The Great Orme Tramway, Llandudno
The lower section of the Great Orme Tramway opened in July 1902. When the upper section opened a year later, tourists could ride almost to the summit of the Great Orme from Llandudno. This allowed visitors to enjoy the vista from the top without having to make a steep ascent and descent on foot.
Victoria station, the tramway’s starting point in Llandudno, was named after Victoria House, demolished to make way for the tramway. The line was designed to work as two halves, to match the capacity of the power equipment available at the time to haul the tramcars up the steep gradient. The split also enables the tramcars to run twice as often as they would if there were one long line. The lower section is just under 800 metres in length, the upper 756 metres.
Each section has two tramcars, which pass each other at the midpoint. The steepest part is the first section out of Victoria station, where the gradient is up to 1 in 3.6. While the upper section is segregated from road traffic (except at level crossings), the lower section runs partly in the road. Here the cable between the rails, which hauls the tramcars, is buried in a trough with only a narrow slit open along the roadway. Traffic signals, including special lights for the trams, are provided where the track crosses Tŷ Gwyn Road.
In 1908 it was proposed that the trams should operate on Sundays. Objectors said this would desecrate the Sabbath. Supporters included the rector, who said the trams would make services at St Tudno’s Church, on the Great Orme, accessible to more people. Another supporter said Llandudno’s many Jewish visitors would not have concerns over Sunday trams.
In 1932 a component broke on a tramcar descending the steepest section. Margaret Worthington, aged 12, was riding on the tram after delivering lunch to her father, who worked in the halfway winding house. Driver Edward Harris realised the brake wasn’t worked and grabbed Margaret, who was standing next to him. They jumped out as the tram derailed, but both died, as you can on our page about Edward’s grave on the Great Orme. Automatic brakes were introduced in 1934.
The tramway passed into municipal ownership in 1949 and is now owned and operated by Conwy County Borough Council. In 2000-01, Conwy CBC upgraded the tramway with improved control equipment and a new building at Halfway station.
Postcode: LL30 2NB View Location Map
Website of the Great Orme Tramway
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