Site of Old Colwyn tram terminus

Site of Old Colwyn tram terminusPhoto of tram at Old Colwyn terminus

From 1915 to 1930, people boarded electric trams here to travel to Colwyn Bay or Llandudno. The photos are shown here courtesy of the L&CB Tramway Society.

The upper photo is dominated by the Queen’s Hotel (information below), now the Queen’s Court care home. Passengers are boarding the tram in the bottom right corner. In the top right corner is one of the metal arms which reached across the road to hold the electricity supply wires above the tram track.

The first part of the tramway, Llandudno to Rhos-on-Sea, opened in 1907, followed in 1908 by the extension to Colwyn Bay. The urban district council was so eager for the line to extend to Old Colwyn that it offered in 1909 to foot the bill for widening the road. Years of disputes between the council and tramway company followed.

Photo of tramway ticket which includes Old ColwynThe First World War was under way by the time the Old Colwyn extension opened in March 1915. The extension wasn’t a commercial success, especially when buses began to compete in the 1920s. The tram service reverted to terminating in Colwyn Bay in September 1930.

The lower photo shows a ticket pre-printed with various possible tram journeys, including between “Old Colwyn Terminus and Groes Laundry”.

The Queen’s Hotel was built in Victorian times with its best rooms offering a panoramic view of the bay and mountains. One of the first proprietors was Jane Paul, who organised “charming re-unions of sociality and song”. She had taken over a Cornish hotel by 1899.

The hotel’s staying guests were well-heeled. They included Sir Reginald Ogilvy of Dundee and his valet in October 1909, and Mr and Mrs HP Gardner of New York in July 1910.

In November 1907 the billiard room temporarily became a ballroom for the society debut of Miss Winnie Pryce Jones. The vicar opened the event. There was dancing from 8pm to 2am with a break at 10.30pm for a banquet, during which the debutante pulled a cracker containing a gold bracelet.

With thanks to John Davies, of the Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Tramway Society

Postcode: LL29 9AE    View Location Map

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