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Old tram routes in birmingham

My Great Grandfathers were omnibus drivers on the Coventry Road route. I have a photo of one of them, head and shoulders, in uniform. My Dad was born in Greenway Street, Small Heath, in 1919 and recalled running to the junction and further down the road watching them transferring the overhead poles for journeys. Can anyone tell me what the route number would have been and where they would have needed to change over the poles?
 
Susan Rice said:
My Great Grandfathers were omnibus drivers on the Coventry Road route. I have a photo of one of them, head and shoulders, in uniform. My Dad was born in Greenway Street, Small Heath, in 1919 and recalled running to the junction and further down the road watching them transferring the overhead poles for journeys. Can anyone tell me what the route number would have been and where they would have needed to change over the poles?
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Trams with pole collectors on overhead lines had to transfer the poles at termini and a photo below shows this being done. A wartime No 84 tram at the Stetchford terminus. A vee shaped cover helps the conductor to position the wheel on the overhead wire in blackout conditions.
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Lots of tram information in the thread below and a film (Youtube) showing the trams in operation and possibly pole transfers... it's a long film over one hour !
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/electric-trams.28642/post-655750

Also see below
A photo of a conductor transferring the collector pole in 1949 click post link below ...
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/electric-trams.28642/post-584833
 
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Susan Rice said:
takeGreenway Street, Small Heath, in 1919 and recalled running to the junction and further down the road watching them transferring the overhead poles for journeys. Can anyone tell me what the route number would have been and where they would have needed to change over the poles?
Tram drivers known as motormen the tram the run down Coventry Rd was 11 12 84 90.
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no.11 City Centre to Bordesley Green (Blake Lane) via Fazeley Street replace 1948 no. 51 Bus
no.12 City Centre to Bordesley Green (Blake Lane) via Deritend replaced Oct1948 no 52 Bus
no 84 City Centreo o Stechford via Fazeley street replace Oct 1948 no 53 Bus
The v shaped piece metal placed over overhead lines was installed during the war to hide the flash when connecting from German bombers. you will also see the front bumper has painted white to allow the public could see the tram during blackout. Would think this picture was take during the war or just after.
 
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Additions to the above list would be the 90 tram route - Albert Street to Stechford via Fazeley Street. Replacement bus route was 53.
The 84 route was Albert Street to Stechford via Deritend. Replacement bus route was 54.
Also along Coventry Road were trams 13 and 14, to Small Heath and 15 and 16 to Yardley although these were replaced, in 1934, by trolley buses.
 
Hi, I've transferred over here from Churches You see in this photo a picture of a Tram on the Moseley Road in 1941. date confirmed by the program at the Imperial. Beyond the tram, the twin spires of the Congregational Church can be seen this led to a very enlightening correspondence there. But now to concentrate on the tram.
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Since publication of this photo in April's Gazette, these questions are being asked. Why is the tram traveling on the right side of the Moseley Road? No 37 is not the normal service for the Moseley Road that would have been Nos 40-41-42?
Did the boys on the top deck change the number for a laugh? Some say no, as only the driver could change the number and he did from his driver's seat. An explanation, anyone?
 
Pedrocut said:
Was there a tram depot in Moseley Road ?
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An aerial view of Moseley Road Tram Depot at Trafalgar Road dated 1938
MoseleyRdTramDepot.jpg

Another view shows the church near top of view
MoseleyRdTramDepotChurch.jpg
images source 'britainfromabove

A street level view of the depot
oldMohawk said:
A photo of two trams outside the Moseley Road Tram Depot offices at Trafalgar Road and a recent view of the building.
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Recent pic of the building.
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ascspeaker said:
Since publication of this photo in April's Gazette, these questions are being asked. Why is the tram traveling on the right side of the Moseley Road? No 37 is not the normal service for the Moseley Road that would have been Nos 40-41-42?
Did the boys on the top deck change the number for a laugh? Some say no, as only the driver could change the number and he did from his driver's seat. An explanation, anyone?
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The route number was changed by handles on the box, and done by the conductor. The driver didn't have a seat, his job was done standing up, so it is possible the kids have rolled the blind down to the next number. If they have and the conductor sees, one of them will get a 'clip round the ear' for messing about!
As to why the car is running "wrong road", it looks as if road or pavement works are happening on the right, so the left hand track might be blocked. Doubtless inspectors will be supervising the movements to ensure two trams don't meet head on! Incidentally, Moseley Road depot (Actually known by the side road next to it, Trafalgar Road depot) is just off shot further back up Moseley Road behind the tram.
 
I did wonder if the usual track was under repair due to bomb damage, after all it was 1941. But seeing the the three boys standing in the open top deck vestibule gives credence to the previous post by Lloyd.
 
Looking more closely at the tram in pic 1 post#71 the position of the collector pole suggests that the tram is travelling leftwards (in the pic) and is therefore on the 'wrong' track for that direction. The layout of the track on the entrance/exit to the depot looks interesting. There also appears to be a 'crossover' between the tracks just in front of the tram and maybe it was about to crossover to the correct track.
Enlargement
trammoseleyrd.jpg
 
oldMohawk said:
Looking more closely at the tram in pic 1 post#71 the position of the collector pole suggests that the tram is travelling leftwards (in the pic) and is therefore on the 'wrong' track for that direction. The layout of the track on the entrance/exit to the depot looks interesting. There also appears to be a 'crossover' between the tracks just in front of the tram and maybe it was about to crossover to the correct track.
Enlargement
View attachment 170242
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It has already passed the depot, and is heading away from it. It's possible it took the 'wrong line working' from here though. Does anyome know details of bomb damage on the left hand side of the road in that area? It is always a possiblility that the line closure was because of dangerous structures that may collape, or demolition work for the same reason.
 
An aerial pic showing the track layout from the tram depot along to the church. It looks like some work could be taking place on the city-bound track in front of the church - it looks 'different'. However this pic is dated 1938 and the tram pic is dated 1941. There is also an city-bound tram at the top of the pic. The track layout in front of the depot is interesting - it seems trams have quite a choice of direction.

The pic is long and thin so some zooming and scrolling is required - or simply save it into your device and then look at it.
2Image2.jpg
 
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oldMohawk said:
An aerial pic showing the track layout from the tram depot along to the church. It looks like some work could be taking place on the city-bound track in front of the church - it looks 'different'. However this pic is dated 1938 and the tram pic is dated 1941. There is also an inbound tram at the top of the pic. The track layout in front of the depot is interesting - it seems trams have quite a choice of direction.

The pic is long and thin so some zooming and scrolling is required - or simply save it into your device and then look at it.
View attachment 170243
Click to expand...
oldMohawk, the tracks may have been laid that way to facilitate access and egress more easily and adding some flexibility. Just thinking out loud!
 
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