Hawarden Bridge Request Stop

On the Borderlands Line that runs from Wrexham up to Bidston is the station of Harwarden Bridge, a request stop ... that unsually gets more trains on a Sunday than any other day of the week. It was time to pay a visit!
Download my Request Stop Map and Least Used Stations Map here: www.geofftech.c...
How I'm currently filming safely whilst travelling: www.geofftech.c...

[@geofftech2]

Hang on ... the bit where I’m zoomed into the timetable. The 13:51 DOESN’T have an ‘X’ by it! Did I just manage to get the only non-request stop train of the whole week by chance?

[@Claire-ue2oe]

Yea I think lol

[@flan_fan1234]

probably

[@SK_3PT1]

i like the LNER mask :)

[@OliversElevators]

Did you notice that the 16:53 train also didn’t have an X? I think there are 2 non-request stop trains on that day.

[@LOLman6499]

@@OliversElevators Same with the 11:20

[@OliversElevators]

Geoff is back at the request stops - the world can be at peace once again.

[@OuijTube]

Nature is healing

[@conscienceaginBlackadder]

You've actually solved world peace.

[@perman17]

I think they omit Hawarden Bridge during the week because the turnarounds on the Borderlands Line are very, very, very tight. Just two minutes at the Bidston end, and if the timetable is to be believed it's only got negative one minutes(!) at Wrexham Central. Adding in the stop at Hawarden Bridge (even on request) would significantly risk reliability just to serve a lightly used station that's just a short walk from Shotton. They do this to get an hourly service using just two trains. However, there's a lower frequency on Sunday so the trains have more time at each end. This makes it easier to fit in stops at Hawarden Bridge.

[@geofftech2]

perman17 excellent info, thanks!

[@pendolino_pete4621]

Wahey, my local request stop! A 40 min bike ride from me

[@pendolino_pete4621]

5:36 That is Dee Marsh SB, controlling the sidings of Dee Marsh, for steel trains to/from Margam, and where cement trains to Avonmouth stop for the loco to run around So, it is still in use.

[@ilikeclass1759]

i think so

[@marthaanderson2656]

I needed what feels like "a chat with a friend" , today. Getting ready to retire and riding the heart of wales is for sure on the list.

[@callumltfc]

The signal box is still used due to the freight sidings nearby which gets a few workings a day too

[@markwright3161]

Could that be why the passenger trains are most frequent on a Sunday, freight is using the line the rest of the week?

[@callumltfc]

@@markwright3161 nope it's a rather awkward station to stop at really - I was amazed that TFW Kept it open yet temporally stopped services elsewhere in wales

[@michaelgreen1515]

When did the steelworks close?

[@callumltfc]

@@michaelgreen1515 1980 But parts of it are still open & the company at the time refused to employ anyone over 40 which Is Terrible for the local area

[@chrisdickinson3349]

Many years ago that was one of the most used stations on the Borderlands line. Hundreds of people used it to get to work at Shotton Steelworks. I was one of them.

[@stevieinselby]

You can't trust automated announcements for pronunciation - the prerecorded ones don't always use local knowledge! I like the arguments between the conductor and the computer on the TransPennine stopping trains: 📻 The next station is ... Slay-thwaite 👩🏻‍💼 We are now approaching Sla-wit 📻 We have now arrived at *Slay-thwaite* 👩🏻‍💼 *Sla-wit* ... this station is *SLA-WIT* 👩🏻‍💼 [disappears off to the back cab with a determined expression and a lump hammer]

[@DubStu]

stevieinselby Not sure when you were last on a TPE service, but the announcements have had the correct pronunciation for quite some time now...

[@rosiefay7283]

I wonder where else there might be arguments like that. "Shrewsbury" ... "Shroozbury" ...

[@markwright3161]

@@DubStu So the hammer was utilised some time ago? :)

[@paperbagtheunknown]

shwrozburry

[@charitycharity3316]

It's slath weight ow u say it

[@jameshodgson1609]

I used to cross that crossing to walk from my office to the visit the personnel dept when the station was in the middle of Shotton Steel works. The plant has retreated somewhat in recent years as you discovered. There was a road tunnel under but no pavement. Hence we crossed the railway to the personnel building which was right next to the station if we walked. Your final clip in the distance shows what was the head office overlooking the Dee. Really nice building with lovely tiled staircase

[@Peasmouldia]

Don't know if you've done a "bikes on train" video. If not, I for one would be very interested to see that. I've been taking bikes on trains since the 1970's. As you'll imagine, things have changed a lot in that time. No brake vans these days for a start. Barrow crossings were great for pushbikes 'cause they could save you having to lug your bike up and down stairs. Nice vid Geoff. Ta.

[@gh1851]

1.50 Geoff dons his LNER face cover on, at a Transport for Wales station. Weird.

[@zenmollusc6128]

Hawarden Bridge was actually built (if that is the right word) by the original LNER.

[@zenmollusc6128]

@@whyamiwhat i like to think it was someone in a windowless office in Whitehall who saw that Wrexham, Buckley, Brymbo etc were in the north-east (of Wales) and decreed they had to be in the LNER

[@mcollier4566]

The line was operated by the Great Central Railway which became part of the LNER in the 1923 grouping. The same is true for the line to Chester Northgate and the route from Chester to Manchester via Delamere. At Caergwrle station, there is still an old LNER waiting shelter and the signal box is an old Great Central one. There are local links to the Goods Consortium relating to the old Cheshire Lines Committee.

[@michaelgreen1515]

@@whyamiwhat like LMS had a line to Southend on Sea!

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Doesn't have a timetable board but it has a barrow crossing and the train is in Arriva (RIP) livery so it's a win for me

[@stevendrennan167]

Geoff, can we have "All the Barrow crossings"

[@trueriver1950]

Would Barrow-in-Furness count?

[@UnbelievableEricthegiraffe]

I went to Shotton Once when was a wee bit Younger ,Once in a Lifetime is enough !!

[@robinw77]

I grew up round there and can confirm this

[@niels.brouwer]

6:55 Sounds like a very accurate weather report for the next 8 months!

[@thatguyshawzy]

So far this is the only KZbin video I’ve seen that was just uploaded that has no dislikes

[@joermnyc]

Shawzy - Roblox & More. Sorry, there’s 8 now... must be people from request stops Geoff hasn’t visited yet.

[@sequri]

Give them time. There are a *LOT* of videos on KZbin for the Dislike All Group, AKA (rather appropriately) DAGs, to get around to. The Like/Dislike ratio will, in all likelihood, tend toward a ten to one ratio over geologic time.

[@journeysofjames1116]

Looks like a nice request stop

[@deltastransportadventures4083]

Helloooioooo

[@journeysofjames1116]

@@deltastransportadventures4083 Hi

[@cesariojpn]

6:29 (British Transport Police looking at CCTV footage from the station) Oh great, Geoff is acting weird again. What is he doing?

[@ImAnAutie]

What do you mean again? That assumes he sometimes acts not werid.

[@anthonylloyd6094]

He's on more train CCTV than anyone else........

[@NineEyeRon]

I bet they have him on facial recognition just to know they don’t need to worry

[@roundel52]

Love the use of good old Rail Alphabet for the station name. Geoff, your monochrome mime seems to be pushing a trolley. Surely a barrow crossing would be traversed with a barrow (just 2 wheels, and you'd need to lift it as well as push it). You'll need to go back and re-mime :)

[@markwright3161]

And the trolley was pushed onto the rails before checking it was clear, that was potential to have to mime a nasty accident and some disgruntled passengers who's luggage is not spread all over the tracks :)

[@arwelp]

Oh my, Geoff, some of those pronunciations! Caergwrle = kire-goor-lay, Cefn-y-Bedd = kevn-uh-bathe (“back of the grave”).

[@zenmollusc6128]

Pen-y-ffordd as well

[@astronomenov99]

Kai-er Girlie.😀

[@michaelleighton6879]

Which grave? Kevin's?

[@robinw77]

I thought the same, although you can see how his friend has tried to guide his pronunciations (dd="th", but the wrong 'th' sound), so at least he's tried. "Must try harder" for the next Welsh visit though :-)

[@willjones8849]

Geoff should do a series where he goes to rundown stations and do them up with the locals (and permission)

[@DownieLive]

You need to make a whole video just on the bizarre pronunciations! As a Canadian, I was flabbergasted by some of the pronunciations. 😂👌🏼

[@HighlandMike325]

Try Slaithwaite in West Yorkshire

[@mayube9292]

It's Welsh

[@mckenzie20]

Love that your giving us a chance by showing our station

[@Sam-gf6ue]

When I'm back in chester for uni and getting fit I'll have to ride to this station along the Greenway!

[@ianjones5176]

Dee Marsh signal box is very much in use - one of two on the Borderlands line (the other being at Pen-y-Ffordd)

[@tjshill82]

Not far from me have cycled that path a lot! I’ve noticed TFW are in the process of painting a lot of the station fixtures etc out of the old blue Arriva into the new TFW Wales colours. I’m English but live in Wales it’s taken me a few years to get the say the Welsh names correctly. The electronic announcements are pretty terrible 😂. Great video

[@davegriffiths7311]

So weird seeing somewhere I’m so familiar with on KZbin

[@stuartwestley8636]

Hi Geoff, I watched this and I too was interested in why on a Sunday, this station has a lot of services, but on other days, hardly any. It reminded me of a local bus service where I live, the Number 2, from Westcroft to Newport Pagnell (Both in Milton Keynes). The main service, which is run by Arriva to make a profit, is usually only run once per hour. However, on evenings and weekends, the Arriva buses are partly funded by Milton Keynes Council so they run more frequently (Usually every 1/2 hour) and they extend the route from its usual terminus, to a few miles along, to Renny Lodge, a new housing estate.

[@cadburykid141]

Watch all your videos Geoff but nice to see one from beyond London again- from a Midlander!

[@justintylerwashere]

Slow day in quarantine? Fear not, Geoff Marshall's back with a new request stop video!

[@yanmorris8953]

Lakenheath is very similar 0 trains Mon - Fri 2 trains Sat 8 trains Sun Approx.

[@danielrose1392]

I guess lower passenger numbers and thus shorter stopping times on sunday always allow for the additional stop. When you look at the timetable, for proceeding to following station it states 11 minutes including the request stop on weekdays. It is 10 minutes including the request stop on sundays. We have similar situations with train schedules around here. Once peak hour is reached, the train starts skipping 1 or 2 stops on every journey. Otherwise they would not be able to make the given time table.

[@howelboy123]

Would love to see a video about the old railway(now a bike path) that goes from hawarden to Chester. Lots of history behind it

[@michaelpilling9659]

That was fun. Superb scenery. What a bridge! Lovely video Geoff - thank you

[@cymruchrisllwyn]

@6:14 - yes it did go in, from someone who used to use it as an access point (when I worked in the building in the background :-) )

[@yogzrail]

Barrow crossings.....on this line alone, Hawarden Bridge, Harwarden, Buckley, Penn-y-fford, Hope, and Gwersyltt. Harwarden also has a footbridge, and is the only intermeadiate station to do so.

[@patricksavage8519]

Hawarden Bridge was built for workers at the nearby steel works.

[@olivergray1367]

You should come to Bristol one day and go along the Bristol to Bath cycle path, it’s an old railway alignment that’s now a cycling path but it goes through the old railway tunnels and some of the station platforms remain and there’s even some station building remains, not to mention the over bridges and underpasses

[@kelanb-k3619]

Love your videos Geoff, I'm a new subscriber let's get him to 200k!

[@WhiteTiger333]

I'll never need this information, being quite far from North Wales, but I had so much fun "exploring" with you and flagging down the train. :)

[@christopherbraiden6713]

Thanks Jeff for the video beautiful area and good to see you back on the rail network!!😎🐓🐓🇬🇧

[@HenrysAdventures]

I love these railway stations which are just a bit different!

[@catriona3279]

Caergwrle is like Kire Goor Leh Cefn-y-bedd is Kev'n u' beth (with a th as in the word that). Cefn is pronounced like Kevin, but without the i. The Dd digraph makes a voiced th sound, and the th in welsh is similar to the the th in words like thing or sith.

[@garethjones8047]

You are a local too then?

[@catriona3279]

Not exactly. I live down south in Caerphilly but my mam grew up in Y Fflint. As a consequence when I speak welsh, it's some sort of franken-dialect mix of north and south welsh

[@martyn-r]

Another awesome video Geoff, thanks. Not sure if the completionist in you is interested, but you have a missing station on the map 2:06. It’s missing Upton by Chester that closed just before Bache opened and would appear just north of it. You can still see the remains of it from the buses that run up Liverpool Road in Chester.

[@woofbarked]

Transport for Wales/Vivarail are currently testing 2 of 5 Class 230s on this line. They will eventually replace the Sprinters. 230006 and 230007 are the 2 that have been delivered so far. I was hoping Geoff would capture them.

[@scuzzy983]

Beautiful camera work and editing as always Geoff, I loved that shot at 5:31 👌

[@daveharrison9107]

Visited this one last year, parked up in Shotton, got the train over and walked back.

[@joesos]

Hey Geoff! In the description you spell the Borderlands Line "the Borderlands Lane" just thought you might like to know. Great vid as always.

[@geofftech2]

thx!

[@daveflanagan6510]

The LNER face mask was quite appropriate, Geoff, as this line was, I think, the most western outpost of the Eastern Region. As a youngster in the 50s I remember LNER tank locos hauling passenger trains on this line. The disused line, now the cycle way, was the link using a Cheshire Lines involvement and the LNER had a terminus on the banks of the Mersey near Birkenhead. It's also possible that this line is being currently trialed by converted class 230 'D' stock, though the gradient from Shotton to Hawarden (not Bridge) station has given rise to slippage issues, me thinks. Not as bad as the Conwy Valley line at Roman Bridge though ... I think an accountant planned that route to be used for the 230s!! Pre-1970s this would have been a very well used station; its' similarly named steelworks employed thousands.

[@andrewphillips9391]

The Wrexham trains used to run to Seacombe until it closed in 1960. An unusual set up there as an LMS station the LMS stopped using when the Wirral lines were electrified in 1938, so you had all its passenger services being operated by another company.

[@Sim0nTrains]

Harwarden Bridge is also the least used station in Flintshire as well. But it also bizarre that it get more trains on a Sunday than the weekday, I think that exit which was locked took people to a steel works if I remember, becuase I did visit Harwarden Bridge back in January but I did it on a weekday by walking it from Shotton... and yes the pronunciation is very difficult! great video.

[@Charstring]

For some reason, Geoff haunting that empty station on the Borderlands Line with all of its fences and clanging gates had a bit of a Sapphire & Steel vibe to it.

[@rmm2000]

Love your work sir. Good to see you back.

[@dwlnetnl]

More trains on Sunday: maybe more time in the plan because there are less people on other stations on the line, so less time required there.

[@chriswilkes236]

Liked this one very much. Good to see you keeping safe and well.

[@SaturnCanuck]

Thanks for another great video Jeff.

[@tomwilliamson1517]

The train announcer used to say HA-WARDEN rather than Har-den. Was hilarious

[@craigr9881]

Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 is beautiful. Don’t you agree? 👇🏻

[@pryn.darkstorm]

I was supposed to go to Wales this month 😭

[@londonbuses2937]

Nice Geoff!

[@acozkan]

Im so happy that Geoff Post New videos🤗

[@philippaboast8866]

Lovely scenic footage there thank you. Geoff, do come and visit Worcestershire Parkway station (opened Feb 2020) soon.

[@tomscott2.0communisteditio64]

Geoff I’m bloody sick of this, you being in my area and me not knowing!!

[@mattywilliams8329]

Geoff, maybe you could announce your where abouts on social media sometimes when making these videos so that local fans could come and meet you and snap a picture, maybe think about doing this in the future as im sure that avid viewers of the channel, like me, would love it!

[@fetchstixRHD]

I could understand the motivation for not doing so to be fair: if you're on a tight schedule you may lose a bit of time from what you planned to do (and also bear in mind it should still be social distancing time now!)

[@mattywilliams8329]

fetchstix™ this is true!

[@djburland]

Cool. However Geoff, we pronounce, but it's pronunciation ( nunc not nounce). Love your post 😄

[@EnigmaticCatalystPro]

That's the joke

[@californialiberationmoveme180]

There is a gated crossing at Carlsbad, California that passenger use to cross a single high speed track between the train platform and the connecting local buses, as well as the west side of downtown. There are electric bells and warning lights to alert people when a train is approaching. This is very important because all the Amtrak trains pass this station at about 65 MPH, and there is a curve on the north end of the station. Anyway, I don't know if the gate is interlocked with the bells. Obviously, it has to swing open if someone is crossing the tracks when the bells start to ring -- or simply in the name of humanity of a train should be bearing down on them. However, I'm not sure if the gate locks automatically to prevent people from crossing the tracks when a train is approaching. I thought about all that when I saw and heard how many gates there are at this little station. The gates do not seem to have much function, unless they are electrically locked when a train passes, as well.

[@Alan_UK]

There are 10,000 of foot crossings on the railways and all are risk assessed. Most rely on the walker checking for trains approaching. Some busy ones are fitted with lights and yodels. In 2012 Network Rail (NR) were fined £1m after 2 teenage girls were killed. NR had assessed the crossing in 2002 as high risk (presumably based on numbers using and sight lines). They recommended that the gates be electronically locked but never got round to fitting. The gates did have working warning lights and yodel alarms but the girls crossed after a train had passed, not realising a 2nd train was approaching in the opposite direction. The 1st train had stopped in the adjacent station and was blocking the sight lines.

[@bigmcglinchy442]

Yess

[@JB-ek4yx]

You went a few months early Geoff! TFW are currently test-running D-trains (ex-London Underground) on that line, I presume with a view to introducing them on service trains soon. You could have had a little bit of London in North Wales!

[@leonardohadad8581]

awesome video! thank you as always!! :D just a small improvement: in Welsh 'dd' is, indeed a "th" sound, but as in "that" "therefore" "the"; the other 'th' sond also exists, but it's simply written "th"

[@jonathancombe9991]

Oh interesting I hadn't realised there are two stations called Hope. When you showed the station Hope my first thought was "But that's in Derbyshire" (I know it's not the only such example, e.g. there are two Bentleys too, just wasn't aware of this one).

[@astronomenov99]

There are 2 river Dees as well. I used to live near that one, I live near the Scottish one now.

[@martinhughes2549]

@@astronomenov99 In Welsh of course its Afon Dyfrdwy!

[@btuckervideos4705]

There's also 3 stations called Whitchurch - one up in Shropshire, between Shrewsbury and Crewe; another in Cardiff, on the Coryton branch; and the third in Hampshire, between Salisbury and Basingstoke

[@HM...333]

Could you do request stops on heritage lines once you have finished this series

[@Claire-ue2oe]

Epic video Geoff! Keep it up!

[@LukeAlfordUKsteam]

You havent watched it yet

[@LukeAlfordUKsteam]

What if its REALLY BAD!!!

[@glasgowandwestdunbartonshi8934]

@@LukeAlfordUKsteam it won't Geoff is best Train YTer

[@LukeAlfordUKsteam]

@@glasgowandwestdunbartonshi8934 I know it was a joke

[@Claire-ue2oe]

Luke Alford but I have

[@jameshumble_gtuk6978]

Great video Geoff have a great day

[@TR9trainspotting]

You should go to hampton train station and see how nice it is

[@glasgowandwestdunbartonshi8934]

And maybe Drumchapel or Dalmuir?

[@thegreateasterntrainfan3121]

Brilliant video Geoff!

[@oddzag]

I've been here to stay at the nearby Gladstone's Library!

[@robinw77]

Lovely place! I'm from that area and used to go there for lunch during work sometimes.

[@30453trains]

Love the LNER mask. Got one just like it.

[@sorenmpeterson]

In the US state of Iowa, we have a town named Hawarden, which is (mis)pronounced “HAY ward en” and not at all like Hardin County across the state.

[@conscienceaginBlackadder]

2:18 All those -WCH endings are the imperative in Welsh.

[@kumatoni5245]

I haven't swung since the 60s, either.

[@MrTudwud]

Still using the old bull head track on one line I see - I wonder how old the track and sleepers are?

[@jackkerner6562]

What station in the UK has the most station gates?

[@geofftech2]

Jack Kerner great question! London Bridge?

[@2H80vids]

.... and which *open national rail* ones have "Gate" or "Gates" in their name? I don't think googling this will help, so cheating might be tricky.😁 Tube/DLR stations could be a separate question - but just the *open* ones. There's more than I thought; I've got 22 and 5 at the moment.😁

[@class387productions3]

bucknell is a request stop Geoff Marshall

[@fireforeva]

Also the least used station in Flintshire

[@mcollier4566]

My local request stop. Must make a proper visit one day.

[@stephenquinn6485]

Glad your back love your cool vids

[@Trainspotter11_]

Another brilliant, interesting Video! I really enjoyed this :)

[@JimbobsTransportVideos]

Pretty cool I was looking at the stop recently

[@mikepemberton13]

There is talk of building a new station just north of here called Deeside Parkway which will serve the Deeside industrial estate

[@DubStu]

With all the talk of pronunciations, I found your attempt at "Oswestry" to be the ropiest...!

[@Outfrost]

My question about that timetable leaflet is how does a train leave Neston at 0744, call at Shotton Low Level at 0804, and then get to Shotton High Level at 0755.

[@gilles111]

6:33 That's how I imagine Jack the Ripper crossing a railroad...

[@greatbritishentertainmentl5636]

I didn't see your "famous" American Beauty swinging bins on either platform - or did I miss them?

[@ladyfcoffee]

Can you do Deganwy next time you’re up that way please Geoff?

[@hmallett]

The shelter could do with a lick of paint - preferably in TfW colours, rather than Arriva Trains Wales colours!

[@Trigzd]

Heyyy, my local line! Not quite right with the pronunciations but a valiant effort! They are indeed disused entrances to the steel works except the turnstile which I think is still in use (if you have a key card). Most of that line could use a bit of TLC from TfW but hopefully that will come in a few years when they're supposed to double the amount of trains on that line.

[@martinreinders6870]

Two ideas on the many stops on Sundays. 1. Part of x trips a week in the contract. Plan them on Sunday when no one uses it anyway, but you did what the contract told you to. 2. Fits better in the timetable because of less traffic elsewhere where they don't like to change other timetables for the rest of the week. Ie, timetable on Sundays shifts 3 minutes is annoying and causes planning trouble for employees all over the place. / Probably will be a combination of both ;)

[@norbitonflyer5625]

It's because the service on the line is more frequent on weekdays, so the trains need to get from one end of the line to the other faster in order to be in time to go back again, and this can only be done if stops are skipped. The more relaxed timetable on Sunday allows time to stop everywhere.

[@Alan_Watkin]

I grew up in oswestry (gobowen) an ive not seen that one... i will look for it

[@oliverbrelsford5472]

Have you made your intent clear Geoff?

[@offichannelnurnberg5894]

Sometimes I miss some public transit-line-station-nerd like you. The bus I usually take is a ringbus. For me, normally, the eastbound is quicker. But due to a massive construction-related detour on the eastbound (~15 minutes longer), the westbound could now be quicker. It would be interesting to have a "race", but none of my friends are keen on riding the bus for fun while I take my bus home only to see which one is actually faster...

[@tom.parryjones]

For the record, a DD in Welsh does indeed sound like an English TH, but it's more like the TH in "then" than the TH in "thick". Not sure where that "A" in Cefn-y-Bedd came from though - it should be KEV-un UH BETH (with that soft TH).