B5605

The B5605 immediately NNE of its junction with the A5

The B5605 begins on the A5 some 500 m south-west of the village of Pentre near Chirk and runs in a generally northerly direction to Junction 3 of the A483 near Rhostyllen, by way of the east side of Cefn-mawr, Ruabon town centre, and Johnstown.

The route, which largely parallels the course of the Shrewsbury to Chester railway line – though on a rather more twisty alignment (especially where the road descends to cross the Dee at Newbridge) – is that of the pre-1935 A540 and, after that date, of the A483 until more recent developments saw the trunk road shifted further to the east.

Starting at a T-junction on the A5 we head northeast over the Llangollen Canal and the railway line before entering a meander of the River Dee. We head gradually round to the left, shortly crossing the river and entering Newbridge by heading southwestwards.

With the railway viaduct over the Dee clearly visible we bear right again to run north alongside the line before turning away. We skirt the eastern side of Cefn-mawr, meeting the B5096, before passing a wood to return to the railway. The A539 is then crossed at a roundabout and we enter Ruabon. After passing the station approach and the village lock-up we bear left around the churchyard. The B5097 multiplexes with us briefly and then we run along the High Street. The road then becomes dual; paint has reduced the road to D1 until we gain two lanes in both directions on the far side of a railway underpass. The road becomes S2 once more and there's a semi-rural section before we reach Johnstown.

We head north into town along Ruabon Road, then, at the southern end of the High Street, the B5426 comes in from the right at traffic lights and multiplexes with us north for a while, bearing off left in sight of open fields. After crossing a stream we head north to meet the B5098 then end at the A483 roundabout just afterwards. The old road ahead into Wrexham is now numbered A5152.