Port Dinorwic railway station explained

Port Dinorwic
Status:Disused
Borough:Port Dinorwic, Gwynedd
Country:Wales
Coordinates:53.1855°N -4.205°W
Platforms:2
Original:Bangor and Carnarvon Railway
Pregroup:London and North Western Railway
Postgroup:London, Midland and Scottish Railway
Years:1852
Events:Opened
Years1:1874
Events1:Closed and replacement opened
Years2:1960
Events2:Closed to passengers
Years3:1964
Events3:Closed to all traffic

Port Dinorwic railway station was the name of two railway stations located on the Bangor and Carnarvon Railway near the village of Port Dinorwic (now Y Felinheli), Gwynedd, Wales. The first station was opened in 1852 and closed in 1874.[1] A replacement station with the same name was opened later in 1874. This closed to passengers in 1960 and to all traffic in 1964.[2]

The stations were not the first in the village. Previously a small station for goods only was opened in 1824 on the Dinorwic Railway,[3] which was later replaced by the 1842 Padarn Railway.[4] These were built to take slate from the Dinorwic Quarry to the village. The new station of 1852 however connected local residents to passenger services throughout the country.

The line through the 1852 station was doubled in 1872.[5] and it was decided to demolish it and build a new replacement on a site 200 yards to the south, nearer the village. This station was far more substantial with a two-storey yellow brick station building, ticket office, waiting room and toilets. The second (down) platform was connected by an underpass to the first and had a yellow brick shelter on it. A small signal box was found close by.[6]

The main station building is still in existence and was Grade II listed in 1997.[7]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/p/port_dinorwic/index2.shtml 1st station page on disused-stations.org.uk
  2. http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/p/port_dinorwic/ 2nd station page on disused-stations.org.uk
  3. http://www.llechicymru.info/ITransport.english.htm Mention of the Dinorwic Railway on a Welsh slate mining website
  4. http://www.penmorfa.com/Slate/padarn-railway.htm Information on the Padarn Railway on the Penmorfa website
  5. Jones, Mark: Lost Railways of North Wales, page 152. Countryside Books, 2008
  6. http://www.2d53.co.uk/SecApp/trkPSPD.htm Website listing many signal boxes in the UK
  7. http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-18341-former-railway-station-y-felinheli#.VqoBqE_S7cs The station's listed building entry on the register