The A55, also known as the North Wales Expressway is a major road in Wales and England, connecting Cheshire and north Wales. The vast majority of its length from Chester to Holyhead is a dual carriageway primary route, with the exception of the Britannia Bridge over the Menai Strait and several short sections where there are gaps in between the two carriageways. All junctions are grade separated apart from a roundabout east of Penmaenmawr and another nearby in Llanfairfechan. Initially, the road ran from Chester to Bangor. In 2001, it was extended across Anglesey to the ferry port of Holyhead parallel to the A5. The road improvements have been part funded with European money, under the Trans-European Networks programme, as the route is designated part of Euroroute E22.
Colwyn Bay is a town, community and seaside resort in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales overlooking the Irish Sea. It lies within the historic county of Denbighshire. Eight neighbouring communities are incorporated within its postal district. Established as its own separate parish in 1844 with just a small grouping of homes and farms where the community of Old Colwyn stands today, Colwyn Bay has expanded to become the second-largest community and business centre in the north of Wales as well as the 14th largest in the whole of Wales with the urban statistical area, including Old Colwyn, Rhos-on-Sea, and Mochdre and Penrhyn Bay, having a population of 34,284 at the 2011 census.
North Wales, also known as the North of Wales, is a geographic region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders Mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdonia National Park and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley, known for its mountains, waterfalls and trails, located wholly within the region. Its population is more concentrated in the north-east, and northern coastal areas of the region, whilst significant Welsh-speaking populations are situated in its western and rural areas. North Wales is imprecisely defined, lacking any exact definition or administrative structure. For the public purposes of health, policing and emergency services, and for statistical, economic and cultural purposes, North Wales is commonly defined administratively as its six most northern principal areas, but other definitions of the geographic region exist, with Montgomeryshire historically considered to be part of the region.
Cardiff Queen Street railway station is a railway station serving the north and east of Central Cardiff, Wales. It is the third busiest railway station in Wales, being located near Queen Street, it is one of 20 stations in the city. It is, along with Cardiff Central, one of the two major hubs of the Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes local rail network. The station, and all of its services are run by Transport for Wales.
Old Colwyn is a large village just to the east of Colwyn Bay, in Conwy County Borough, Wales.
The North Wales Coast Line, also known as the North Wales Main Line, is a major railway line in the north of Wales and Cheshire, England, running from Crewe on the West Coast Main Line to Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey. The line has 19 stations, with all except two, Chester and Crewe, being in Wales.
Newbury railway station is located in the centre of the town of Newbury, in the English county of Berkshire. The station is 53 miles 6 chains from the zero point at London Paddington. It is served by stopping services between Reading and Newbury and Bedwyn, and by faster services between London Paddington and Exeter St Davids and other parts of Devon and Cornwall. All train services at the station are operated by the Great Western Railway.
Bangor railway station is a railway station in Bangor, Gwynedd, operated by Transport for Wales Rail. The station, which is 24+3⁄4 miles (40 km) east of Holyhead, is the last mainland station on the North Wales Coast line between Crewe and Holyhead. It is the busiest in terms of passenger numbers in North Wales, as it serves the community around Caernarfon and further west, it is close to the Snowdonia National Park and Bangor University, and has an interchange with bus services to the various towns and villages of northern/western Gwynedd and Anglesey.
Mochdre[ˈmoːχdrɛ](listen) is a village and an electoral ward to the west of Colwyn Bay in Conwy County Borough, Wales. Originally part of the municipal borough of Colwyn Bay prior to local government reorganisation in April 1974, it is now a separate community whose population at the 2001 census was 1,862 increasing to 1,923 at the 2011 census. The village can be seen in its entirety from Bryn Euryn.
Llandudno Junction railway station is a station serving the village of Llandudno Junction on the Crewe to Holyhead North Wales Coast Line. The station is managed by Transport for Wales Rail, although Avanti West Coast also serves it.
Pontypridd railway station serves the town of Pontypridd in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located at the junction of the Merthyr line and the Rhondda line and has for many years been the only station serving the town.
Transport in Wales is heavily influenced by the country's geography. Wales is predominantly hilly or mountainous, and the main settlements lie on the coasts of north and south Wales, while mid Wales and west Wales are lightly populated. The main transport corridors are east–west routes, many continuing eastwards into England.
Abergele & Pensarn railway station is a railway station on the North Wales Coast Line which serves both the town of Abergele and suburb of Pensarn in Conwy County Borough, Wales.
Deganwy railway station serves the town of Deganwy, Wales, and is the only intermediate station located on the Llandudno branch line from Llandudno Junction to Llandudno.
Conwy railway station serves the town of Conwy, Wales, and is located on the Crewe to Holyhead North Wales Coast Line. There are through services to Chester via Colwyn Bay, Rhyl, Prestatyn and Flint in one direction and to Bangor & Holyhead in the other. After arrival at Chester, most trains go forward to either Crewe, Cardiff or Birmingham International.
Llanfairfechan railway station serves the town of Llanfairfechan, Wales, and is located on the Crewe to Holyhead North Wales Coast Line 51+1⁄4 miles (82.5 km) west of Chester.
Penmaenmawr railway station serves the town of Penmaenmawr, Wales, and is located on the Crewe to Holyhead North Wales Coast Line, 49+1⁄4 miles (79.3 km) west of Chester. The station is a request stop.
Colwyn Bay railway station is on the Crewe to Holyhead North Wales Coast Line serving the seaside town of Colwyn Bay in North Wales.
Rhyl railway station is on the Crewe to Holyhead North Wales Coast Line and serves the holiday resort of Rhyl, Wales.
The Chester and Holyhead Railway was an early railway company conceived to improve transmission of Government dispatches between London and Ireland, as well as ordinary railway objectives. Its construction was hugely expensive, chiefly due to the cost of building the Britannia Tubular Bridge over the Menai Strait. The company had relied on Government support in facilitating the ferry service, and this proved to be uncertain. The company opened its main line throughout in 1850. It relied on the co-operation of other railways to reach London and in 1859 it was absorbed by the London and North Western Railway.
