Another look at the Anglesey semaphores

Like Velingrad in Bulgaria, which I returned to in October 2026, another place that I never tire of re-visiting is the Isle of Anglesey, where there is the irresistible combination of some fine scenery, semaphore signalling and seasonally cheap hotel accommodation in rather down-at-heel Holyhead!

Having been lucky enough last year (feature: November 2025) to make official visits to the four signal and gate boxes that retain mechanical signalling, my quest this time (4-7 November 2026) was to return to the two most remote locations at Ty Croes and Gaerwen and once again try to get some decent shots of rail traffic passing the island’s fine collection of semaphore signals.

Travelling to Holyhead on 4 November 2026, I decided to indulge my passion for on-train dining, so travelled from Guildford to Hereford, using one of my soon-to-be-lost GWR Rover tickets (which I qualify for until 12 December 2026 as an employee of FirstGroup), then later continued on to Holyhead at 18.30 aboard the one daily loco-hauled service – 1W97 from Cardiff (17.22) that was formed of loco 67016 and set HD07.

There was something of a rush to order my food as staff shortage meant the train only had a chef as far as Shrewsbury, but I was still able to sample the best of TfW fine dining once again, picking a ham hock terrine starter, followed by a main course of chicken breast wrapped in Dewi Roberts bacon and finishing with caramel apple bread and butter pudding. All quite delicious.

Having booked well in advance I had paid just £29.30 (with railcard) for a First Class single from Hereford to Holyhead, which at the time of booking was cheaper than the standard class fare! My three-course dinner, along with a pleasant bottle of the house Merlot (£17.95), came in at a very reasonable £52.80, and is a remarkably civilised way of reaching North Wales.

As I have written before, the 19 westernmost route miles of the North Wales Main Line, from remote Gaerwen to the ferry port of Holyhead exist is something of a time warp, with semaphore signalling at four locations, two Listed station buildings and signal boxes (Valley and Ty Croes) and the only wire-worked semaphore distant signal in Wales.

So for the first of my two full days in Holyhead (5 November) I took a 14-minute trip to the remote request stop at Ty Croes where, after photographing a following Avanti service as it sped through the station, I took a 15-minute walk westwards to photograph a trio of Holyhead-bound services passing the unique distant signal (TC1).

TC1 stands almost a mile from the gate box at Ty Croes so is an epic or heavy 50kg pull for the gate-keeper and a remarkable survival. Most other working semaphore distant signals on the national network, including the only other example in Wales (Deganwy up distant DY5) being motor-worked.

Passenger services along the North Wales Main Line are now almost exclusively worked by 2 and 3-car TfW Class 197 units and Avanti West Coast 5-car Class 805 Evero bi-mode sets, although I did also note 158838 on a short test working from Holyhead to Valley and back, presumably after attention to it in the new Holyhead depot.

The basic pattern of weekday departures from Holyhead is an hourly TfW service to Manchester Airport, two-hourly TfW departures for Cardiff and six AWC departures for London Euston at 04.44/05.44/06.47/08.51/12.48 and 14.48, then a final AWC service to Birmingham New Street at 19.48.

Besides this diet of Class 197 and 805 units, November also sees daily appearance of the seasonal Railhead Treatment Train (RHTT) which makes a lengthy circuit from its base at Coleham Yard in Shrewsbury, and was being working on 4/5 November by Colas Rail 56113/096.

Keen to return to another of the island’s remotest locations, on my second full day (6 November) I took a 4/4A bus from Holyhead to Gaerwen then walked down to a farm over-bridge south-west of the signal box and former station, where the farmer kindly allowed me to take photos from the bridge.

Alas it was a deeply gloomy day, so the photographic potential was slightly limited here, as it was from a foot crossing of the line north-east of the signal box that I later ventured to, although I was able to get a second shot of the RHTT here, as seen below, having captured its outward journey to Holyhead from the farm over-bridge.

For those who may have missed my previous Anglesey features, the final 20 minutes of a rail journey to Holyhead will take you past two semaphores at Gaerwen – (GN4 and GN5), then the Ty Croes down distant (TC1) and its down home signal (TC2).

Travelling away from Holyhead you will be signalled by HD35 (platform 1), HD38 (platform 2) or HD23 (platform 3) then section signal HD39 after passing the signal box. You will then pass the two up semaphores controlled by Valley Signal Box (VY24 then VY23), the Ty Croes up home signal (TC5) and finally the Gaerwen up home and section signals, GN19 and GN17.

While in Holyhead I stayed once again in the comfortable and convenient Travelodge, which is an easy five minute walk from the railway station. Sadly Holyhead remains a town entirely devoid of real ale.