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Electric Trams

Morturn said:
You friend may be a draughtsman, but that does not make him, or yourself right. I also disagree with what you say that “the roof of the back tram is correct to be the roof of the front tram”.


I have also enlarged this photo too, and as oldMohawk confirmed in post #422 the levels on the trams don't seem to match by a small amount. It was this prospective error or parallax misalignment that made me think it may be a composite image.


I would say that there are most likely two trams both facing the same direction. People getting ready to jump off the back of trams and busses was a regular occurrence. In fact, did it myself a few times.


I think that this image was taken with a camera and lens with quite a long focal length. This may explain why the perspective is compressed and the shops to the right look relatively straight, when we know they curved away at the corner of Slade Road.


This has been a fascinating discussion, that will hopefully continue. It is captivating how we interpret the past. I quite often hear people talk about historical fact and will refer to the primary source as fact. This post goes to show that even with a photograph, different people see the image in different ways, and will interpret the past in ways relating to their own culture, education, social standing and experiences.
Click to expand...
Like yourself used to jumping off trams and buses, arrived in Plymouth, jumped off as a bus went around a corner, the bus stopped and the conductor told me that I had to get back on the bus and travel the 100yards to the bus stop. People did not get off the bus in Plymouth until it stopped.
Bob
 
oldMohawk said:
Many have probably seen this film but if you have not it is worth a look to see the old trams running. It is nearly two hours long so needs some fast forwarding in places (use your mouse to click along the bar) but some very familiar street views and the old trams running. It starts slowly with some general Brum views but in places there are clear views of trams. Looks good full screen.
Some nice views from the top of a No 5 Lozells tram traveling the route see it crossing Six Ways about 1 hour into the film.
Click to expand...
Super film, would love to be able to put it on a big screen as on the tablet it is rather cramped and dark. However whilst it is full of fascinating bits (how those trams swayed and jumped both at speed and on bends), the most interesting sight was the Midland Red BHA FEDDs in the original Red, Silver roof and with the two yellow bands over the lower saloon windows and under the upper saloon windows.
Bob
 
Hi Bob,
I use a device called a Google Chromecast (£30) plugged into my 40" TV. In Windows 10 I right click on the laptop screen and choose cast and my laptop screen appears on the TV as shown in the pic below. You can cast direct from Youtube. There are other ways of doing it.
Not a very good pic I took it with my phone.
093407217_iOS.jpg
 
oldMohawk said:
Hi Bob,
I use a device called a Google Chromecast (£30) plugged into my 40" TV. In Windows 10 I right click on the laptop screen and choose cast and my laptop screen appears on the TV as shown in the pic below. You can cast direct from Youtube. There are other ways of doing it.
Not a very good pic I took it with my phone.
View attachment 120268
Click to expand...
Thanks Old Mohawk, I'll try it
Bob
 
If you have a "smart" TV you can connect it to your Broadband over wi fi and watch YouTube vidoes on your TV.

In fact if you have a 4k TV (super new model) you can watch 4K vidoes from Youtube on to your 4K TV and get super high quality.
 
Hi All,
This tram thread has been most interesting. I have followed it from the beginning but am still unable to reach a firm conclusion. However, i am left with the question, "If it is a composite of 2 or more photographs what is the point of it ?" It would have been a good enough photo independent of the number of trams in it. If it is advertising what, in fact, is being advertised?
Old Boy.
 
Old Boy said:
Hi All,
This tram thread has been most interesting. I have followed it from the beginning but am still unable to reach a firm conclusion. However, i am left with the question, "If it is a composite of 2 or more photographs what is the point of it ?" It would have been a good enough photo independent of the number of trams in it. If it is advertising what, in fact, is being advertised?
Old Boy.
Click to expand...

I am quite convinced that it is not a composite image now. However you do raise a good point in why was this image taken? Its is a very good quality image, possibly professional photographer.
 
Many thanks OM for Post 449 drawing our attention to that video. Well worth watching. A great deal of the commentary covers a lot of information I and other have recently given here. Hand I known it was imminent I could have saved a lot of typing. :D
Another bonus, in addition to the tram and trolleybuses seen, was many of the buildings are in pictures in various threads here; good to be reminded of them and see them often from a different angle.
 
Regarding the photo in post#380 which has been the subject of much discussion.
Some screenshots from the film in post#449 at approx 1h 42mins.

Pic 1 Two women on the zebra crossing seen in original pic with the young boy crossing.
PIC(103).jpg
Pic 2 the tram now over the crossing, see the 'keep left' sign which a man was standing by in original pic.
PIC(105).jpg
Pic 3 the tram is now starting the run up Tyburn Rd
PIC(106).jpg
Pic 4 the film camera appears to not be on the pavement by the shops looking at how close the car is.
PIC(107).jpg
Pic 5 the tram is now well into Tyburn Rd.
PIC(109).jpg
 
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I've just sat and watched the film again in post#449 and at 1h 13mins a ride to town filmed from the front balcony of a No 6 Perry Barr tram brought back so many childhood memories. Nice views of Birchfield Rd, Chain Walk, Six Ways and the hill down towards the Barton Arms which some drivers took at speed giving a feeling that the tall thin tram would tip over on the bend. I had forgotten how the trams rocked and swayed. The interlaced track in New Town Row and the hump back bridge over the Birmingham-Fazeley canal where the tram seemed to drop forward over the hump.
A British Library 3 mins sound recording from inside an electric tram ... they were noisy and rattled ...
https://sounds.bl.uk/Environment/Sound-effects/027M-1CD0126081X1-0700V0
 
Overhead line repairs but the workmen are looking down at something.
index.php

not paying attention I accidently put this pic in another tram thread so the above pic is a link to it ... :)
 
Phil (OldMohawk),

Page 17, Post #325 on 18 Sept 2017 shows tram 568 coming along Erdington High Street. Have you any idea of the year please?

Maurice
 
Hi Maurice,
I think it is prewar, probably 1938 because in September of that year they started running the trams on the Sutton Bypass instead of through the High Street, but I'm not totally sure.
Phil
 
To confirm the previous post (467) 25/9/38 was the date the trams changed their route as described. Tram 568 was built 1913/14 and received enclosed vestibule in 1926, so that date is between then and 1938. The tram was destroyed in 1941 during an air raid.
 
Thanks Phil and Alan. I'm not clued up on that part of Birmingham, but a friend saw the photograph and was curious about it.

Maurice :)
 
A No 63 tram at it's turning point on the Tyburn Road. The driver and his conductress have changed the trolley pole to the city bound side and pose for the pic. A distant tram is approaching so they need to cross over to the other line and start the tram moving or they will have to move the trolley pole to allow the other tram to pass.
No63tram.JPG
 
This is July, 1949. Car 694, which was built 1925 and withdrawn around the time of the closure of the city's tramway system.
I like the white delivery van. I wonder if anyone recognises who or which company owned it. It does have the appearance of a bakers van, but that is only my guess.
 
I was interested in this pre 1949 view of Martineau Street and put it in that thread, but it had two trams in it, so a link to the pic to show it in this thread. Some technical information about the trams was also posted in the other thread and is shown under the pic.
linked pic only visible if logged in
index.php

Radiorails said:
Car 843 was usually the one chosen by tramcar afficionados for tram system tours. It was the last tram built for the Corporation and was unique, It still carries the pre 1946 style numerals The car was based at Cotteridge and was a regular on the 36 Cotteridge route.
Click to expand...
 
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Two trams in Cotteridge, unfortunately no date, probably before 1950. The conductor of the far tram appears to be swinging the trolley pole round.
TramsCotteridge.JPG
 
Don't know whether this has been asked before? Are the new trams in Brum the same gauge as the old trams?
 
A ride on a tram was usually more exciting than a ride on a bus for 1940s/1950s children. Boarding it was a bit tricky because the trams stopped in the middle of the road so a good look-out was needed. Then the climb up the high steps to get on.
No 2 Erdington Tram pic.jpg
and Eric (cookie273uk) painted this scene as seen below from post#17
cookie273uk said:
Another tram painting, this is Gravelly Hill Erdington about 1950
Gravelly_Hill_Erdingtn.jpg

click pic once to expand, then click again to reduce.
Click to expand...
 
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Car 573 was one of 75 built in 1913/4. Six of the class were destroyed in air raids in 1941. Two others were withdrawn during WW2 but the rest survived until 1950 to 1953.
 
Has anyone read the new book Birmingham Tramways? If so any opinions etc, at £40.00 it seems a little expensive, but then Malcolm Keelers book on the buses that came out last year cost almost as much, but I did think it was worth it.
Bob
 
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