Bangor - George Crossing

Leaving Bangor through Belmont Tunnel, the railway emerges at the south-western end of Menai Woods, and heads parallel to the Holyhead Road towards the Menai bridges. I always knew this location as George Crossing, and indeed there is a Chester and Holyhead Railway crossing keeper's house here. It's not clear when the crossing went out of use, but it seems to have been replaced by the adjacent overbridge on an 1890 OS map I've seen. The 'George' refers to the nearby George Hotel, once the residence for Telford during his bridge building exploits in the 1820s, but converted to a college by 1919. It seems remarkable that this name had remained in use so long after the demise of the crossing and hotel.

DMU at George Crossing 20/04/76 (s0474.jpg)

On the 20th April 1976, a 6-car Metro-Cammell DMU works 2D94, the 14:38 all-stations from Bangor to Holyhead. Mondays to Fridays this was the Holyhead connection from the 10:00 Euston to Bangor, hence the need for 6 coaches.

47481 at George Crossing 28/08/79 (s2002.jpg)

A sequence of Boat Trains is seen passing. Firstly 47481 heads the 10:00 Euston to Holyhead, 1D42. The signal on the left is BR57, installed in 1972-3, 1058 yards from the Bangor home signal. 28th August 1979.

40012 at George Crossing 28/08/79 (s2003.jpg)

Almost immediately, 40012 passes in the opposite direction on 1A52, the 12:46 from Holyhead to Euston, running about 40 minutes late. Visible in the distance above the train is the Antelope Inn, and behind that, hidden by trees, is the site of Menai Bridge station. 28th August 1979.

47445 at George Crossing 28/08/79 (s2004.jpg)

Once again from the Bangor direction, 47445 hauls 1D43, the 10:05 from Euston to Holyhead on the 28th August 1979. On the left is the former crossing keeper's house. The 'George' is off to the left, down towards the Menai Straits, and site of a one-time ferry to Porthaethwy (Menai Bridge).