A55 Holyhead port improvements

[Bakers1970]

Hello,

Just an inquisitive question... I was under the impression that were tentative plans to improve the A55 roadway into the port at Holyhead..this in turn would have led to a new Train Maintenance depot .Does anybody know if these plans are still in place if at all.... Many thanks

 

[RobShipway]

Hello,

Just an inquisitive question... I was under the impression that were tentative plans to improve the A55 roadway into the port at Holyhead..this in turn would have led to a new Train Maintenance depot .Does anybody know if these plans are still in place if at all.... Many thanks

I believe from a relative that lives in Prestatyn, that the changes are awaiting Welsh Assembly approval but I think after that it will be down to where the Welsh Assembly can find the money to make the required changes.

The A55 is much improved though than it was back in the 1990's when I drove along it a fews times and as any documents you read about it suggest it is a lot more like a two lane motorway.

 

[steamdrivenand]

Maybe they could 'improve' the town of Holyhead too while they're at it. I went there on a steam charter a few years back. A wet Sunday lunchtime in Holyhead has got to be one of the worlds most miserable experiences. Everywhere was closed. Hardly a pub or cafe in the place. Shows you how bad it was, Crewe seemed livelier.

 

[Anon Mouse]

Maybe they could 'improve' the town of Holyhead too while they're at it. I went there on a steam charter a few years back. A wet Sunday lunchtime in Holyhead has got to be one of the worlds most miserable experiences. Everywhere was closed. Hardly a pub or cafe in the place. Shows you how bad it was, Crewe seemed livelier.

Used to be a canny chip shop (fair enough it was a bit retro) outside the footbridge entrance

 

[krus_aragon]

Maybe they could 'improve' the town of Holyhead too while they're at it. I went there on a steam charter a few years back. A wet Sunday lunchtime in Holyhead has got to be one of the worlds most miserable experiences. Everywhere was closed. Hardly a pub or cafe in the place. Shows you how bad it was, Crewe seemed livelier.

My father described it (Holyhead) as "where pebbledash goes to die"...

 

[merlodlliw]

Hello,

Just an inquisitive question... I was under the impression that were tentative plans to improve the A55 roadway into the port at Holyhead..this in turn would have led to a new Train Maintenance depot .Does anybody know if these plans are still in place if at all.... Many thanks

Nothing down for a road into the Port during the current funding or foreseeable ,if it occurs the funding will be from Europe as the the A55 has European status.
The past Minister for Roads & Rail in Wales was mentioning this,it was also on his patch as AM.

VT did indeed erect a train maintenance dept when the extra London services commenced a few years ago,
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

My father described it (Holyhead) as "where pebbledash goes to die"...

Another quote, this time Colwyn Bay, on a radio show many years ago, Vic Oliver a pianist spoke of Colwyn Bay has"A Graveyard with lights" after he had done a show in the town I also can not think of a more dismal place than Holyhead on a Sunday, little wonder my colleagues used to catch the 1620 "Manchester Boat Train" to Rhyl for an evening out,as this train was the only means of escape, plus it had a bar.

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

Maybe they could 'improve' the town of Holyhead too while they're at it. I went there on a steam charter a few years back. A wet Sunday lunchtime in Holyhead has got to be one of the worlds most miserable experiences. Everywhere was closed. Hardly a pub or cafe in the place. Shows you how bad it was, Crewe seemed livelier.

Whenever I have seen a steam charter passing through Bangor for Holyhead I have always felt a pang of sympathy for the poor passengers (assuming that they don't know what they are letting themselves in for). there are interesting places on Ynys Mon (Anglesey), but Holyhead isn't one of them.

 

[Gwenllian2001]

Another quote, this time Colwyn Bay, on a radio show many years ago, Vic Oliver a pianist spoke of Colwyn Bay has"A Graveyard with lights" after he had done a show in the town

Vic Oliver was a violinist and comedian and married one of Winston Churchill's daughters.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Holyhead lost its major employer of Anglesey Aluminium in 2009 which received ores of both aluminium and bauxite from Australia and Jamaica at the large jetty.

 

[merlodlliw]

Vic Oliver was a violinist and comedian and married one of Winston Churchill's daughters.

And I always thought he was a Piano man must be thinking of Semprni Oliver also did many radio shows from
Llandudno, but had a dislike for Colwyn Bay.

 

[Gareth Marston]

The A55 Expressway was suppose to turn Angelsey into the economic land of milk and honey according to those that wanted it built but since its construction around 10 years the islands economy has gone backwards.

 

[krus_aragon]

Whenever I have seen a steam charter passing through Bangor for Holyhead I have always felt a pang of sympathy for the poor passengers (assuming that they don't know what they are letting themselves in for). there are interesting places on Ynys Mon (Anglesey), but Holyhead isn't one of them.

Just think, if they reopen the Anglesey Central Branch in its entirety they could send the railtours to that mecca of tourism that is Amlwch! :P

 

[merlodlliw]

The A55 Expressway was suppose to turn Angelsey into the economic land of milk and honey according to those that wanted it built but since its construction around 10 years the islands economy has gone backwards.

Agree,

 

[steamdrivenand]

Just think, if they reopen the Anglesey Central Branch in its entirety they could send the railtours to that mecca of tourism that is Amlwch! :P

Oooh I just can't wait!

Still a scramble up Bodafan or a sunny day on Lligwy and a wander round Moelfre would make up for it

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Oooh I just can't wait!

Still a scramble up Bodafan or a sunny day on Lligwy and a wander round Moelfre would make up for it

There has been enough trouble in trying to reopen that line from the main line as far as Llangefni, which was a matter discussed in a thread some months ago.

Lligwy...Is that the one just north of Benllech with a narrow road access ?....(it is over 30 years since we last went there)

 

[steamdrivenand]

There has been enough trouble in trying to reopen that line from the main line as far as Llangefni, which was a matter discussed in a thread some months ago.

Lligwy...Is that the one just north of Benllech with a narrow road access ?....(it is over 30 years since we last went there)

That's the place Paul, there's parking at the end of the lane and a small refreshments shack. Our beardies loved running on the sands there.

We've had two bearded collies from a breeder friend in Gwalchmai and stayed in our campervan near Benllech as well as spending a weekend in a cottage on the harbour at Moelfre. The sound from the Moelfre lifeboat engines on full bore is almost as stirring as a King Class on Dainton Bank

 

[merlodlliw]

There has been enough trouble in trying to reopen that line from the main line as far as Llangefni, which was a matter discussed in a thread some months ago.

Lligwy...Is that the one just north of Benllech with a narrow road access ?....(it is over 30 years since we last went there)

The line to Llangefni was a brain child of the previous Minister who was A M for Anglesey, however the disgraced Isle Of Anglesey County Council whose HQ is also in the same town put an end to the idea when the Current Rail Minister sent the Commissioners in to sort out the mess, The only reopening will be the double track Saltney to Rossett which commences work soon.

 

[krus_aragon]

There has been enough trouble in trying to reopen that line from the main line as far as Llangefni, which was a matter discussed in a thread some months ago.

Lligwy...Is that the one just north of Benllech with a narrow road access ?....(it is over 30 years since we last went there)

The first bay north of Benllech is Traeth Bach. Lligwy is a little further, after Moelfre.

 

[Gareth Marston]

The line to Llangefni was a brain child of the previous Minister who was A M for Anglesey, however the disgraced Isle Of Anglesey County Council whose HQ is also in the same town put an end to the idea when the Current Rail Minister sent the Commissioners in to sort out the mess, The only reopening will be the double track Saltney to Rossett which commences work soon.

NB: The transport portfolio being given to the local govt minister when Labour got to go it alone in 2011. The Saltney to Rosset section is largely in the new Minsters constituency.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The first bay north of Benllech is Traeth Bach. Lligwy is a little further, after Moelfre.

Thank you for refreshing my memory. As I said, it is over 30 years since we visited there. Incidentally, one of my sons (who is now approaching 40 years of age) has mentioned that there seemed to be a considerable number of long elongated dark-blue shells on that beach and has asked if anyone local to Ynys Mon knows what these might have been.

 

[steamdrivenand]

Well there are commercially exploited shellfish beds in the Menaii Strait, oysters I think, maybe they're escapees.

 

[merlodlliw]

NB: The transport portfolio being given to the local govt minister when Labour got to go it alone in 2011. The Saltney to Rosset section is largely in the new Minsters constituency.

Correct Gareth, 70% in the Rail Ministers Constituency and 20% in the WG Health Ministers Constituency,with 10% in West Cheshire, all nicely finished off for the 2015 elections, Plus Sec Of State for Wales ensuring the dual tracking starts this year.
Bob

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Nothing down for a road into the Port during the current funding or foreseeable, if it occurs, the funding will be from Europe as the the A55 has European status.

Are there any new project proposals in the pipeline to expand the existing port facilities that could attract this EC funding ?

 

[Gareth Marston]

Are there any new project proposals in the pipeline to expand the existing port facilities that could attract this EC funding ?

The existing round of European funding (2007-2013) is all committed though the projects will not all be complete until 2015. European funding is suppose to lift the poorer areas out of being relatively so poor- the magic mark is 75% of average EC GDP whereby countries/regions beneath that mark get the funding.

The last figures saw Wales still in that zone and the negotiations with Brussels about how much is spent in the next round are underway. The Welsh Govt is going to publicly consult this year on the next round, though the WG itself has hinted heavily at using it as a mechanism to complete the A465 Head of Valleys road dualling.

 

[krus_aragon]

Thank you for refreshing my memory. As I said, it is over 30 years since we visited there. Incidentally, one of my sons (who is now approaching 40 years of age) has mentioned that there seemed to be a considerable number of long elongated dark-blue shells on that beach and has asked if anyone local to Ynys Mon knows what these might have been.

If they were rectangular, about four to six inches long, and no more than an inch wide, they'd have been razor clams. More common are blue mussel shells, which are ovoids roughly three inches in length. Finely broken pieces are often found in coarse sand beaches there.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If they were rectangular, about four to six inches long, and no more than an inch wide, they'd have been razor clams. More common are blue mussel shells, which are ovoids roughly three inches in length. Finely broken pieces are often found in coarse sand beaches there.

Thank you ....most definitely that they were razor clams, as six inches by one inch was a perfect description of the very large number on the beach that day.