Dyserth branch line


Dyserth branch line was a short standard-gauge mineral railway between the northern end of the Clwydian Range at Dyserth and the North Wales Coast Line at Prestatyn. The line, which was opened by the London and North Western Railway in 1869, was built to carry quarried stone and coal. The rise of tourism led to the introduction of a passenger service in 1905. Basic halts were introduced along the line. However, competition from road transport led the passenger service being withdrawn in 1930. With the eventual demise of all the mineral industries around Dyserth the entire line was closed in September 1973.

Planning and construction

The line was connected to the Chester and Holyhead Railway which had opened completely by 1850. Little intermediate business was expected because the primary purpose of the line was to provide a direct connection with the ferries to Ireland at Holyhead, chiefly for Government mails. In 1859, the London and North Western Railway had taken over the Chester and Holyhead Railway.
The area between Dyserth and Cwm was where there was lead and haematite mining as well as numerous limekilns. These heavy industries shipped their ore to the River Clwyd for marine cargo vessels but this soon became disadvantageous compared to other mines and quarries with rail connections. Initial proposal in 1860 was to build a mineral railway directly to Cwm in 1860 but this was never realised. On 16 July 1866 the LNWR obtained Parliamentary authority to build a branch line from its main line at Prestatyn to Dyserth. As part of the proposed work, the movable bridge over the Clwyd carrying the main line was to be improved.
In 1868 the construction of the line began after delays in land acquisition. The line was steeply graded and had sharp curves.

History

Freight and mineral

The branch, which was originally known as the known as the Prestatyn and Cwm Line, opened to goods and mineral traffic on 1 September 1869. Shortly afterwards an intermediate goods station at Meliden was opened. Due to the steep gradients, all trains were required to be propelled up the branch. No run-round facility needed to be provided at Dyserth for that reason.
After a limestone quarry was opened east of Dyserth, construction began on earthworks for an extension of the line but no track was ever laid.
Apart from short level sections through and stations, the line climbed southwards on a significant gradient, with the steepest stretch at 1 in 45. The sharpest curve had a radius of. These factors combined to necessitate ruling speed limits of 20 mph for trains climbing to Dyserth and 25 mph back to the main line. These limits were lowered to 15 mph over level crossings and 10 mph approaching the junction with the main line. In practice the heavy loads, curves, visibility and gradients confined speeds to around 10 mph throughout.

Passengers

Toward the end of the Victorian era, and in the Edwardian period, tourism developed rapidly, and Dyserth Castle and the waterfalls at Cwm became important tourist destinations. In response, the LNWR started a passenger service on the branch from 28 August 1905, using a steam railmotor. The main line junction for the branch faced away from Prestatyn station, so the branch train ran to the junction and reversed direction there on to the branch.
There were two intermediate stations at first, with basic platform accommodation, but as residential development took place, additional halts were provided. In 1919 there were eleven journeys each way, weekdays only.
The railmotors were popular, and from 1911 a trailer car was added to the formation. After 1919 auto-trains were brought in to replace the railmotors.
;Timeline
Although the train services were popular, road bus services were considered to be much more convenient by the mid 1920s. The last timetabled passenger train ran on 20 September 1930. Two enthusiasts' special trains traversed the line, the "North Wales Rail Tour" where a tank locomotive propelled three coaches to Dyserth on 2 October 1955 and "The Welshman" formed of a six car DMU on 11 October 1969.
After goods and mineral traffic on the line declined, the branch was closed to general traffic on 1 December 1951, while coal continued to be hauled as the only ordinary traffic; that too ceased on 4 May 1964. A revival in limestone quarrying at Dyserth resulted in continuation of the branch, as a private siding, until 8 September 1973. In 1974, after two special mineral trains were run to remove material at the quarry, the branch was closed completely and the track lifted shortly afterwards

Remains

Much of the trackbed is now used as a footpath, which retains many historical railway points of interest. There are two pieces of track at Chapel Street, the Woodland Park Bridge, Meliden Goods Shed and Loading Gauge, and an original crane from the Dyserth Railway at the end of the walk.

Mapping