Abergele and Pensarn railway station

Abergele and Pensarn Welsh: Abergele a Phensarn
General information
Location	Abergele, Conwy Wales
Coordinates	53°17′42″N 3°34′59″W / 53.295°N 3.583°W / 53.295; -3.583
Grid reference	SH946787
Manager	Transport for Wales
Platforms	2
Other information
Station code	AGL
Classification	DfT category F1
History
Original company	Chester and Holyhead Railway
Pre-grouping	London and North Western Railway
Key dates
1 May 1848	Opened as Abergele
?	Renamed Abergele & Pensarn
Passengers
2020/21	18,954
2021/22	58,556
2022/23	81,982
2023/24	94,890
2024/25	0.105 million
Listed Building – Grade II
Feature	Abergele & Pensarn station booking hall
Designated	5 August 1997
Reference no.	18703
Location
Notes Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Abergele and Pensarn railway station is a station on the North Wales Coast Line, which serves both the town of Abergele and suburb of Pensarn in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is between Colwyn Bay and Rhyl, and is 213 miles 30 chains (343.4 km) from London Euston, measured via Crewe.

History

Opened as Abergele by the Chester and Holyhead Railway on 1 May 1848, the 'and Pensarn' suffix was believed to have been added when the station was substantially rebuilt in 1883, although many sources before that were already using the suffix. The station had been the location of two LMS caravans in 1935 and 1936 followed by three caravans from 1937 to 1939. Nine camping coaches were positioned here by the London Midland Region from 1954 to 1971 (eight only in 1954).

Resignalling

The station was originally served by loops off the main line in both directions. Although the eastbound loop was removed some decades ago, the westbound one remained in use until early 2017 - it was decommissioned over the weekend of 8/9 January. A replacement bus service was provided to Rhyl whilst the work was in progress, as westbound trains were not to call until the work was completed. The platform was closed for the works from April 2017 and reopened to traffic on 12 March 2018. As part of the same modernisation scheme, the signal box here closed in March 2018, when new colour light signalling was commissioned between Colwyn Bay and Shotton.

Facilities

The station is unstaffed and intending passengers must purchase tickets from the ticket vending machine on platform 2 prior to travel. Train running information is offered via CIS screens, customer help points and timetable poster boards, along with a payphone on platform 2. Step-free access is available to both platforms via ramps from the road bridge linking them. In 2018, new cycle racks and waiting shelters were installed.

The former booking office was refurbished for community use in 2021, funded by the Railway Heritage Trust. It is Grade II listed.

Passenger volume

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

Services

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (September 2026)

The station is served by an hourly service on weekdays and Saturdays in each direction operated by Transport for Wales, which runs between Manchester Airport (via Chester and Warrington Bank Quay) to the east and Llandudno to the west. A few services between Crewe/Birmingham International/Cardiff Central and Holyhead also call at peak periods and in the late evening.

On Sundays, the service is provided by Holyhead to Crewe trains, which call hourly each way from late afternoon (with a less frequent service until the early afternoon).

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Rhyl		Transport for Wales North Wales Coast Line		Colwyn Bay

References

Bibliography

• Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
• McRae, Andrew (1997). British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s & British Railways (London Midland Region). Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part One). Foxline. ISBN 1-870119-48-7.
• Quick, Michael (2023) [2001]. Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology (PDF). version 5.05. Railway & Canal Historical Society.

Further reading

• Jowett, Alan (2000). Jowett's Nationalised Railway Atlas (1st ed.). Penryn, Cornwall: Atlantic Transport Publishers. ISBN 978-0-906899-99-1. OCLC 228266687.
• Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (2012). Rhyl to Bangor. West Sussex: Middleton Press. figs. 15-21. ISBN 9781908174154. OCLC 859594415.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Abergele and Pensarn railway station.

• Train times and station information for Abergele and Pensarn railway station from National Rail
• Abergele and Pensarn station on navigable O.S. map