Llandudno branch line

When plans for the Irish mail traffic were being developed, Ormes Bay, immediately on the east side of Llandudno, was considered as a possible location for a harbour for the ferry.

A harbour would be built in Ormes Bay and a railway facing Holyhead would run from it to join the C&HR main line east of the River Conwy.

Instead the junction was made facing Chester, and a station was provided at the western extremity of the present-day location.

The London and North Western Railway had absorbed the Chester and Holyhead main line by this time, and the LNWR worked the trains on the Llandudno branch.

[1] The line was vested in the LNWR by Act of 28 July 1873, and the track was doubled and general improvements were made.

[1][5] Although the arrangement worked, it was not a commercial success because most of the slate was destined for southern markets via Portmadoc, and the LNWR route was not competitive.

[1][4] In the summer season, traffic was very busy, and to ease the problem of stabling and servicing passenger stock, the wharf sidings at Deganwy were used for the purpose.

[7] By 1910 the index in Bradshaw shows a large number of distant destinations; there were 31 departures from Llandudno, of which eight were "motor trains".

Five of the journeys continue to Blaenau Ffestiniog, under a subsidised arrangement, using the marketing branding The Conwy Valley Line.