1. Pride of place for the open-toppers must go to Arriva Cymru’s fine Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol VR, a firm favourite with the driving staff seen here circumnavigating the roundabout at the north western end of Mostyn Street in the town centre in June of this year. A feature retained on the rear panels of the bus is the original Crosville fleet number of DVG 512.

2. Likewise the nearside aspect of the same bus is illustrated here as it takes a five to ten minute timing stop at the far end of the Great Orme by the Rest & Be Thankful Café. In the far, far distance 24-miles away can possibly just be made out, the outline of the Isle of Man. Unlike the main Arriva fleet all the open-toppers feature yellow in place of the nationwide corporate aquamarine and stone livery.

3. Three former London Buses Leyland Olympians are operated in the Arriva Cymru fleet in the area. Here the offside aspect is shown of number 3995 originally L 170 and transferred up from the Arriva London fleet. All three would have operated in the South London area around the densely populated suburbs of Norwood, South Croydon and Thornton Heath.

4. These Olympians would have all originally been built by Eastern Coachworks with dual-door configured bodywork. A nearside illustration of L 242 shows the neat rebuild that has been applied, and for the sharp-eyed reader the picture was not taken at 8.10am despite what the palm-surrounded clock might indicate. It was more like 9.15 as the bus departed for its first run along the coast to Rhyl.

5. Open-topped variety on route 12 is provided by this former Liverline Northern Counties bodied Scania. In previous years it has operated on the Snowdon Sherpa route network, which as it says on the packet, serves the roads to and from and through the Snowdonia Mountain range. However, such open-top work in 2010 has been passed over to Express Motors and Padarn Bus. Here the bus departs from Llandudno having just gone passed the main visiting coach drop-off and collection area.

6. The variety continues in the angular shape of this Alexander bodied Olympian once operated by Merseyline, and like the previous illustration, as the fleetname intimates, first saw service in and around the busy environs of Liverpool and Merseyside. With the imposing edifice of the Great Orme towering above, the bus now with fleet number 3987 applied wandered down Mostyn Street bearing the corporate front but a three-sided wraparound red advert for the Heart FM radio station.

7. The usual fayre (or is it fare), over route 12 is the VDL SB200 / Wrightbus saloon as illustrated arriving near the terminus at Cloddaeth Street in Llandudno. Single-deck low-floor buses are the usual type operated over the route with vehicles operated from both ends of the route at Llandudno and Rhyl. Low-floor buses are also operated westwards by Arriva to Bangor and Caernarvon and by Express Motors and Arriva through the Conwy Valley to Betws-y-Coed.

8. In years gone by the roads between the two towns were covered in various ways, none more perhaps so interesting than during the 1990s under the Happy Dragon banner. And back in August 1990 the Bristol VR was very much in vogue as shown here by DVL 417 with the privatised Crosville Cymru company. The route then was much longer and operated from Conwy via Llandudno and Colwyn Bay to Rhyl and Talacre.

9. By the following year a more interesting vehicle was captured operating over the route in the shape of this former London Buses Daimler. 2646 of these Daimler and then subsequently Leyland Fleetline type were built with bodywork by MCW and Park Royal. DMS 1491 as was had by July 1991 been acquired and re-numbered HDL 921. Here the bus is seen bound for Conwy waiting time in Llandudno outside the Palladium entertainment centre and cinema, the building modelled on the theatre of the same name in central London. It is currently under refurbishment as a Wetherspoons libation outlet. The building that is, not the bus. By chance the small Reeve Burgess bodied Mercedes-Benz midibus behind was also a refugee from the south east having originally been supplied to the London Country Bus Services company.

10. Back to 2010 and the other operator to provide open-toppers for the tourist trail in Llandudno is the Alpine company. And their contribution is again the trusty Leyland Olympian with ECW bodywork, one such being a former Yorkshire Traction model. Franchised by City Sightseeing the vehicle is shown once again passing through the town centre beneath beautiful June blue skies with Victorian buildings and the Great Orme providing a backdrop.

11. An earlier open-topper from the Leyland stable operated by the company was this Park Royal bodied Atlantean originally closed top with London Country as their fleet number AN 5. Bearing livery for the Guide Friday organisation the bus pulls away from the pier terminus of the tourist services with two other more interesting vintage vehicles from the same operator in the background.

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12-13. And indeed one of those still operates the Grand Tour around the Marine Drive and the Great Orme three times a day. This rather handsome Leyland Tiger Cub sports a 41-seat body from the now ceased Duple production company and was built in 1958.

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14. A previous vehicle in use by the Alpine company back in 2001 was this fine looking Guy Otter, seen here in the company of the previous Tiger adjacent to the pier. This featured a 25-seater Roe body built in 1954.

15. An even earlier bus illustrated further back in August 1986 was another from the Guy stable. However, this one was a Wolf, not in sheep’s clothing but sporting a full fronted Metalcraft body, which featured a centre entrance. Again the bus was captured on the departure point for the tour near to the pier, but was back then operated by the Aberconwy District Council.

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16-19. These four images illustrate the famous Great Orme Tramway which first opened on 31st July 1902. It is allegedly the only cable-hauled tramway which is still run over public roads on the British mainland. Each of the trams is named after a Saint and provides a spectacular journey to and from the top of the geological feature. Tram number 4 descends one of the steep gradients, whilst number 5 has the curved promenade of the town laid out before it along with the Little Orme in the background as it too descends to the lower station.

Further up on the Great Orme Trams 6 and 7 prepare to pass one another between the Halfway and the Summit Stations; once again the bay and the Little Orme provide the background. To the left of the picture one can make out the Cable Car and the roadway to the right is where Arriva Cymru buses on local route 73 provide alternative forms of transport to and from the summit.

Finally Tram number 7 is viewed from Tram 6 as they prepare to pass on the upper section of this unique British funicular tramway. Views from the top on a good day will afford the visitor a chance to observe Anglesey, Blackpool, the Isle of Man, the Lake District and of course nearby Snowdonia.

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20. From the top deck of one of the Arriva Cymru tourist open toppers one can glimpse the railway line from Llandudno Junction to Llandudno town station as both pass either side of the local golf club. In the background across the other side of the River Conwy can be seen the coastline as it wends its way towards the Isle of Anglesey. Trains from this line run direct to and from Manchester via Chester.

21. Another and perhaps more pretty is the Conwy Valley Line that hugs the River Conwy through delightful countryside to and from Blaenau Ffestiniog via Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed. Here a 150-Class Arriva Wales train passes slowly through the request stop station of Tal-y-Cafn as it heads southwards.

22. One for the kids, although when observed it appeared to be carrying more adults than children, is the Dotto Landtrain. This traverses the roads from one side of the peninsula at the pier to the other on the West Shore via Gloddaeth Street and Avenue. Here the vehicle approaches the pier terminal point preparing to take up the first journey of the day.

23. And finally, to the other extreme in the shape of the Cable Car that whisks passengers high above the treetops and onto the summit of the Great Orme. Below the system and to the back of the picture lies the church and cemetery of St.Tudnos (pronounced Tidnos), being the first settlement of habitation before the main town was established. The current church building dates in part back to the 12th Century. And so ends our tour and focus on the transports of delight of Llandudno.