 The rapidly expanding cities of England needed high quality roofing slate, which was transported to the new port by tramway from the quarries in Ffestiniog and .The "Ffestiniog Railway" opened in 1836, followed by the "Croesor Tramway" in 1864 and the "Gorseddau Tramway" in 1856, and by 1873 over 116,000 tons (117,800 t) were exported through Porthmadog in more than a thousand ships.A number of shipbuilders were active at this time, and were particularly well known for the three-masted schooners known as "Western Ocean Yachts", the last of which was built in 1913.