Notes: Prestatyn 2nd station is on the route of the Chester & Holyhead Railway which opened in stages between 1 May 1848 and 18 March 1850; the C&HR was absorbed into the London & North Western Railway on 1 January 1859.

From the outset Prestatyn was provided with a station. When built the line was double-track, but by the end of the 19th century traffic had risen to such a level that there was a need to quadruple. In most cases stations were altered to accommodate the extra tracks, but at Prestatyn a new station was provided: Prestatyn 2nd station opened on 28 February 1897, and the original

Prestatyn 2nd Station opened on the 28th of February 1897 and the original Prestatyn Station was closed. The new station was a typical LNWR one of the period. It was immediately west of the original station and had four platform faces, two of which were on an island platform. The platforms were of timber construction and very long. A bridge passed over the station at approximately its midpoint. Station buildings housing all of the usual facilities were located on each platform east of the road overbridge. They were timber-built and included canopies. A footbridge, located at the eastern end of the station, provided a link between the platforms, which were numbered 1 to 4. Platform 1 was on the south side of the line, 2 and 3 on the island platform and 4 on the north side of the line. Platforms 1 and 2 served westbound trains whilst 3 and 4 served trains going east.

There was a small goods yard east of the station, on the south side. There were two sidings and a loop. One siding passed a loading dock before entering a goods shed; the shorter second siding ended end on to the dock. There was a 1 ton 10 cwt crane in the yard.

The station was served by a variety of long distance and local trains to destinations including London and the major cities of the north-west and the midlands. During the summer months Prestatyn was extremely busy as the town had developed into a popular tourist destination.

To the west of Prestatyn 2nd station there was a junction with a line that went south to Dyserth which trailed in from the south and joined the main line in a west-facing direction. It opened on 1 September 1869 as a goods-only route, but on 26 August 1905 the LNWR introduced a passenger service between Prestatyn 2nd station and Dyserth. The service was

When the line opened, there were 14 trains in each direction but no Sunday service. By 1922 the frequency had increased, with 16 trains in each direction Monday - Friday (one down train did not call at intermediate stations) with 15 on Saturdays.

By 1920 the low level platform for the Dyserth branch had been replaced with a bay platform at the western end of platform 1, the buffer stops being adjacent to the road overbridge on its western side. Also by this time the Dyserth railmotor had been replaced with locomotives and coaches that could [free platform ticket]   operate in push-and-pull mode.

On 1st January 1923 the LNWR became part of the London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS). In September 1930 the LMS discontinued the Dyserth Branch passenger service. The loss of the traffic had little effect on Prestatyn station, which, during the summer of 1932, was served by a regular service of stopping trains between Chester and Rhyl and trains to Bangor, Carnarvon, Derby, Liverpool, Llandudno, Manchester and Oldham. 

On 1 January 1948 Prestatyn 2nd station became part of the nationalised British Railways’ London Midland Region. By the 1950s the timber platforms had been replaced with concrete structures but the buildings remained unaltered. The station remained busy throughout the 1950s. During that decade a Pontins Holiday Camp opened at Prestatyn which generated

The former platforms 1 and 4 survived intact until the latter part of 2010 when the station was refurbished. At this time the sections of former platforms 1 and 4 east of the road overbridge were demolished. In 2011 Prestatyn continued to be served by both local and long distance trains. Regular services ran to Holyhead, Llandudno, Chester, Manchester, Crewe and London.

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.

Dyserth branch

Sources:

• From Chester to Holyhead The Branch Lines by Bill Rear
  
• Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology by Michael Quick (Railway & Canal Historical Society 2009)
• Clinker’s Register of Closed Passenger Stations and Goods Depots by C R Clinker (Pub: Avon Anglia 1978)

Further reading: The Prestatyn and Dyserth branch line by Stephen P. Goodall (Oakwood Press 1986) ISBN-13: 978-0853613138.
Other web site: www.dyserth.com web site for a feature on the Dyserth branch with more photos.
Click here to see a 4 minute film of a DMU railtour to the Dyserth branch in 1968.

To see other stations on the Chester - Holyhead line click on the station name: Sandycroft, Queensferry, Connahs Quay, Bagillt, Holywell Junction, Mostyn, Talacre, Foryd, Llandulas, Llysfaen, Old Colwyn, Mochdre & Pabo, Llandudno Junction (1st site), Conway, Conway Marsh, Llanfairfechan, Aber, Menai Bridge, Britannia Bridge, Gaerwen & Valley

Dyserth branch: Chapel Street, Woodland Park, St. Melyd Gold Links, Meliden, Alt-y-Graig & Dyserth