The Holywell branch line was a railway branch line in Flintshire, North Wales, that connected Holywell with the North Wales Coast Line at Holywell Junction. Holywell had large reserves of mineral resources and the branch line was built originally as a mineral railway. When the local industry declined, the line fell into disuse, but it was reopened as a tourist passenger line in 1912. Road competition made the railway non-viable, which caused the line to be closed in 1954.
The Chester and Holyhead Railway built a line along the North Wales Coast; the objective was to connect the port of Holyhead with London, by connecting with other railway companies. This would enable the Irish mail, chiefly at the time government dispatches, to be conveyed.
The C&HR opened its line as far west as Bangor in 1848 and it opened the entire line throughout, after completion of the Britannia Tubular Bridge in 1850. A station named Holywell was opened on the eastern part of the line on 1 May 1848; however, the town it served was 1+1⁄2 miles away, at an elevation of 550 feet.[1]
Holywell was significant as there were extensive deposits of metal ores, coal and limestone, which together enabled the production of metals. Textiles were also produced locally. By 1850, the local industry had become of prime importance. Holywell had used a small harbour as its main export route, with a tramway to reach it from the town.[citation needed]
Construction
The Holywell branch line
On 29 July 1864, the Holywell Railway was authorised by Parliament; it was to be two miles in length, running from the town to a new harbour and crossing the Chester to Holyhead line (now transferred to the ownership of the London and North Western Railway) by a bridge, instead of the former level crossing.[1][2]
The first turf was cut with much ceremony in May 1867, and by August 1869 the line was completed and work was being carried out to complete the goods station (close to the White Horse Hotel) and the passenger station (at the rear of the Spread Eagles Inn),[3] however in June 1870 it was reported that while the line was completed it remained 'inactive'.[4] There were aspirations that it would be continued to Mold, but in the end the branch never opened for traffic and the company failed. In 1875 it was reported that the whole of the sewage of the greater part of the town of Holywell is becoming lodged in the cutting for the unused Holywell Railway.[5]
Acquisition by the LNWR and eventual opening for traffic
In December 1892 the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) company sumbitted plans to purchase the old line built by the Holywell Railway Company "which, though constructed thiry years ago, has never been used".[6] Whatever the motivation was for the purchase, nothing was done with the acquired railway for some time, although conversion to an electric tramway in the 20th century was considered. The LNWR had itself operated road omnibuses between Holywell main line station and the town from 11 October 1905; the commercial success of that service encouraged the LNWR to redevelop the railway.
The ruling gradient was 1 in 27; there was a single intermediate station called St Winifride's. Holywell, on the main line, was redesignated Holywell Junction. The Holywell terminus was named Holywell Town.[1]
The passenger rolling stock consisted of two former picnic saloons, converted to form an auto-train.[note 1]
At first, there were sixteen passenger train journeys each way on weekdays; this was increased to 29 each way before 1939.[1] The summer 1938 Bradshaw shows 26 Monday to Friday departures up the branch, from 06:25 to 23:30. A similar number ran on Saturdays.[8]
Closure
After 1945, the competition from road transport led to the rapid decline of the usage of the branch; it was closed on 6 September 1954, except for a stub to Crescent Textile Mills which continued in use until 11 August 1957. Holywell Junction station, on the main line, remained in use under that name until its closure in February 1966.[1]
The line today
The line forms the Greenfield Valley, which is a tarmacked footpath that follows the length of the former branch line.[9]
Notes
↑An auto train consisted of a small steam locomotive and a passenger coach with controls capable of operating the locomotive's own controls. When the driving trailer was leading, the driver operated the locomotive from a driving position in the coach.
References
12345Peter E Baughan, A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: volume 11: North and Mid Wales, David St John Thomas, 1991, Nairn, ISBN0946537 59 3, pages 80 and 81
↑Donald J Grant, Directory of the Railway Companies of Great Britain, Matador, Kibworth Beauchamp, 2017, ISBN978 1785893 537, page 267
↑"Holywell Railway". The Wrexham Advertiser. 28 August 1869. p.8.
↑"The Holywell Railway". Chester Chronicle. 18 June 1870. p.5.
↑"The Sanitary State of Holywell". Chester Courant. 23 June 1875. p.2.
↑"Holywell - Proposed New Railway". Wrexham Advertiser. 17 December 1892. p.6.
↑Michael Quick, Railway Passenger Stations in England, Scotland and Wales: A Chronology, the Railway and Canal Historical Society, Richmond, Surrey, 2002
↑Bradshaw's July 1938 Railway Guide, David & Charles Reprints, Newton Abbot, 1969, ISBN0 7153 4686 5
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