The history of the Welsh Highland Railway has been recounted many times, and much of it is not relevant to the store of the Croesor Tramway. Whilst the WHR was short lived, it at least outlived the traffic on the Tramway. By 1931 traffic coming from the quarries of the Croesor valley had ceased, any remnants of production being sent by road. During 1933 there was talk of closing the WHR, but Porthmadog influences still hoped that traffic could be resumed from the Croesor valley, so it was proposed to close the WHR north of Croesor Junction, leaving the tramway in situ. At the last minute, based on improved passenger traffic on their own line, the FR decided to lease the WHR for 42 years, but this was merely the last act of dying ralway. The FR ran the line for 3 years but the board decided not to reopen the line for the 1937 season, and that, after everything that had gone before, was that.
Further up the tramway, the non-parliamentary section of the tramway was offered for sale at auction in 1936, but no buyer was found.
In 1941 the WHR was lifted north of Croesor Junction. Again the hope of some future traffic from Croesor kept the remains of the tramway alive, the entire length right into the harbour being left in place. Sadly no traffic was forthcoming and the line slumbered.
The Tramway was finally lifted between August 1948 and August 1949 by W.O.Williams of Harlech using a Motor-Rail tractor, which became the last train to work along the true 'Croesor Tramway', this also being the last part of the Welsh Highland Railway remaining in situ.
Further up the valley, the private section of the tramway was still operational. In 1942, Croesor Quarry was purchased for the storage of explosives which led to the construction of a road up the southern side of the valley. This still bypassed the far end of the valley bottom along which the tramway ran. During the 1950s and 1960s road tractors could still be seen pulling the odd wagon along the tramway.
Today the upper part of the tramway has all gone, but its route is clearly visible and easily accessible. Further west, time has turned full circle, the Welsh Highland Railway is being restored, soon it will be possible to travel along part of the Croesor Tramway for the first time in nearly seventy years.