CHESTER STATION & ITS ENVIRONS

We start our tour of the city of Chester at the current railway station, a good walk out of the centre. It used to be served by both the LMS and GWR companies.

 

In the later years of steam, various steam hauled tours arrived. Here's Clun Castle. Note the ex LNWR signals, all gone now.

4079 Pendennis Castle also paid a visit.

Some normal steam operations in and around Chester station.

In the nearby loco shed, Black 5 no. 45000 in 1967 (Les Flint).

In 1977, a DMU has just left Chester and is heading for Frodsham and beyond.

In the early 1980s, some of the old signalling remained.

A DMU rests on the depot in 1993.

Class 20 locomotives were not unknown at Chester.

There's been plenty of class 37 locos over the years.

Central Trains no longer operate into Chester.

Pacers have vanished too.

Other operators have included Arriva Trains Wales, Merseyrail and Virgin West Coast.

Outside Chester station, in 2014, Aintree Coaches/Helm's were operating the frequent shuttle into the city centre.

Firstbus, for a short while, operated the above shuttle.

Tourist buses also pick up at the station.

A Chester City Transport coach rests outside the station in 1990.

Chester CT's depot was just across the road.

A preserved Guy gleams in the depot yard.

A short walk brings us over the Shropshire Union Canal, in a deep cutting.

Beside the canal, the Old Harkers Arms.

Close by, the Mill Hotel has a range of real ales.

Just around the corner, one of my favourites, the Union Vaults.

Next time, we'll venture into the city centre and see more of the sights.

BACK TO ENGLAND (AND A ZOO)

We're still up on Denbigh moors - the year is 1961.

 

And so to Denbigh itself, with a postcard view.

Now we're in the ruins of the castle.

There were some good pubs in Denbigh. The Eagle was one of them, but it's now shut.

The Golden Lion is still in business - but no cask beer any more.

No real ale in the Plough either!

Thank heavens! The Bull Hotel has decent beer, though it's changed its name to The Guildhall Tavern.

Onwards now to the long closed station at Bodfari (see the map here). Photo by Ben Brooksbank (Creative Commons).

The Cross Foxes at Nannerch follows, worth seeking out.

To the east is the town of Mold. Here's the High Street - a postcard from my collection.

Flintshire County Hall is in Mold (Creative Commons License).

Crosville Wales was the main opeator in Mold, later to become Arriva.

Eagles & Crawford had a depot in the town centre.

Devaway had several services here at one time.

GHA Coaches also served the town.

Phillips of Holywell ran a regular service between the two towns.

Minibus operators have included M&H Coaches and Pied Bull.

Mold has a Wetherspoons - the Gold Cape.

The Boar's Head in Mold has now been renamed the Fat Boar.

Y Pentan is a former Marston's house.

Leaving Mold behind, we come to Buckley, once served by Buckley Junction station (Ben Brooksbank - Creative Commons).

Next stop, Queensferry, not to be confused with the Scottish ones. Here we could find the yard of Hollis Coaches.

This former West Riding Leyland was to be seen here, awaiting restoration.

A fine AEC Regent V of Helm's of Eastham was also once found in Queensferry.

Over the border, back in England, the Greyhound at Saughall.

To the north of the city of Chester is Chester Zoo. There's time for a snack in the Fountain Restaurant or a picnic in the gardens.

The zoo's gorilla has its own island.

There were rhinos here in 1968.

I'll leave you with the animals for now. The next post will find us in Chester itself.