Peter rolls out new book in trams series
The story of the disappeared tramways of Wales is told as part of a new book by transport author and historian Peter Waller of Shrewsbury.
Peter is writing a series looking at regional tramways across the nation of which "Wales, Isle of Man & Ireland, Post-1945" is the latest.
Among those featured is the Glyn Valley Tramway which operated westwards from Chirk through the valley to Glyn Ceiriog. Horse-drawn passenger services began in April 1874, being replaced by steam in 1891.
"Following authorisation to convert the Glyn Valley Tramway to steam operation, locomotives were borrowed from the Snailbeach District Railways to permit the line's reconstruction and the diversion at the eastern end to serve Chirk station, on the Shrewsbury to Wrexham line," he writes.
"New steam-hauled freight services were introduced in 1888 with passenger services commencing in 1891.
"The line's financial position deteriorated after the First World War and it deteriorated further in 1932, when a competing bus service was introduced.
"Passenger services ceased on April 6, 1933, and freight on July 6, 1935, after which the line was closed and dismantled the following year," he writes.
Among various other tramways were a horse-drawn service which ran nearly four miles between Pwllheli station and Llanbedrog for 33 years until part of the route was damaged in October 1927 and it was decided not to reopen. There was also a horse-drawn tram from the station to the beach, which closed at the end of the summer season in 1920.
An ill-fated dream of turning Arthog, near Barmouth, into a holiday resort saw a line linking Mawddach Crescent with Barmouth Junction, but it only last four years, closing in August 1903.
Although Salopians of yesteryear did not have the chance to ride in trams in their own county, Shropshire was to play its part in the wider trams story, as one of the country’s biggest producers of trams, G. F. Milnes, was based in Hadley.
Peter, who has written a number of books on transport subjects, grew up in Bradford and moved to Shropshire in 2007.
He is now a full-time author and editor. He is also a director and secretary of the Online Transport Archive, a director of Shrewsbury Dial-a-Ride, a trustee of the West Shropshire Talking Newspaper, a committee member of the National Railway Heritage Awards and a past president of the Rotary Club of Shrewsbury.
His latest book putting the spotlight on the tramways of Wales, the Isle of Man, and Ireland, is published by Pen & Sword and costs £25.
