A Class 47 on Holyhead to London train approaching Colwyn Bay in September 1980. This was originally a four track section to Llandudno Junction. To accommodate the new A55 road here the line was diverted to the north (right of photo).
40106 on a Bangor to Manchester train approaching Colwyn Bay in February 1983. Work is underway on the new formation for the BR line to the right.
In November 1983 tracklaying was in progress on the new diversion with 47298 on the track panel train.
The track panels were laid by a mobile road crane. The hillside on the right has been excavated away for ..the new formation and supported by a new concrete retaining wall alongside the line..
The same view with the new road completed and 37429 on the 11.22 Bangor to Crewe 8/6/1996
47786 on the 16.21 Crewe to Bangor viewed from the Station Road overbridge at Mochdre 4/5/2000. Up to this point the railway is still on the new formation, the original trackbed being under the new road.
37717 on empty hoppers returning from the Holyhead Aluminium Works 7/1994. View westwards from the same overbridge at Mochdre from where the line regains its original course. This was the location of Mochdre and Pabo Station which was closed in 1931, although the actual station site is under the new road. The world's first water troughs were provided at Mochdre in 1860, but moved to Aber in 1871 where there was a more reliable water supply. From about 1913 to 1944 a siding branched off to the right where it connected with a short aerial ropeway to serve a shale quarry in the nearby hillside. The quarry had a small 2ft gauge system worked by a Kerr Stuart 0-4-0T.
37407 on the 9.13 Bangor to Crewe between Mochdre and Llandudno Junction 16/5/1996
Between Mochdre and Llandudno Junction the new road was built on an embankment of PFA brought in by rail from Fiddlers Ferry Power Station during 1982-3, with usually two trains per day. A total of 300,000 tonnes was used and this was unloaded at a purpose built facility at Llandudno Junction. In September 1983 56087 has backed its train of HAA hoppers over the drops for unloading.
From here the material was distributed to the construction site by road transport