Oystermouth Road, Swansea 2011
That 1963 photo is wonderful, but January of that year brings back some very sad memories for me and I imagine for others of my age who lived on that bit of land sticking out in the distant background of the second photo.
According to the accompanying notes in the above link the photo was taken in May of 1963 so, despite the summery look of that image, there was probably snow on that beach only six weeks or so earlier. I can remember the snow arriving in January and hanging around for ages. There are no men on the beach so the photo must have been taken on a weekday when they were all at work. The second photo was also taken in May but it was obviously taken at a different time on a much colder day.
St Helen's Road Station, Swansea 1920s
There are two different railways in this picture. The track nearest the car belonged to the Swansea and Mumbles Railway. This railway carried passengers from 1807 to 1960. In 1958 a local bus company made the shareholders of the railway an offer, bought them out and quickly closed down the world's oldest passenger train service.
Trains on the main track stopped at Swansea Bay Station which was about three hundred yards further up the coast. The station and track were removed in 1964 under the Beeching cuts. I think engine BR 80097 has been rescued and restored.
Trams were scrapped in Swansea in 1937. In the above picture one of them can be seen in front of the Bay View Hotel - the triangular building which can be seen in all three photos. The Bay View pub is still there. It has been open since at least the 1890s.
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