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.