Site of Mostyn Street tramway, Llandudno
Electric trams used to run along the centre of Mostyn Street, as you can see in the old photo (courtesy of the L&CB Tramway Society and Conwy Archive Service).
The photo was taken at the junction with Lloyd Street soon after the tramway opened in 1907. It shows one of the original batch of 14 trams, with bodies built in Shrewsbury. The company’s trams were dark red and cream, with gold lining on the panels, until they were painted grey during the First World War. They were green and cream from the early 1930s until the tramway closed in 1956.
The copy of this photo held by Conwy Archive Service is captioned “First public tram”, with the tramway’s opening date. The lack of curiosity from the bystanders on the left (several looking at the photographer!) suggests that the passing tram wasn’t a novelty, but local residents had seen trams making test runs before the tramway opened to the public.
On the right in the photo is the Swiss Café, where proprietor Henry Charlier advertised that chocolates were made on the premises every day. His Swiss-born successor, Jean Felix Bonnet, became a British citizen and served in the First World War, dying in Italy on Armistice Day. Click here for more about the Swiss Café.
With thanks to the Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Tramway Society
Postcode: LL30 2WY View Location Map
Website of Conwy Archive Service
 |
  |