ALONG THE CONWY VALLEY FOR A WHILE

Leaving Llandudno and the Great Orme behind, our first stop is Deganwy, alongside the Conwy esturary. Here's the village sometime around 1920. 

Deganwy has a railway statin, with the level crossing controlled by this ex LNWR signal box.

Onwards now to Llandudno Junction station, on the main line. Here, an ex LNWR 0-6-0 departs and passes No. 1 signal box in LMS times (Photographer unknown, my collection).

More modern traction here in the early 1980s.

There was a loco shed at Llandudno Junction. Here, 41241 sits in the yard.

A class 47 arrives with an up Holyhead express.

A DMU forms a shuttle to Llandudno in 1985.

Virgin West Coast 57310 pauses at Llandudno Junction.

Just outside the station is the Old Station Hotel, a Lees' tied house.

Arriva buses stop beside Llandudno Junction station.

Crosville had their main depot for the area at Llandudno Junction.

Empire Goldstar was an independent company with a depot around the back of Llandudno Junction.

South now, along the Conwy Valley, to Llanrwst, where another ex LNWR signal box controls the passing loop at what is now Llanrwst North station.

A new "Llanrwst" station has been built closer to the town centre. The year is 1990.

The fine bridge over the River Conwy at Llanrwst in 2003.

St Grwst church in Llanrwst (Creative Commons License).

The New Inn is a welcoming little boozer.

There's also the Pen-y-Bryn.

An elevated view of Llanrwst from Gwydir Forest (Creative Commons License).

Further inland now to the Swallow Falls near Betws-y-Coed.

The nearby Ogwen Falls.

A couple of postcards of Betws-y-Coed from my collection.

A local independent ran a bus service in Betws-y-Coed.

Beside the railway station is the Betws-y-Coed railway museum, with a miniature line.

An electric tram runs around the site too.

Turning east now, there's a bit of a problem on the road between Pentrefoelas and Denbigh.

Looking West-South West from Denbigh Moors looking circa 1965.

That's where we'll end this post. The next stop will be Denbigh, then beyond. Here's a link to the route so far.

GET UP THAT ORME!

Last time, I left you in Llandudno town centre and that's where we'll start today. A guaranteed early opener is the Wetherspoons, the Palladium. 

Next stop, the Albert, with some good beers.

From there, it's a short hop to the Gresham, but it has no cask beer these days.

The Snowdon has been recently refurbished and remains worth a visit.

A less traditional pub, with good ales - the Cottage Loaf.

There's still one more pub to do, but we'll come back to that. Meanwhile, an interlude in the gardens of Happy Valley.

Crosville Wales became the main bus operator in Llandudno. 

Now, it's part of Arriva.

Llandudno Urban District Council, which became Aberconwy UDC in 1974, had a small fleet of buses to enable passengers to get up to St Tudno's church. Here's a good part of the fleet in 1975, in the town centre.

Now, a couple of the other buses in the Aberconwy fleet.

A local independent, Alpine, ran a few services in the town after deregulation.

Express Motors also reached Llandudno.

No, this charabanc isn't on service, just attending a local vintage vehicle rally, along with a Jowett Bradford van.

We must not forget that Llandudno was once connected to Colwyn Bay by a tramway - all gone now. Mostyn Street, where the photo was taken, still survives.

Llandudno has a railway station, the terminus of a branch from the North Wales main line. Here, a class 40 arrives, with a backdrop of Snowdonia.

DMUs ran most of the services in the 1990s, though the odd loco hailed working took place.

Back to that promised pub. The Kings Head is alleged to be 300 years old. It's vety handy for the lower station of the Great Orme Tramway.

The lower section of the Great Orme Tramway takes one through the streets of the town, then alongside the road.

Coming down the hill is a Llandudno UDC Foden PVSC6 (Les Flint).

A more modern Aberconwy UDC bus is seen at St Tudno's church in 1978.

Taking the coast road around the Great Orme, a couple of vintage lorries on a rally.

Back to the Great Orme Tramway, we've reached the halffway point. It's 1913 and we must change cars.

Another old postcard view, this time of the upper section.

A more modern view of car 6 on the upper section and at the terminus.

An alternative route up the Great Orme is by cable car, as depicted in this postcard view.

From the summit, there are great views over Llandudno's West Shore and beyond. That's where we'll head in the next post.