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Birmingham Trams

Another lovely picture, Mike. It's probably early 1930s - Apart from the lack of traffic you can see the original bow collectors on the trams, as supplied when the trams were new in 1928/9. BCT engineers patented a different kind of contact pan (the horizontal member which makes contact with the overhead wire) in 1929, and the originals were replaced over the next few years.
Peter
 
Bow collectors made a conductor's life a lot easier. Without them the conductor could be seen at each terminus turning the trolley pole for the next journey. Here we have formation pole changing in Steelhouse lane as the guards of these two cars walk the poles round, not always an easy task if streets were busy with traffic and especially at night.
 
This is a nice one. Corner of Bradford street and Rea Street. The anchor pub is on one of them corners.
Was the Tram towing that car:D
 
motorman-mike said:
Bow collectors made a conductor's life a lot easier. Without them the conductor could be seen at each terminus turning the trolley pole for the next journey. Here we have formation pole changing in Steelhouse lane as the guards of these two cars walk the poles round, not always an easy task if streets were busy with traffic and especially at night.
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Mike, as a cinema historian its not one's beloved trams i'm gasping over-its the Gaumont Cinema in the background.:biggrin:

Have you a rough idea of the date of the photo please?

Thanks,Richie.
 
Richie said:
Mike, as a cinema historian its not one's beloved trams i'm gasping over-its the Gaumont Cinema in the background.:biggrin:

Have you a rough idea of the date of the photo please?


Richie, that one is from 1950 and here is another from 1953
Mike
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Frothy,
That picture in Rea Street is interesting for the fact that it was taken in the very early days of the war (hence white bands of paint on lamp posts etc, and route 84 ran between Albert Street and Stechford via Deritend. On that occasion, the service car was diverted to Hill Street because of track repair work in Digbeth. Normally this would be done overnight, but because of black-out restrictions, it was done in daylight on Sundays in late 1939, and trams had to be diverted.
Peter
 
Thanks for that interesting information Peter. The more you know about a photo the better it looks:)

Mike, never "Tyre"of these Trams. The penny just dropped:D
 
Hi, where we used to live in Mary st balsall heath, the trams used to hurtle down Mary st, it was quite a steep hill, in those days we kids used to play in the road. One day one of the kids we used to play with, Mary Ellis who lived in hallam st, was hit by a tram, numbers 35/37 I think they where, she was seriously injured but the ‘cow catcher’ on the front saved her life.
Baz
 
Looking exceedingly handsome in original livery is car 723 at the junction of Court Road and Edward Road on the 37 route.
 
motorman-mike said:
Richie said:
Mike, as a cinema historian its not one's beloved trams i'm gasping over-its the Gaumont Cinema in the background.:biggrin:

Have you a rough idea of the date of the photo please?


Richie, that one is from 1950 and here is another from 1953
Mike
Click to expand...
Thanks for that Mike. I'll let you know if ever in the future any of my forthcoming Gaumont photos from cinema sources picture trams too. It seems that was a major stopping point.
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Trams on a wet day in Selly Oak and featured is car 396, sister of the famous 395 that was presented to the old Science Museum in Newhall Street and now imprisoned in the "Think Tank".
 
Here is the City terminus for many a day out to the Lickey Hills. It's Navagation Street, but seen here with car 808 working a 72 to Longbridge.
 
I think they were probably taken using a plate camera. Because of the weight and size of the camera,this would have to be supported on a tripod, removing wobble, and the much larger negative size gives more opportunity for detail , even allowing for increases in film technology. Also, and this is a guess which historical photographers can confirm or shoot down, individual plates give the opportunity for treating each picture to individual attention.
Mike
 
I don't know what camera was used to take them but here is a Hockley depot view before the changeover to buses (1939). Note the handcart and wheelbarrow!
 
cheers Mike thought it might be as the school clinic was there had to go on more than one occasion building was drab and miserable so were some of the oral hygenists lol
 
Another Selly Oak view for you OtherHalf. (Just the sort of day for visiting the dentist)lol

On a miserable wet day that would do Manchester proud here is open balcony car 341 on the 35 in Selly Oak ready to depart to City when the Motorman has pegged the Bundy clock. Note the top missing off the gas lamp alongside the tram.
 
OtherHalf, I think the Church stands on the corner that is now where Lookers Vauxhall showrooms and garage are at Elliot Road.

Now as car 647 heads towards the City on the 2 route, I would be pleased to know the location, which must be familiar to somebody looking in. (I couldn't post this as a 'Where is this?' because I don't have the answer.It would might have been a good one for 'Temples of Convenience' as well)
 
Hi motorman mike,that picture was taken at Salford bridge,the no.2 tram is at the bottom of Gravelly hill travelling towards the city.This location was quite a busy place,as three tramways came together at this junction.They were the Erdington service( no.2),the Tyburn road service,and the stockland road service.Of course,this scene is completely changed now,with it being the location of Spaghetti Junction. Mal.
 
Mal. Many thanks for info. Not being from Brum and then living on the south side of it, I wasn't very familiar with the Salford Bridge area before Spaghetti was built.
Mike
 
I like the advert on the Selly Oak Tram, do they do it in Tablet Form yet Mike:)
 
Hi Mike,to give you an idea of the location,obviousley Salford bridge is still in existence,if you were to travel over it on leaving the city, the tram in the photograph is almost exactly in the centre of the now present roundabout of the motorway exit.Although the junction appears quiet in the photo,note the 'overworked'? policeman on point duty,so some congestion must have been expected.The photo appears to have been taken pre-war,as the tram is in pre-war livery,though some did survive until after the war in the old livery.Paint,of course,was in short supply durig the war years,so some were painted grey,whilst others weren't re-painted unless it was essential, Mal.
 
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