Old Connahs Quay to Buckley Line - Northop Hall Traditional Cache
Southerntrekker: As the owner has not responded to my previous log requesting that they check this cache I am archiving it.
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Old Connahs Quay to Buckley Line - Northop Hall
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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This cache can be found close to a part of the old Connahs Quay to Buckley Railway Line. Parts of the old railway have been turned into flat tarmaced footpaths. See the trailhead waypoint for the start of the railway line footpath. Please note the cache is not hidden on the footpath it is just a bit further up the road from the start of the path.
You are looking for a 75ml box wrapped in cammoflauge tape. There is room for swaps and small trackables. It can be found as a quick drive by.
The railway was built in the mid 1860'2 as the Buckley Railway, an independant private company but was soon absorbed into the Wrexham Mold and Connahs Quay Railway where it passed through a succession of owning companies which were Manchester, Sheffield and Lincoln Railway. Great Central Railway. London North Eastern Railway and finally to British Railways.
The section which the cache is placed on, Connah's Quay to Northop closed in 1959 but the track was not taken up until a few years later. The Northop to Buckley section stayed in use until about 1964 when it was also taken up. Its total length was about 8 miles and it has a fascinating history combined with some major accidents due to the line's steep gradients.
It was once quoted as the most profitable section of railway in the UK. It was used to transport clay products such as bricks, tiles and pipes and coal from the Flintshire Coalfield. The line was also conversly used to send pit props from Connah's Quay to the said mines. It ran special excursions to Connah's Quay where day trippers could take in the sea air on the banks of the River Dee. A permanent passenger service was never ran although the line had a platform at Connah's Quay and a station at Buckley which was used as the terminus of the line from Wrexham for about 30 years as the Buckley to Bidston line, which is still in use today, was not built until about 30 years after the Buckley Railway.
The line had its own fleet of engines with an engine shed near the present day Deeside Naval Club in Connah's Quay. It served in excess of 10 collieries at various times and about as many again clay pits and brickworks.
The Connah's Quay to Buckley Line superceeded the Horse Drawn Wepre Tramway which ran a similar course but not exactly the same entering the docks via the current day Dock Road. The section between Connahs Quay Mold Road Bridge and Northop was its most scenic section passing through a sylian valley with a stream and small sandpit on one side.
There is another cache of mine at the Mold Road Bridge, Humpty Dumpty GC1W9TH where you will find the remains of the old road bridge.
At time of placing the cache contained :
Log, information sheet and pencil (do not remove)
Mini highlighters
Whistle
CONGRATULATIONS GO TO THE MOLD MONSTERS ON BEING THE FIRST TO FIND THE CACHE/
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
x.t cbfg