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  1. Railways and Tramways
  2. Funicular Railways & Cable Tramways of the British Isles

Great Orme Tramway

The Great Orme Tramway (Welsh: Tramffordd y Gogarth) is a cable-hauled 3 ft 6 in gauge tramway in Llandudno, Wales. Open seasonally from late March to late October, it takes over 200,000 passengers each year from Llandudno Victoria Station to just below the summit of the Great Orme headland.

From 1932 onwards it was known as the Great Orme Railway, reverting to its original name in 1977.

This is the only remaining cable-operated street tramway in the UK, and one of only a few surviving in the world, and it is owned by Conwy County Borough Council.

The line comprises two sections, where each section is an independent funicular and passengers change cars at the halfway station.

Whilst the upper section runs on its own right of way and is very similar to many other funicular lines, the lower section is an unusual street-running funicular.

Whilst the street running section resembles the better-known San Francisco cable cars, its operation is quite different in that it adheres to the funicular principle where the cars are permanently fixed to the cable and are stopped and started by stopping and starting the cable, unlike San Francisco where cars attach to, and detach from, a continuously running cable. As such, this section's closest relatives are Lisbon’s Glória, Bica, and Lavra street funiculars.
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  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Car 7 descends towards Half Way Station.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Car 7 descends towards Half Way Station.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Car 7 descends towards Half Way Station.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Car 7 descends towards Half Way Station.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Cars 6 and 7 approach the upper section passing loop.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Cars 6 and 7 approach the upper section passing loop.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    L2017_4933

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Car 6 Approaches St Tudno Road Level Crossing. Half Way Station can be seen in the background.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Car 6 Approaches St Tudno Road Level Crossing. Half Way Station can be seen in the background.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Car 6 Approaches St Tudno Road Level Crossing. Half Way Station can be seen in the background.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Car 6 Approaches St Tudno Road Level Crossing. Half Way Station can be seen in the background.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Car 6 Approaches St Tudno Road Level Crossing. Half Way Station can be seen in the background.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    The open track on the upper section near St Tudno's Road.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Passengers board car 6 at Half Way Station bound for the Summit.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Car 4 at Half Way Station

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Car 4 heads towards Half Way Station.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Car 4 heads towards Half Way Station.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Car 4 heads towards Half Way Station.

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    L2017_4921

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    L2017_4920

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    L2017_4919

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    L2017_4918

  • Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    Great Orme Tramway - September 23, 2017

    L2017_4917

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