Station Name: TALACRE

[Source: Paul Wright]

Date opened: 1.5.1903
Location: West side of Station Road
Company on opening: London & North Western Railway
Date closed to passengers: 14.2.1966
Date closed completely: 14.2.1966
Company on closing: British Railways (London Midland Region)
Present state: Platforms extant
County: Flintshire
OS Grid Ref: SJ116839
Date of visit: July 2006, 3.2.2008 and 29.8.2021

Notes: Talacre station was opened by the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) on 1 May 1903. The station was situated on the Chester and Holyhead railway which had opened in stages between 1848 and 1850. It was located close the point where the River Dee enters the Irish Sea at Point of Ayr. By the start of the 20th century the Sandy beaches of this location had become a popular holiday destination, especially with the populations of Liverpool and Manchester which were easily accessible by train. Numerous camping grounds had opened up in the area and Talacre station was opened specifically to cater for this traffic.

By 1903 the section of line through Talacre was a quadruple track railway but the new station was provided with only two platforms on the ‘up’ (Holyhead direction) and the ‘down’ (Chester direction) slow lines. There was no need to have platforms on the fast lines as express services did not need to call at Talacre.

Originally the platforms were of timber construction being replaced by concrete later in the century.

Access was via steps that connected to Station Road (presumably renamed when the station opened) which passed over the line to the east of the station (in the 19th century the road had passed over the line via a level crossing a little further to the east).

The station was provided with goods facilities which were located on the east side of the overbridge.

Just to the east of the station lay the Point of Ayr Colliery. Opened in the 1880s it was initially served by coastal ships but in April 1909 sidings were opened on the north side of the line so that coal could be moved by rail. The sidings were controlled by Point of Ayr signalbox which opened at the same time.

Talacre station would have been at its busiest in the summer months during the holiday season.

In 1923 the station became part of the London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) and from 1 January 1948 British Railways London Midland Region (BR[LMR]).

The station closed to public goods services on 4 May 1964 and completely on 14 February 1966.

The buildings were demolished but both platforms were extant in September 2021.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS OF THE POINT OF AYR COLLIERY SIDINGS

Tickets from Michael Stewart. Route map by Alan Young

Sources:

  • Baughan, P A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain Volume II - North & Mid Wales (David & Charles, 1980)
  • Johnson, S Johnson's Atlas & Gazetteer of The Railways of Ireland (Midland Publishing, 1997)
  • Quick, M Railway Passenger stations in great Britain - A Chronology (RCHS, 2009)

To see other stations on the Chester - Holyhead line click on the station name: Sandycroft, Queensferry, Connahs Quay, Bagillt, Holywell Junction, Mostyn, 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, Menai Bridge, Britannia Bridge, Gaerwen & Valley


Talacre station looking west in the 1950s. The view was taken from the entrance to the up platform. Both platforms were reached by a set of steps that connected to Station Road. The space between the up and the down lines suggests that the LNWR had intended to provide an island platform at some point to serve the fast lines. A task that was never carried out.
Photo from the John Mann Collection


Talacre station shown on a 25-inch scale map from 1913. Talacre was provided with goods facilities in the form of a siding which can be seen to the east of the road overbridge. Access to the siding was via the course of the original road which had been diverted onto a bridge when the line was quadrupled. Click here to see a larger version of the map.

A view of Talacre station looking west shortly after closure. The station nameboards have been removed and furniture such as benches had been taken away.

On 9 July 1991 an up express service is seen passing through Talacre station. The express is passing a coal train which is standing at the up platform waiting to go into Point of Ayr Colliery.
Photo by Dave Sallery

Talacre station looking west on 29 August 2021. By this time the down platform had become obscurred by vegetation.
Photo by Paul Wright
Click here to see more photos

 

 

 

[Source: Paul Wright]




Last updated: Monday, 02-Jan-2023 15:40:49 CET
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