User:JacobTheRox/Eryri Junction

Eryri Junction (Cyffordd Eryri) is a station serving the village of Eryri on the North Wales Main Line between Crewe and Holyhead. The station is managed by Transport for Wales Rail, although Avanti West Coast services also stop there. It is a junction for the single-track Rhydfach branch line.

History
The station was built by the Chester and Crewe Railway, and opened on 1 May 1848, when trains first ran from Chester to Bangor. At the time it was known as 'Eryri' due to the lack of a branch line. The station building was originally positioned further West, but was later moved to be closer to the local Industrial Works.

Two years later, the Rydfach Industrial Company built a single-track line to transfer goods from the mountain mines to the slate works in Eryri. However, this line would not connect to the main line until four years later in 1854, when the station was renamed to 'Eryri Junction'.

In 1887, the Rydfach line started operating passenger services between Eryri Junction and Rydfach Village, via Rydfach Quarry. This was mainly used by miners living in Rydfach and Eryri, but also used by many coming in on the mainline. This caused an increase in passenger numbers, and the station was relocated in 1891. The new station had a reversible bypass, allowing fast trains to pass through while others were stopped on the platforms. This was particularly advantageous because the Rydfach line trains terminating spent longer stopped at the platforms, which led to delays for trains passing through.

In 1923, at the time of the Railways Act, the main line and Rydfach line were merged into LNWR, who ceased the running of goods services on the line, restricting freight services to direct trains between the works and nationwide destinations.

Layout
The station currently has two operational platforms:


 * Platform 1 is used by westbound services to Bangor, Holyhead and Llandudno. It is also used by trains travelling on the Rhydfach branch line.


 * Platform 2 is used by eastbound trains to Birmingham, Cardiff, Crewe, Chester, Manchester, or Euston.

Transport for Wales

 * 1 tph in each direction between Holyhead and either Birmingham International and.
 * 1 tph in each direction between Llandudno and either Manchester Piccadilly or Manchester Airport.
 * 3 tpd either way between Holyhead and Cardiff Central.
 * 1 tph to Gwynllech. These trains terminate at Eryri Junction.
 * 1 tph to Rydfach. These trains terminate at Eryri Junction.

Avanti West Coast

 * 4 tpd in each direction from London Euston to Holyhead on weekdays.

Avanti also run other services that bypass the station.