THIS week’s Nostalgia looks back at St Tudno, the excursion steamer that became a regular feature of the North Wales coastline.

Taking thousands of passengers with each trip, the vessel was part of the fleet of the Liverpool and North Wales Steamship Company, a pleasure cruise company founded in 1890.

North Wales Pioneer: St Tudno pulling into the docks at Llandudno Pier. Photo: David Roberts/Llandudno in old photographsSt Tudno pulling into the docks at Llandudno Pier. Photo: David Roberts/Llandudno in old photographs

St Tudno joined the ranks in 1925 as the first turbine vessel, with a second similar but smaller version, the St Seiriol, joining in 1931.

Carrying up to 2,500 passengers per trip, the ship often docked at popular tourist destinations such as Llandudno.

North Wales Pioneer: St Tudno at the end of Llandudno Pier. Photo: David Roberts/Llandudno in old photographsSt Tudno at the end of Llandudno Pier. Photo: David Roberts/Llandudno in old photographs

The parent company suffered from the excursion market’s decline starting in the 1950s, due to competition from the motor bus and later the motor car.

The company went into voluntary liquidation at the end of the 1962 season, and the receiver sold St Tudno to scrap in April 1963 to end a glorious period of North Wales sea travel.

North Wales Pioneer: St Tudno docking at Liverpool with crowds to greet the ship. Photo: David Roberts/Llandudno in old photographsSt Tudno docking at Liverpool with crowds to greet the ship. Photo: David Roberts/Llandudno in old photographs