Lovely tram, wonderful tram (The Great Orme Tramway (Llandudno, Wales))

Member Name: davidbuttery

Product:	The Great Orme Tramway (Llandudno, Wales)
Date:	05/11/09 (41 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wonderful scenery, a piece of living history, no need to put in the legwork

Disadvantages: Not the most comfortable experience in poor weather conditions

Most people have seen (at least on TV) and marvelled at the San Francisco cable car network. It's a long way to go for a ride, but you can get a similar experience, if on rather a smaller scale, much closer to home. There are in fact only two other cable-operated street tramway systems remaining in the world, and they're both in Europe. There's one in Lisbon, but if even that's too far then you can ride the other in the north Wales seaside resort of Llandudno! It's been running for more than a century now, and hasn't changed a great deal outwardly, although behind the scenes there have been a number of changes, such as the move from steam to electric haulage in the 1950s.

There are plenty of reasons to visit Llandudno anyway, but you'd be mad to miss out on a trip up the Great Orme (the substantial headland to the west of Llandudno Bay) on the Great Orme Tramway. There are other ways up the Orme, and they all have their attractions, but I think the Tramway is the best of them all. For one thing, this is a *steep* hill - steeper than 1 in 4 in places - which means that walking can be very tiring. Driving up is less taxing, but there's a toll to pay, while the infamous cabin lift (so called to avoid the confusion that would result from the use of the term "cable car") is an experience I've had once - and that was quite enough, thank you!

The trip up the Orme is in two sections; you have to change trams in the middle, at the appropriately-named Halfway station, because the winding house is in the way! Assuming you're beginning your round trip at the bottom, to find Victoria station from the promenade you should go to the roundabout near the pier entrance and then walk up the fairly steep Church Walks. The station is a few hundred yards along on the right, but it shouldn't be too hard to find as it's right on the road and has a great big sign telling you what it is! Note that parking at this end of the journey is close to non-existent in the summer; it's best not even to try.

The platforms at Victoria are not particularly spacious, and it can be quite a squash on a sunny day in mid-summer. There's no real boarding control once you've got a ticket, so try to position yourself close to where you think the door will stop; seasoned commuters should be used to this sort of thing! Once everyone's aboard, it's time to start the trip. Don't expect a wild ride, as the trams are limited to not much more than walking pace, but then there's no reason to go any faster, and it gives you more time to admire the views. If you want to enjoy the stunning vistas over Llandudno's beautiful bay then you'll want to face downhill, but the hillside scenery itself can be enjoyed in either direction.

The first part of the line, which is also the steepest, is the section which justifies the "street tramway" name: the roads are only open to local traffic these days, and there's only one traffic light to negotiate, but nevertheless it's quite an experience, and you'll really feel the strain being put on the winding cable. You might think the tram lines in parts of Sheffield are steep, but you've seen nothing until you've experienced this! You might see a few remnants of the old overhead wiring, but this was never used for power: the link was there for telegraph messages to be passed along. Communication is now carried out by radio, so there is no longer a need for an overhead or trolley poles.

Beyond the five-way road junction at Black Gate, the tramway leaves the streets and starts off along a dedicated track laid up the side of the Great Orme itself.  During this part of the journey there are some fine views to be had over towards Snowdonia, and if the weather is as changeable as it usually is in north Wales there is likely to be an ever-changing scene. It's at this point that I should point out that the trams have no windows, so if it starts raining then I'm afraid you're just going to have to put up with getting wet! For that reason, I'd advise not travelling without some sort of waterproof in reserve.

At Halfway station, everyone has to pile out of the tram, and walk through a passage inside the winding house in order to complete the climb. You are able to break your journey here if you like, though not many people do. The main reason to do so would probably be to visit the Great Orme Copper Mines, a fairly short walk away across the rough grass. For those staying on board, the second half of the Tramway is operated on the same cable-hauled basis as the first, but the tracks and cable are no longer buried in concrete and instead appear much more like a conventional railway. This part of the journey enjoys a considerably less steep incline.

From Halfway to the terminus at Summit station, the focus of the journey is on the spectacular surroundings: if it's slightly disappointing that a clear sight down to Llandudno Bay is only available for a fraction of the time, this is more than made up for by the expansive views available elsewhere: whether the long stretches of open grassland on the Orme itself, the jagged mountains of Snowdonia or the sheltered bays that open into the glittering Irish Sea, there's always something to look at. After this, Summit station itself comes as a slight shock to the system with its cafés and car park, but if the weather is good you can walk around and take in the views, while if it's less good then a seat inside with a bowl of soup can seem very attractive!

The Great Orme Tramway runs from late March to late October, with trams every 20 minutes seven days a week from 10am until 6pm (5pm in low season). A return ticket in the 2009 season cost £5.40 for adults and £3.70 for children; as is the way of things, these prices may increase slightly for next year. There are discounts available for families and groups; a ride on the Tramway is a very popular school outing! Disabled visitors should note that the traditional design of the trams means that there is no level access to the tramcars from platform level. There is space for two folding wheelchairs, but this has to be shared with pushchairs. Toilets exist at all three stations, but those at Victoria have no disabled facilities.

If you are staying in Llandudno, or even visiting the town for the day, the Great Orme Tramway should be very high on your list of things to do. Like all the best historic attractions, it remains a genuine working concern rather than being artificially preserved in aspic; this gives it a feeling of authenticity that adds to the visitor's enjoyment. There may be little in the way of creature comforts - and yes, if it pours with rain you'll get soaked - but the scenery is so good as to make that worth the risk on all but the worst of days. And the most physical effort you'll have to put in will be in walking up the hill to Victoria station in the first place!

Summary: A must for anyone visiting Llandudno