Opened as Abergele by the
Chester and Holyhead Railway on 1 May 1848, the 'and Pensarn' suffix was believed to have been added when the station was substantially rebuilt in 1883. It became part of the
London, Midland and Scottish Railway during the
Grouping of 1923. The line then passed on to the
London Midland Region of British Railways on
nationalisation in 1948. When
Sectorisation was introduced, the station was served by
Regional Railways although
Intercity Sector trains passed through on their way from
London Euston to
Holyhead. The
Privatisation of British Rail led to services being provided by
Wales and Borders until 2003,
Arriva Trains Wales until 2018, and in the present day,
Transport for Wales. The station had been the location of two
LMS caravans in 1935 and 1936 followed by three caravans from 1937 to 1939. Nine camping coaches were positioned here by the
London Midland Region from 1954 to 1971 (eight only in 1954). It was originally served by loops off the main line in both directions, but the eastbound one was removed in the late 1980s and the main line realigned to pass through the platform. However the westbound one remained in use until early 2017 - it was decommissioned over the weekend of 8/9 January. The loop has now been lifted and the platform extended out to reach the remaining main line. A replacement bus service was provided to Rhyl whilst the work was in progress, as westbound trains were not to call until the work was completed. The platform reopened to traffic on 12 March 2017. As part of the same modernisation scheme, the
signal box here was abolished in March 2018, when new colour light signalling was commissioned between Colwyn Bay and Shotton.
Abergele train disaster On 20 August 1868, the
Irish Mail collided with some runaway goods wagons which had been left on the running line between Abergele & Pensarn and
Llandulas stations. The accident was, at the time, the worst railway disaster in Britain with 33 fatalities. ==Facilities==