Swansea and Mumbles Railway

Owner The Morris Family
Opened 27th July 1860 for passengers (horse)
Operator The Morris Family
Taken over (lease) 1st July 1877 (Swansea Improvements and Tramways Company)
Taken over (ownership) 31st October 1877; sold to a local consortium which was formally incorporated (on 31st March 1879) as the Swansea and Mumbles Railway Co Ltd, and subsequently re-incorporated (on 26th July 1893) as Swansea and Mumbles Railways Ltd)
Taken over (operator) 1897 (controlling interest in the SITCL acquired by British Electric Traction)
Taken over (lease) 1st January 1927 (lease transferred to the South Wales Transport Company Ltd - a subsidiary of British Electric Traction)
First electric route 2nd March 1929
Taken over (ownership) 1958 (South Wales Transport Company Ltd)
Closed 5th January 1960
Length 4.14 miles
Gauge 4ft 8½ins


Button description (Pattern 1) Block initials 'S&MRY' on two lines

Materials known Gilt

Button Line reference [None]


Button description (Pattern 2) Title (‘Swansea Improvements and Tramways’) in circlet surrounding arms (shield with castle beneath a small shield, surmounted by a sailing ship upon a wall) with lion and dragon supporters with garlands, all above motto: 'Floreat Swansea' (Let Swansea flourish)
Materials known Gilt

Button Line reference [None]

Button description (Pattern 3) Wheel, magnet and electrical flashes

Materials known Brass; nickel; chrome; black horn

Button Line reference [113/16]


Comments The Swansea and Mumbles Railway opened to coal traffic in 1855, five years earlier than passenger traffic was introduced; it was in fact a partial relaying of the earlier, but by then defunct Oystermouth Tramroad. The operating history of the line was complex to say the least, with the SITCL - who had operating rights over the line - constantly at odds with the owners, who at various points either ran their own steam trains or leased these services to a third party who in turn leased them to the SITCL! This bizarre situation - two companies running services over a single track formation - was finally resolved on 1st July 1899 when all services were leased to the SITCL for 999 years!

It is assumed that railway employees wore the Pattern 1 'S&MRY' button, SITCL employees the Pattern 2 button, and SWTCL employees the Pattern 3 button.