Holywell Junction railway station

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
LocationGreenfield, Flintshire
Wales
Coordinates53.2922°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 re-opening as Greenfield or Holywell
2029Proposed re-opening
Listed Building – Grade II*
FeatureHolywell Junction Railway Station
Designated1 October 1970
Reference no.510[2]

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. 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

Proposals 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]

References
  1. "Station Name: Holywell Junction". Disused Stations. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  2. Cadw. "Holywell Junction Railway Station (510)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  3. Rhyl & District Model Railway Club website
  4. Transport Heritage website
  5. Transport Heritage website page
  6. The stations entry on britishlistedbuildings.co.uk
  7. The signal box's entry on britishlistedbuildings.co.uk
  8. "Holywell mayor's 'big passion' to reopen railway station". BBC News. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  9. "Community leaders look to get Holywell train station plans on the right track". Deeside.com. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  10. "North Wales main line: rail network map". GOV.WALES. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  11. "North Wales Metro: Future developments | Transport for Wales". tfw.wales. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  12. "Delyn MS welcomes Welsh Government investment for Greenfield Railway Station". The Leader. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  13. "Delyn MP speaks in House of Commons on plans for Flintshire railway station".

Further reading
  • 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
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