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 companues 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.

WHAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR...... A LITTLE PUB CRAWL

Yes, we'll soon have a pub crawl, but first we've some buses to look at, in the village of Deiniolen, where Deioiolen Motors had their premises. We arrive in the village in a former Ribble Leyland Tiger Cub.

Here's a former Trent saloon in the depot yard.

William's Coaches were also based in Deiniolen.

In the next valley to the east is Bethesda, which once had a railway station. Here's what's left in 1961 (Ben Brooksbank  Creative Commons License).

Purple Motors (associated with Deiniolen Motors) had a yard and depot in Bethesda.

A few vehicles at home over the years.

Another bus operator called Williams was found in Bethesda.

D&G International once served Bethesda, as seen in 1995.

Now, we're looking towards Penrhyn Quarry from near Tregarth.

Penrhyn Quarry once had an extensive narrow gauge rail system, which ran down to the harbour at Port Penrhyn. At the quarry, we see Hunslet 0-4-0ST Jubilee 1897 (Photograher unknown - photo in my collection).

Across country now (see the map here) to the Cefn Coch stone circle (Christopher Hall - Creative Commons License).

That route takes us nicely into the small town of Conwy. Here's the quay, some time around 1900.

Conwy Harbour from Marine Drive, circa 1970.

Pleasure boats there in 2014.

Conwy is known for its castle. The railway passes it and breaches the walls. This is in LNWR times.

A Virgin Pendolino is dragged past, the loco being out of shot.

The recently re-opened Conwy station, seen through the arch in the early 21st century.

175 009 arrives in 2014.

The bridges across the River Conwy in 1975.

However, we've already visited the other side (Llandudno Junction is there), so we'll remain in Conwy town and look at the buses. First up, Royal Blue CC 3701 in 1928.

Alpine of Llandudno operated open-top tours of the area in 2014.

First stop on the promised pub crawl, the Blue Bell.

A locally brewed beer can usually be found in the Castle Hotel.

Finally, ignore the Ansell's sign, the Albion Ale House usually has 8 real ales on offer.

That's a great place to finish this post. Next time, we'll head westwards along the coast.