the 23rd May 1970. Two |
young boys had carelessly caused a fire that left Anglesey cut of from the mainland as far as rail services were concerned. The bridge was repaired and re-opened on the 30th January 1972. After that date the Caernarfon line closed for good and was lifted.
Although the Chester to Holyhead line is still very much present all signs of the station have been swept away.
For a full history of the Chester - Holyhead line see the North Wales Coast Railway web site
Further reading: The Chester & Holyhead Railway by Peter E. Baughan (1972) - Volume 1 & 2, Published by David & Charles ISBN 10-0715356178 and Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain Vol. 11, North & Mid Wales by P.E. Baughan, published by David & Charles (1991) ISBN-10: 0946537593. Tickets from Michael Stewart
To see other stations on the Chester - Holyhead line click on the station name: Sandycroft, Queensferry, Connahs Quay, Bagillt, Holywell Junction, Mostyn, Talacre, Prestatyn (1st site), Prestatyn (2nd site and Dystrth branch platform), Foryd, Llandulas, Llysfaen, Old Colwyn, Mochdre & Pabo, Llandudno Junction (1st site), Conway, Conway Marsh, Llanfairfechan, Aber, Britannia Bridge, Gaerwen & Valley
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