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.