Penmaenmawr Station

One of two small passenger stations between Llandudno Junction and Bangor, Penmaenmawr had a passenger trains roughly every hour. Additionally, the quarry siding despatched two or three trains of railway ballast daily.

25041 at Penmaenmawr 27/07/76 (s0629.jpg)

A glorious summer's day at Penmaenmawr (!), and as my Class 40 hauled train leaves, 25041 is seen at the exit to the quarry sidings along with a number of engineers vehicles. The lampposts on the platform (with their tiny nameboards) date from 1970 when they replaced gas lighting.

DMU at Penmaenmawr 23/09/76 (s0735.jpg)

Metro Cammell DMU M56055 forms the rear carriage of a train for Bangor as it leaves Penmaenmawr station on the 23rd September 1976. The quarry sidings are suprisingly empty. The large stone wall between the sidings had once carried narrow gauge wagons from the quarry who's contents would be tipped into the wagons in the standard gauge sidings.

40087 at Penmaenmawr 28/09/76 (s0750.jpg)

40087 is preparing to work 7F60, the 10:13 Penmaenmawr to St. Helens CCE Depot on 28th September 1976. This was a daily "Mandatory" working. In addition there were "Conditional" and trip workings that took ballast from these sidings. Notable is the open view of the sea behind, before the A55 expressway was built.

47446 at Penmaenmawr 06/01/77 (s0872.jpg)

47446 passes Penmaenmawr on a passenger working on the 6th January 1977. Of greater interest is the sight, between loco and signal box, of a ship at the quarry jetty. I was oblivious to this at the time, but a correspondent, Neil Burns, has identified this as vessel 'Raynestone', working between here and Liverpool. Interestingly, the excellent 'Penmaenmawr - Rails of Granite' by Mike Hitches states that sea-borne traffic ended in the summer of 1976, but this shot contradicts this.

40171 at Penmaenmawr 10/09/81 (s2538.jpg)

40171 passes Penmaenmawr on the morning trip freight from Amlwch. By this time, (10th September 1981) there had been a notable change, with Class 40s appearing on the trip freight workings that had once been solely worked by 24s and 25s. The lorry on the left is parked in front of the old goods shed, situated in a very cramped position. Behind the train, the quarry loading plant can be seen, soon to be replaced when the sidings were remodelled to make room for the A55 expressway.