Train Simulator 2022: North Wales Coast Line - Crewe: Holyhead Route Add-On

Ever since the Act of Union in 1801, which saw Ireland become part of the United Kingdom, people have strived to improve the connection between the two isles. In the early 19th Century, a combination of horse-drawn transport and sailing ships was the only option; that was until the 1840s, when the Chester and Crewe Railway and later, the Chester and Holyhead Railway were incorporated.

The full line was soon completed in 1848. Irish Mail would regularly work the line from London to Holyhead, and the LNWR, being in control of the West Coast Main Line and the line to Holyhead soon after, saw an opportunity for a spike in tourist traffic. Trains were put on to serve seaside resorts like Rhyl, Colwyn Bay and along the Llandudno branch, setting in stone the line’s popularity. This tale would continue through the Big Four, British Railways and Sectorisation eras, and despite freight being less common today, the line has remained a local and long-distance passenger haven with over 90 trains a day.