Holywell Junction railway station was a junction station located on the north-eastern edge of Holywell and Greenfield, in Flintshire, Wales, on the estuary of the River Dee.
Holywell Junction | |
|---|---|
 Holywell Junction station | |
| General information | |
| Location | Greenfield, Flintshire Wales |
| Coordinates | 53°17′32″N 3°12′23″W / 53.2922°N 3.2065°W |
| Grid reference | SJ195779 |
| Platforms | 5 |
| Other information | |
| Status | Disused |
| History | |
| Original company | Chester and Holyhead Railway |
| Pre-grouping | London and North Western Railway |
| Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 1 May 1848 | Opened[1] |
| 14 February 1966 | Closed to passengers[1] |
| c.1970 | Closed for goods traffic |
| 2020-21 | Proposals for re-opening as Greenfield or Holywell |
| 2029 | Proposed re-opening |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Feature | Holywell Junction Railway Station |
| Designated | 1 October 1970 |
| Reference no. | 510[2] |
History
editThe station was opened on 1 May 1848 as part of the Chester and Holyhead Railway (now the North Wales Coast Line) and was named simply Holywell.[1] A brick built signal box was opened in 1902 to replace an earlier wooden one. The station initially had two platforms but as the line grew busier the number of tracks doubled from one each way to two and the number of platforms followed suit. The main station building was positioned on the down platform and a subway connected them all. In 1912 Holywell Branch Line was opened just east of the station which linked the mainline to the centre of Holywell.[3] Therefore, Holywell station was renamed Holywell Junction on 1 May and the new station called Holywell Town.
The branch line lasted 42 years before being closed and Holywell Junction was closed to passengers on 14 February 1966.[4] as part of the Beeching Axe, although it was open to freight until 1970. The Italianate station building designed by Francis Thompson[5] was listed Grade II* in 1970[6] and is a private dwelling. The signal box was listed Grade II in 1991.[7]
Proposed reopening as Greenfield
editProposals to reopen a station in Greenfield, either on or near the former Holywell Junction railway station site, has been announced in 2019, with Holywell Town Council and its Mayor supporting a case to reopen a railway station. The proposals to reopen are largely based on that the state of the former station platforms remain highly intact.[8] The owner of the old station house, now a private property, announced their property will not be part of any station reopening.[9] In July 2020, the Welsh Government included a proposal for a station named "Holywell" in their long-term aspirations for the North Wales Coast Line.[10] In September 2021, Transport for Wales released its future developments plan, with a station named "Greenfield" marked as proposed in their short-term section of the plan to 2029.[11] Hannah Blythyn, MS for Delyn welcomed the plans for a new station.[12] In January 2022, Rob Roberts MP for Delyn took part in an adjournment debate in the House of Commons to raise the issue with Parliamentary Under Secretary, Robert Courts. [13]
Accidents and incidents
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Station Name: Holywell Junction". Disused Stations. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
- ^ Cadw. "Holywell Junction Railway Station (510)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- ^ Rhyl & District Model Railway Club website
- ^ Transport Heritage website
- ^ Transport Heritage website page
- ^ The stations entry on britishlistedbuildings.co.uk
- ^ The signal box's entry on britishlistedbuildings.co.uk
- ^ "Holywell mayor's 'big passion' to reopen railway station". BBC News. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ "Community leaders look to get Holywell train station plans on the right track". Deeside.com. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ "North Wales main line: rail network map". GOV.WALES. 10 September 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
- ^ "North Wales Metro: Future developments | Transport for Wales". tfw.wales. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ "Delyn MS welcomes Welsh Government investment for Greenfield Railway Station". The Leader. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ "Delyn MP speaks in House of Commons on plans for Flintshire railway station". 28 January 2022.
- ^ Esbester, Mike (30 August 2022). "Holywell Junction, 1 September 1922". Railway Work, Life & Death. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
- ^ Esbester, Mike (31 August 2022). "Holywell Junction – the men, pt 1". Railway Work, Life & Death. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
- ^ Esbester, Mike (1 September 2022). "Holywell Junction – the men, pt 2". Railway Work, Life & Death. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
Further reading
edit- Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (2011). Chester to Rhyl. West Sussex: Middleton Press. figs. 53-62. ISBN 9781906008932. OCLC 795178960.
| Preceding station | Future services | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transport for Wales Rail | ||||
| Disused railways | ||||
| Mostyn Line open; station closed |
London and North Western Railway North Wales Coast Line |
Bagillt Line open; station closed | ||
| Terminus | London and North Western Railway Holywell Branch Line |
St Winefride's Halt Line and station closed | ||