Bangor - Eastern Approaches

The approach to Bangor from the east is very rural as the line cuts across two valleys with the help of two tunnels and viaducts. The shots below were taken in the Cegin valley - once the location for two branch line connections to Bethesda and Port Penrhyn. Interestingly, this section of line was not part of the original proposals for the route between Chester and Holyhead, which was to follow the coast from Aber to the Menai Bridge.

47191 at Bangor 14/05/77 (s1021.jpg)

47191 approaches Bangor on the 14th May 1977 hauling the 1D59 13:00 London Euston to Holyhead. The flat ground in the foreground is the course of the Bethesda branch, and the loco is passing the site of Bethesda Junction signal box.

47456 at Bangor 14/05/77 (s1022.jpg)

Shortly afterwards, 47456 thunders out of Bangor tunnel heading in the opposite direction with the 1J53 17:00 SO Holyhead-Manchester Victoria. The Bethesda branch closed to passengers in 1951 and freight in 1963.

40099 at Bangor 05/09/81 (s2532.jpg)

On the other side of the Cegin valley, 40099 emerges from Llandegai tunnel hauling the 1D21 15:42 Manchester Victoria to Bangor on 5th September 1981. It is passing the site of Penrhyn Siding signal box - the siding itself and the line down to Port Penrhyn was on this side of the line. This line also closed in 1963.

25042 at Bangor 09/09/81 (s2534.jpg)

Four days later, 25042 is seen between Bangor and Llandegai tunnels on the IJ30 11:12 Bangor to Manchester Victoria - part of the same diagram as the train above. My notes show that 25042 had replaced a failed loco at Warrington on the previous working from Manchester. The rear of the train is on the Cegin viaduct - an 8 arch structure almost invisible amongst trees. The signal is Bangor's down distant. The photograph is taken from a disused farm crossing which stood very near the running lines.