Locations
CHESTER &
MOLD JN 
PRESTATYN &
RHYL
COLWYN BAY
LLANDUDNO JCN
DEGANWY
LLANDUDNO
BLAENAU FFESTINIOG
CONWY
PENMAENMAWR
ABER &
BANGOR
MENAI BRIDGE
BRITANNIA BRIDGE
LLANFAIR PG
GAERWEN
AMLWCH
VALLEY &
HOLYHEAD
WREXHAM
SHREWSBURY
CAMBRIAN ML
CAMBRIAN COAST
Miscellany
TRIP DIAGRAMS
TIMETABLES
TIMETABLE GRAPHS
SECTIONAL APPENDICES
TRACK & SIGNALLING
HEADCODES
ROUTE AVAILABILITY
WHY 2D53?
LINKS
THE BLUE PAGES
Track Plans and Maps
Bangor
Bangor was a major traffic centre on the North Wales coast for passenger, parcels and freight traffic.
Historical Evolution
Bangor's track layout was rationalised in the late 1960s. 4 through lines, 4 through platform lines and 1 bay were reduced to 2 through lines, 2 through platform lines and 1 bay. Connections to the down side yard were reduced to a single connection, and Bangor No 1 signal box at the east end was closed. As part of the reopening of the Britannia Bridge in 1972-3, the station and the line westwards beyond Llanfair PG was resignalled with colour light signals replacing semaphores.
Regular Operations
Platforms 1, 2 and 3 were in regular use for passenger and parcels traffic. The old platform 4 and the two adjacent former loop lines were used for marshalling and stabling the large numbers of parcels and newspaper vans received each day. No lines were signalled for reversible working.
Operating Quirks
- All shunts to and from Platform 1 involved going into Up section towards Aber. This was a hangover from the previous short (and entirely in tunnel) section to Bethesda Junction.
- Similarly, run-round shunts in Platform 3 would have to pass the Down Home signal and enter Down section from Aber.
- No shunt signal was provided on the up through line at the Aber end, even though this was a very common shunt move.
- All shunts at either end involved entering the tunnels.
- Aber box was only open on a single shift, leaving a long block section to Penmaenmawr. Up trains could not leave the station until the section was clear.
- Although connecting services to Holyhead were provided from Bangor, there was only one westbound platform available for passenger traffic. To achieve a connection from terminating trains, the calling-on signal on the down home signal was used to admit (squeeze) a second train into Platform 3.
- The up home signal had a "theatre" type route indicator, although there were only 2 available routes. This signal had been installed in the 1960s when there were 4 alternative routes through the station from the west end.