VIDEO: Travel back in time on the Hill of Howth tram

THIS is what it felt like to travel on the legendary Hill of Howth tram.

The old footage was lovingly shot in the 1950s by firefighter and historian, Leslie Crowe, founder of the Lorcan Film Unit.

The tram service, which ran between Sutton and Howth, began operating in 1901. The line was five and a quarter miles long and at its highest point at the Summit station reached 365 feet above sea level.

The service was originally operated by the Great Northern Railway but – despite its popularity – it never made a profit and was closed down by CIE on May 31, 1959.

Looking back today, this appears to have been an incredibly shortsighted decision. As the success of the Luas has shown, tram services form an important artery in the transport network of any major city.

After ripping up Dublin’s tramlines when the service ceased in 1949, we are now spending millions reinstating them.

The Hill of Howth Tramway lasted for one decade longer than the rest of the city’s trams. But can you imagine how popular it would be today with tourists and visitors to Howth had it remained in opearation?