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Electric Trams

I bet it was, especially with the fast unimpeded (except for tram stops) runs along the reserved sections. The track to the right lead to Rubery route 71. The tram is heading back to town. There was a 72 which terminated at Longbridge and a 69 Northfield Both were short workings of route 70.
 
Certainly pre-war judging by the gas lamps and cars. Pre-war style numbering on tramcar, no adverts and older style car loading signs. Post war was black on white.
I wonder, if pre NHS days, how busy was the firm selling hearing aids? ;)
 
acocks green.jpg
The traffic island in the Village, New Inns behind the tram and the cinema to the right.
 
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A No 24 and No 25 side by side and another tram immediately behind the No 25. It seems a narrow section of road with barely enough room for overtaking cars. I haven't been able to identify the location. The trams started at Snow Hill and went via Great Hampton St to Lozells. Some references say the No 24 trams were withdrawn in 1939 and No 25 trams withdrawn in 1933 but the photo date looks late 1940s to me.
No 24 and No25.JPG
 
Tram route 24, Colmore Row to Lozells via Hamstead Road and Wheeler Street. This was an anti clockwise route and the 25 was clockwise. The routes were abandoned - I believe April 1939 - according to details to hand. There is some suggestions that route 25 ceased a few years earlier in 1933. The cars do look more than 1933 vintage however.
Replacement bus route 69.
Tram 514 built 1913 and survived into the early 1950's.
Tram 614 built 1920/1 and withdrawn between 1949 and 1953
Both trams carry pre-war style numerals.
 
David Harvey's vol 3 of Birmingham Trams states the picture was taken late in 1938, and that the no 25 was being displayed on the blind in a staged photograph for the photographer, 5 years after route had closed. Also that the position is Lozells Road at the junction with Lozells St. this fits with the c1950 OS map and Kellys for 1938, as the only Taylors Chemists on the route appears to be 112 Lozells Road, which is on the corner of Lozells St
 
That, Mike, does support my 1933 date. I am sure many of us when researching do wonder whether something is a mis-printed date or the true facts. Thanks.
 
Thanks Mike and Radiorails for the information. I notice Taylors Chemists are advertising National Health Insurance Dispensing which I presume is not the NHS created in 1948.
 
There was a national health insurance scheme before the war, run by private insurance companies. You had to have actually contributed to be covered, and I have an idea that different insurance companies split the country into areas, so one company covered each area. Not certain about that bit though
 
A No 79 tram at the Pype Hayes terminus and the driver and his mate wait to turn the key in the Bundy Clock. The Bagot Arms on the right.
Pype_Hayes_1.jpg
 
Tram 672, in post WW2 livery, was built in 1924 just three years before the 79 Pype Hayes tram route commenced.
 
Tram 104 stops on the Cannon Hill single track loop which ran towards Balsall Heath and back to the city. Note the conductor's ticket punch and money bag and the driver dressed for good weather. Not so good for him on windy rainy days when he needs a heavy raincoat.
CannonHill.jpg
 
Car 104, one of a class of 150 built 1906/7, withdrawn 1937/9. The car looks very clean and possibly fairly new. Car 104 was amongst those retained during WW2 as an emergency measure. Seen at the terminus in Willow Road on route C, which became route 39 when routes were numbered in 1916. The conductor has his Bell Punch machine which type of equipment lasted into the mid 1950's. Cannon Hill trams ceased in 1949. The Bundy clock looks like it might be an earlier odel that thus usually seen in photos; apparently it moved a few times during its like there. Maybe it was set back further away from the corner?
 
Another No 79 tram at the Pype Hayes terminus. Looks like the driver is lighting a cigarette and the conductress might have already lit one.
No_79_Pype_hayes.jpg
 
It was not easy for a little child getting down the high steps of trams as seen on this No 2 tram in Erdington 1950.
No2 Tram Erdington.jpg
 
I had put the pic below of Six Ways Aston in the Old Streets thread. The distant tram in Birchfield Rd is a No 6 on it's way to Perry Barr. The pic also shows tram tracks curving out of Victoria Road into the High Street. In a later pic shown in post#372 these tram tracks had been removed.
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linked forum pic only visible if logged in
 
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A No 79 from Pype Hayes waits as a No 78 makes it first to the junction and perhaps the following No 2 from Erdington will also cross before the No 79.
3_trams_in_Erdington..jpg
 
The order of loading for trams in Steelhouse Lane was, as far as I recall, looking from the Snow Hill direction was routes 79. Pype Hayes, 78 Short Heath and 2 Erdington. If the loading track was empty a tram presumably could go straight to its assigned loading point. Another, on a different route, might go to the stub and thence move to its loading place. I am sure there were always inspectors there, as were in Navigation Street, to regulate the cars movements.
 
Nice photo of Aston Cross, it would be interesting to see a Photoshop result on the black and white photo in post#60.
I whiled away a few hours yesterday having a go with GIMP on the one below and now I notice the tram behind the No 79 tram looks rather long, the tram driver looks annoyed, and I made a mess of the road name ... :)
79Tram717.JPG
3_79Tram717.JPG
 
The tram in the background does look unusually long and I do not believe is is a camera thing. I have a strong suspicion that there are, in fact, two trams which are passing each other.
 
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Radiorails said:
The tram in the background does look unusually long and I do not believe is is a camera thing. I have a strong suspicion that there are, in fact, two trams which are passing each other.
Click to expand...

Radiorails said:
The tram in the background does look unusually long and I do not believe is is a camera thing. I have a strong suspicion that there are, in fact, two trams which are passing each other.
Click to expand...
Radiorails
I do not want to disagree with you as your information and knowledge is always spot on, but I think there is only one tram at the back. it does look unusually long, but there is no trolley pole visible at the left hand side of the picture and you can see the shops on the far side of the road through the windows of the tram. I printed this out on A3 and went over it with a magnifying glass. If there is a skilled draughtsman and the measurements of a tram were available it could be possible to draw the missing body in through the 79 tram and prove how many trams there are. I tried it roughly using a side view from one of the David Harvey books I have and it did match up.
Bob
 
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