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Holyhead railway station

Coordinates: 53°18′29″N 4°37′52″W / 53.308°N 4.631°W / 53.308; -4.631
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Holyhead

Welsh: Caergybi
National Rail
General information
LocationHolyhead, Anglesey
Wales
Coordinates53°18′29″N 4°37′52″W / 53.308°N 4.631°W / 53.308; -4.631
Grid referenceSH247822
Owned byNetwork Rail
Managed byTransport for Wales Rail
Platforms3
Other information
Station codeHHD
ClassificationDfT category E
History
Original companyChester and Holyhead Railway
Pre-groupingLondon and North Western Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
1 August 1848 (1848-08-01)First station opened
15 May 1851Station resited
1 January 1866Station resited
Passengers
2018/19Decrease 0.217 million
2019/20Decrease 0.206 million
2020/21Decrease 44,462
2021/22Increase 0.139 million
2022/23Increase 0.202 million
Listed Building – Grade II
FeatureTrain Shed at Holyhead Station
Designated25 July 1994
Reference no.14739[1]
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road
Holyhead Ferry Terminal and Holyhead Railway Station

Holyhead railway station (Welsh: Gorsaf reilffordd Caergybi) serves the Welsh town of Holyhead (Welsh: Caergybi) on Holy Island, Anglesey. The station is the western terminus of the North Wales Main Line 105+1⁄2 miles (170 km) west of Crewe and is managed by Transport for Wales Rail. It connects with the Port of Holyhead ferry terminal. The station is connected to the town centre by a stainless steel pedestrian/cycle bridge named The Celtic Gateway (Welsh: Porth Celtaidd).

History

[edit]
The 3.15 p.m. Irish Boat Train in Holyhead station, 1905
Holyhead station in September 1967 under British Rail.

The first station in Holyhead was opened by the Chester and Holyhead Railway on 1 August 1848, but this was replaced by the second on 15 May 1851.[2]

The present station was opened by the London and North Western Railway on 17 January 1866[2] and still retains its overall roof. It is believed to be the longest train shed in Wales.[1] It originally had four platforms, but only three are currently in use, the track to the former platform three having been lifted. The station approach contains a Grade II listed clock turret[3] which was unveiled on 17 June 1878 by Albert Edward, Prince of Wales to mark completion of old harbour extension. The clock is by J. B. Joyce & Co of Whitchurch.

Platform one on the western side of the station is separated from the other two by the ferry terminal buildings and inner harbour and is the one normally used by Avanti West Coast services to London Euston. Most Transport for Wales DMU services use platform two. Platform three is outside the train shed and is used by the early morning Premier Service to Cardiff Central, plus a few other trains at busy periods. There are carriage sidings and servicing facilities alongside platform one, whilst platform three also has an engine release line & run-round loop available.

A rail-served container terminal next to the station closed in 1991 when the traffic transferred to Liverpool.[4] It has since been demolished and is now used as a car parking area for the Stena Line ferry service.[5]

Passenger ships previously used to berth in the inner harbour next to Platform 1, this ceased when the port was re-developed. Stena Line built an administration building between platforms 1 and 2 in the early 1990s.

Stationmasters

[edit]
  • Charles Massingberd 1848 - 1879[6]
  • William Guest 1879 - 1906[7]
  • Joseph Jones until 1912[8] (afterwards station master at London Euston)
  • Andrew William Taylor 1912[9] - 1913 (formerly station master at Flint, afterwards station master at Wigan)
  • Hugh Morgan 1913 - 1936[10]
  • H.W. Smith 1936 - 1942 [11]

Facilities

[edit]
Interior of the joint railway station and ferry terminal

The station is fully staffed, with the ticket office in the main ferry terminal being staffed seven days a week. Self-service ticket machines are also provided. The terminal offers covered waiting accommodation, a payphone, a photo booth, a left luggage office, toilets, shops, and a cafe. Train running details are offered via digital information screens, timetable posters and automated announcements. Step-free access is available to all platforms.[12]

Services

[edit]
Stena House and Platform 2

Holyhead is served by a basic Transport for Wales hourly service throughout the week (although less frequently on winter Sundays) to Shrewsbury with services continuing to Birmingham International and Cardiff Central on alternate hours. A limited number of trains (mostly early morning and late evening) run to/from Crewe, whilst two services operate to Manchester Piccadilly on weekdays only. On Sundays, most services run to/from Crewe, with a limited number of trains to Birmingham, Cardiff and Manchester.[13]

Avanti West Coast operate services to London Euston and Crewe via the West Coast Main Line. On weekdays, there are 4 trains per day to London Euston, as well as 3 trains per day which run only as far as Crewe. On Saturdays, there are 3 trains per day to London Euston and 1 train to Crewe, and on Sundays there are 3 trains per day to London Euston.[14]

Holyhead station adjoins the Port of Holyhead, where sailings to Dublin are operated by Irish Ferries and Stena Line. Up to September 2014 Stena Line operated a high-speed service to Dún Laoghaire, a suburb 12km south of Dublin City Centre.

Preceding station   National Rail National Rail   Following station
Transport for Wales RailTerminus
Transport for Wales RailTerminus
Avanti West CoastTerminus
"boat icon" Ferry services
Terminus   Irish Ferries
Ferry 		  Dublin Port
Terminus   Irish Ferries
high-speed catamaran 		  Dublin Port
Terminus   Stena Line
Ferry 		  Dublin Port

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Cadw. "Train Shed at Holyhead Station (14739)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 122. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
  3. ^ Cadw. "Clock Turret in Station Approach (14735)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  4. ^ Holyhead, 23 December 1980 www.2D53.co.uk; Retrieved 2013-08-05
  5. ^ Freightliners to Holyhead 1971 - 1991 www.penmorfa.com; Retrieved 2013-08-05
  6. ^ "1889-1897 Coaching". London and North Western Railway: 473. 1833. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Social and Personal". Denbighshire Free Press. England. 17 November 1906. Retrieved 23 August 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Mr. Joseph Jones". North Bucks Times and County Observer. England. 6 July 1912. Retrieved 23 August 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Stafford Station Master". Staffordshire Sentinel. England. 22 June 1912. Retrieved 23 August 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Railway Official Retiring". Belfast News-Letter. England. 30 April 1936. Retrieved 23 August 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "L.M.S.Appointments". Nottingham Evening Post. England. 13 June 1942. Retrieved 23 August 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ Holyhead station facilities National Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 14 March 2017
  13. ^ GB eNRT May 2019 Edition, Table 81
  14. ^ "Avanti West Coast Timetable 15 May 2022 - 11 September 2022" (PDF).

Further reading

[edit]
  • Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (2011). Bangor to Holyhead. West Sussex: Middleton Press. figs. 61-78. ISBN 9781908174017. OCLC 795179106.
  • Allen, David (21 October – 3 November 1998). "Seaside signalling in North Wales". RAIL. No. 342. EMAP Apex Publications. pp. 40–42. ISSN 0953-4563. OCLC 49953699.
  • "Holyhead station's £3m repairs on schedule". RAIL. No. 343. EMAP Apex Publications. 4–17 November 1998. p. 11. ISSN 0953-4563. OCLC 49953699.
[edit]
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