Disused Stations: Vaynol Tunnel

[Source:Les Fifoot & Paul Wright]

Vaynol tunnel was situated on the Menai Bridge - Afon Wen line that opened in stages between 1852 and 1871. The tunnel was just to the south of Treborth station on a section of the line that was opened between Menai Bridge and Caernarfon by the Bangor and Carnarvon Railway (B&CR) on 1 July 1852.

Originally the B&CR was a single track railway so a single bore tunnel of 497yds was provided ay Vaynol. In 1871 by which time the line had become part of the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) authorisation was given to double the line. A second bore was dug to the east of the original also of 497yds. The second bore became the 'down' line (Afon Wen direction) and the original tunnel the 'up' line (Menai Bridge direction).

Both tunnels remained in use until 1966 when the line between Menai Bridge and Caernarfon was singled. The 1871 LNWR bore lost its track and the original Vaynol tunnel reverted to being a bi-directional single bore.

The line closed completely in January 1972 and the track was lifted shortly after.

The southern end of the Vaynol tunnels became the home of the Bangor Rifle Club whilst the northern end became a mushroom farm.

Sources:

From Chester to Holyhead: The Branch Lines – B Rear - OPC 2003

See also: Treborth station

The southern portals of the Vaynol tunnel seen on 4 October 1952. The 11.20am Bangor to Pwllheli service had just passed through the 1871 bore. The train was being hauled by locomotive number 42157 which was built by the fledgling British Railways in July 1948 at Derby Works, this Fairburn designed 2-6-4 tank had a working life of only 15 years when it was withdrawn from 2F, Woodford Halse on 20 July 1963. It was cut up that November at Crewe works. A class of 277 locos, they were a Fairburn development of the Stanier design and two of these locos are preserved, 42073 and 42085.
Photo by Bill Rear

The northern portals of the Vaynol tunnels. The bore to the right was built by the Bangor and Carnarvon Railway and dates from 1852 when the line opened a a single track route. The bore to the left was built by the LNWR for the doubling of the line in 1871.

[Source:Les Fifoot & Paul Wright]

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