YNYS MÔN

So, today we're off to Anglesey, but first we must conclude our visit to Bangor. We start at the Regency Hotel, which had real ale when I visited in 2003. It has since had a name change and is a keg house these days. It is very handy for the railway station.

LMS Royal Scot class 4-6-0 no. 6115 at Bangor arriving from Holyhead.

A Metro-Cammell DMU seen at Bangor in the early 1980s.

Looking down on Bangor station, as a class 37 has charge of an England bound service in 1993.

Bangor signal box, an impressive structure, oversees workings here

Typical traffic at Bangor in 2003, all heading east.

We'll leave the railway and reach Anglesey by road, using Telford's Menai Suspension Bridge, seen from the Anglesey shore.

In the nearby village of Menai Bridge, the Victoria Hotel, known for its selection of beers.

Onwards to Beaumaris (see the map here for the route), where there are fine views of the Menai Strait and across to the Snowdonia Range.

Beaumaris had a pier back in 1896.

A old postcard view of Beaumaris church.

There's a castle too, photographed around 1960.

Ye Olde Bull's Head in Beaumaris has a good selection of beers and can provide accommodation.

Moving on, we come to Red Wharf Bay & Benllech station, at the end of a short LNWR branch line, long closed.

Low tide at Red Wharf Bay in 2003.

Now.... the tide's in (Creative Commons License).

Red Wharf Bay is home to a fine pub, the Ship Inn, worth seeking out.

To the north of the island now, for a quick look at Cemaes Bay.

As we approach the village of Llanfaethlu we find the ex London DMS type bus parked up on the roadside. It belongs to Jones of Llanerchymedd.

There's a different Jones the Bus in Llanfaethlu village.

We move on to Holyhead (Caergybi), where the harbour is protected by a long breakwater (Jean Mottershead - Creative Commons License).

The breakwater requires constant maintenance and this seven-foot gauge loco Prince Albert was used to transport materials.

The broad gauge line was later replaced by a standard gauge one, isolated from the rest of the railway network, but worked by BR locos. This shed housed the motive power.

The LNWR built the railway to Holyhead and one of their expresses is seen here.

A DMU has just arrived in 1979.

08613 is the station pilot in 1986.

Holyhead station in 2003, with a Virgin Trains HST.

This KMP Buses of Llanberis coach has just picked up passengers off a ferry in 2000.

Holyhead is an important ferry terminal for the route to Ireland (Michael & Sherry Martin - Creative Commons License).

St Cybi's Church in Holyhead (Creative Commons License).

The Clock Tower commemorating the extension of the Holyhead Docks between 1875 and 1880 (Creative Commons License).

Crosville was long the main bus operator in Holyhead. 

Crosville had a small depot and yard in the town.

Goodsir Coaches were based in Holyhead. A Leyland Leopard coach seen outside the garage in 1995.

Goodsir were also operating a town service in 1995.

Holyhead is not a great town for cask beer, but a pub called The Seventy Nine can usually provide some.

And that's where I'll leave you for now, Next time, the southern and central parts of Anglesey.





 

THE DAY WE WENT TO BANGOR

We've just left Conway and, as we head out of town, we find the Old White House. I'm told it now has limited opening hours and no real ale these days.

 

If you hadn't guessed, we are heading westwards following the coast - you can see the route on the map here. Next, we have an old bus at Conwy Old Road, Dwygyfylchi, Penmaenmawr.

Penmaenmawr was home to the Penmaenmawr & Welsh Granite Company's 3 foot gauge railway, where this De Whinton loco of 1894 operated (my collection, photographer unknown).

The village of Llanfairfechan is next. 

It's here that we find the Virginia Inn.

From Llanfairfechan there are views of Puffin Island and beyond to Anglesey.

Not far away is a National Trust property, Penrhyn Castle.

Within the castle boundaries were some railway exhibits.

Now, we're almost in Bangor. Just to the east, on the main line, was Bethesda Junction, where we see LMS 6161 dashing towards England.

Just outside the city centre is an area known as the Garth (or Lower Bangor), where Bangor Pier can be found, jutting out into the Menai Strait, with Anglesey almost within spitting distance.

The shoreline from around here.

Close by is a pub, the Tap & Spile, since renamed as the Tafarn Y Garth.

There was also the Boatyard, but it isn't open at the time of writing.

As we head into the city centre, we find the Crosville depot, with a couple of the older vehicles outside.

A pleasant pub around the corner was the Mostyn Arms, but no real ale these days.

Here's a fine view over the city of Bangor.

Bangor Cathedral is impressive.

Crosville was long the main bus operator in Bangor.

The 1980s saw Crosville split up with the Welsh part becoming Crosville Cymru (or Crosville Wales).

Arriva is now the dominant operator.

Purple Motors and its associated business, Deiniolen Motors served the city for many years.

The other company from Deiniolen was Messrs. Williams.

Express Motors run several services into Bangor.

The buses of Padarn Motors are no longer to be seen.

Other bus companies to be found in Bangor over the years include Alpine of Llandudno, D&G Coaches, HDA Travel, Jones of Llanfaethlu and KMP of Llanberis.

The Black Bull is the city's Wetherspoons, in a converted church.

The Albion usually has a couple of cask beers.

One of the oldest pubs in Bangor is the Harp Inn.

The Belle Vue is popular with students.

A good place to finish this post, Y Castell usually has a choice of real ales to sample.

Next time, we'll look at Bangor's railway station, the move on across the Menai Strait.