Holywell Junction railway station

Holywell Junction
Holywell Junction station
General information
LocationGreenfield, Flintshire
Wales
Coordinates53°17′32″N 3°12′23″W / 53.2922°N 3.2065°W / 53.2922; -3.2065
Grid referenceSJ195779
Platforms5
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyChester and Holyhead Railway
Pre-groupingLondon and North Western Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
1 May 1848Opened[1]
14 February 1966Closed to passengers[1]
c.1970Closed for goods traffic
2020-21Proposals for reopening as Greenfield or Holywell
2029Proposed reopening
Listed Building – Grade II*
FeatureHolywell Junction railway station
Designated1 October 1970
Reference no.510[2]

Holywell Junction was a junction railway station located on the north-eastern edge of Holywell and Greenfield, in Flintshire, Wales. It is sited on the North Wales Main Line, beside the estuary of the River Dee.

History

The 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.

Initially, the station had two platforms but, as the line grew busier, the number of tracks doubled from 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, the Holywell Branch Line was opened just east of the station, which linked the main line to the centre of Holywell.[3] The station was therefore renamed Holywell Junction on 1 May and the new station in the town centre was called Holywell Town.


Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
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

Accidents and incidents

On 1 September 1922, four trackworkers were run over by a passenger train and killed instantly.[4][5][6]

Closure

The branch line lasted 42 years before being closed and Holywell Junction was closed to passengers on 14 February 1966.[7] as part of the Beeching Axe, although it was open to freight until 1970.

The site today

The Italianate station building, designed by Francis Thompson,[8] was listed Grade II* in 1970[9] and is a private dwelling. The signal box was listed Grade II in 1991.[10]

Trains on the North Wales Main Line continue to pass through the station site.

Greenfield Valley is a tarmacked footpath that follows the length of the former branch line to Holywell town centre.[11]

Proposed reopening

Proposals to reopen a station in Greenfield, either on or near to the former Holywell Junction railway station site, was announced in 2019; Holywell Town Council and its Mayor supported a case to reopen the station.

The proposals to reopen are largely based on that the state of the former station platforms remain highly intact.[12] The private owner of the old station house announced that their property will not be part of any station reopening.[13]

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.[14]

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.[15] Hannah Blythyn, MS for Delyn, welcomed the plans for a new station.[16] 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. [17]

Preceding station Future services Following station
Transport for Wales Rail

References

  1. ^ a b c Wright, Paul; Price, Bevan (21 May 2017). "Station Name: Holywell Junction". Disused Stations. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  2. ^ Cadw. "Holywell Junction Railway Station (510)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  3. ^ Rhyl & District Model Railway Club website
  4. ^ Esbester, Mike (30 August 2022). "Holywell Junction, 1 September 1922". Railway Work, Life & Death. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  5. ^ Esbester, Mike (31 August 2022). "Holywell Junction – the men, pt 1". Railway Work, Life & Death. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  6. ^ Esbester, Mike (1 September 2022). "Holywell Junction – the men, pt 2". Railway Work, Life & Death. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  7. ^ Transport Heritage website
  8. ^ Transport Heritage website page
  9. ^ The stations entry on britishlistedbuildings.co.uk
  10. ^ The signal box's entry on britishlistedbuildings.co.uk
  11. ^ "Walks and wildlife at Greenfield Valley". Greenfieldvalley.com. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  12. ^ "Holywell mayor's 'big passion' to reopen railway station". BBC News. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  13. ^ "Community leaders look to get Holywell train station plans on the right track". Deeside.com. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  14. ^ "North Wales main line: rail network map". GOV.WALES. 10 September 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  15. ^ "North Wales Metro: Future developments | Transport for Wales". tfw.wales. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Delyn MS welcomes Welsh Government investment for Greenfield Railway Station". The Leader. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  17. ^ "Delyn MP speaks in House of Commons on plans for Flintshire railway station". 28 January 2022.

Further reading