Wrexham, 1977

Description

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This aerial photograph, taken in 1977, shows the Croesnewydd area of Wrexham. In the lower foreground is the Croesnewydd Railway Junction, with the Wrexham and Minera Branch railway line running out of frame on the left, servicing the foundries and quarries in this area. The railway line has limited the expansion of the Maelor Hospital, opened in this site in 1934 and which can be seen on both sides of Watery Road running across the left to right across the frame. To the right is the main railway line from Chester to Shrewsbury, with the Wrexham and Ellesmere railway visible looping towards the centre of the picture, before curving back under the mainline towards Wrexham Central Station. Within the loop of the railway can be seen Jaques Scrapyard.

Above the Hospital on the photograph can be seen a new development of prefabricated houses, and to their left, behind the trees is Maesgwyn Hall. The Crosville Bus Company had their bus garage here at this time, and the buses not in service can be seen parked in the yard.

Both Maesgwyn Hall and the development of prefabricated houses had their entrances opening out on to Mold Road. Facing them across the road is the Wrexham Football Club Ground, The Racecourse.

Next to The Racecourse is the Denbighshire Technical College, now the main building for Glyndŵr University, and beyond that on the far side of Plas Coch Road next to the rugby pitches is Plas Coch, which was demolished for the construction of the Retail Park on this land. In the top left of the frame is the A483 Wrexham By-Pass.

Top right of the frame is the suburb of Rhosddu, with the reinforced concrete building housing Yale Sixth Form College visible on Crispin Lane. Below this is the Wrexham General Station.

(Description by Spencer Gavin Smith.)