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Merthyr Tramcars

 

 The Merthyr Electric Traction & Lighting Company (a subsidary of  the British Electric Traction Company) opened  the tramcar service on Good Friday 6th April 1901 and operated 16 tramcars. They ran from Cefn Coed to the Bush Hotel Dowlais,   from Pontmorlais Circus to Graham Street. The service closed onl Wednesday the  23rd August 1939.

 

The Tramcar Depot (Traction Yard), At the top of Trevethick Street,  Previously the site of the Penydarren Ironworks, later it became the Home of Morlais Services, operators of Morlais Coaches.

Click The Image Below for

Morlais Services

 

The Generating Plant

The Generating Plant and Switchgear

MerthyrTydfil_TractionCompany_GeneratingPlant_1.JPG (81692 bytes)

MerthyrTydfil_TractionCompany_GeneratingPlant_2.JPG (103656 bytes)

   

The Generating Plant with two staff members, one very young

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The Depot.

MerthyrTydfil_Tramcars_TramcarDepot_1938.JPG (183176 bytes)

 

Merthyr Tramcar Staff photograph at the depot.1903.

Mervyn Davies tells us that his grandfather Mr Walter Davies is in the back row 5th from the left.

(Photograph courtesy of Mervyn Davies)

Merthyr Electric Traction Tramcar Depot Group 1919

 

Traction Yard  - The depot.

 

Merthyr Tramcar - No. 4 at the Depot

(Photograph Courtesy of David Williams)

Tramcar No. 7 at the Depot

   

Tramcar No. 7 at the Depot, Trevethick Street extreme left.

(Photograph Courtesy of the Geoff Matsell Collection)

Tramcar No. 2 at the Depot

   

Tramcar No.2 at the Depot

Unidentified Cefn Coed Tramcar at the Depot

   
 

 
 
Inside the Depot.

MerthyrTydfil_Tramcars_TractionDepot_April1938.JPG (156931 bytes)

Inside the Depot.

MerthyrTydfil_Tramcar_ Depot.JPG (142635 bytes)

 

The Merthyr Electric Traction & Lighting Company

purchased a number of second hand cars from it's fellow BET group member the Birmingham and Midland  Tramways Joint Committee. One is shown here following it's rail journey to the Merthyr Taff Vale Railway Station in Plymouth Street, being drawn by horses  on the final leg of it's journey, to the Traction Yard.

  MerthyrTydfil_TVRStationDeliveryOfSHTramcar.JPG (86845 bytes)    

CLICK HERE

FOR THE

PLYMOUTH STREET
RAILWAY STATION

 

 

Tramcar  No 14 at the Bush Hotel, Dowlais. 1938  

 

Tramcar No 14 at the Bush Hotel

On the left is Walter Davies.

(Photograph Courtesy of Walter Davies' son, Mervyn Davies)

Tramcar No. 6 with Conductor Walter Davies

(Photograph Courtesy of Walter Davies' son, Mervyn Davies)

Tramcar No 11 at the Bush Hotel

   

 

 

 
Tramcar No. 12 at the Bush Hotel, Dowlais

 
Unidentified Tramcar at the Bush Hotel, Dowlais

 

Tramcar No 10 going down Dowlais High Street,  just about to pass the works

(Postcard Courtesy of Mrs Gill Thomas, West Grove.)

Tramcar on the New Road Dowlais

Dowlais_NewRoad_WithTramcar.jpg (278589 bytes)

 
Tramcar No3  High Street, Penydarren opposite the Norton

MerthyrTydfil_Tramcars_CefnCoed_Tramcar_Cefn.JPG (157142 bytes)

Tramcar  No 7, High Street, Penydarren. 1912.

HighStreetPenydarren1912.jpg (208467 bytes)

Tramcar No 8, Lower High Street, Penydarren

 

Unidentified Tramcar at the General Hospital

(Photograph courtesy of Geoff Matsell)

 
Tramcar No. 3 at the General Hospital

Tramcar No 5 at the Theatre Royal

CarNo5_TheatreRoyal.jpg (177689 bytes)

 
Tramcar No2 at approaching Pontmorlais Circus July 1938.

 
Tramcar at  Pontmorlais 1914, the time of the  rail renewal. A hive of activity.

 
Unidentified Tramcar at Pontmorlais

 

Do you have any photographs or information relating to Merthyr Tydfil's Tramcars?

If so, please email us, by clicking the 'Contact Us' button.

 

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