If asked to name the various operating tramways to be found in the UK, few people would think to mention the Conwy Valley Railway Museum in North Wales. However, this is in fact home to a miniature tramway, operated by a single electric tramcar – and British Trams Online is delighted to feature this museum thanks to a recent visit made by one of our regular contributors.
The Conwy Valley Railway Museum is, as its name suggests, primarily a railway-based attraction which boasts an excellent miniature railway and some superb model railway exhibits. However, of most interest to us is the small working tramway. The single tramcar is a semi-open single-decker constructed by a company in Birmingham in 1991. Its design resembles a small railway carriage, but the trolley pole and overhead wires clearly give away its true identity. Initially the car operated with no external branding, but it has more recently been allocated the number ‘1’ and also features signs promoting rides on the tramway which cost just £1.
Although this museum is often overlooked by tram enthusiasts, a visit is highly recommended to anyone who is ever in this area, and it certainly provides a very novel tram riding experience – particularly as part of the half mile line runs parallel with the mainline railway!
Car 1 stands alongside the Betws-y coed railway station on Saturday 8th June.
The unusual setting of this museum is summarised by this photo, with different sized railways either side of tramcar 1!
Car 1 in operation at the Conwy Valley Railway Museum.
Car 1 is dwarfed by a passing main line train in our final image from this underrated museum. (All photos by Joe Savage)
That is somewhere I have never been. I know of the existence of the museum but I wasn’t aware of the tram. Still, Porthmadog beckons on Friday for a week of Welsh narrow gauge, I’ll see if SWMBO can be persuaded that the Conway valley is nice at this time of year!
I visited this museum a few years ago when I was holidaying in Wales. I had gone to the main line station for a quick see and saw the track etc.
It is well worth popping in to the museum if you are in the area!