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Broad Street

guilbert53 said:
It must have been early for it to be that quiet.

I often go up early on a Sunday morning and park in and around Gas Street to wander round taking photographs and it is rare to see Broad Street so quiet.

It is almost like the city has been abandoned!
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0613 Sunday,, Bomb alert the night before, Street just opened
 
Broad Street looked like this last week from the Secret Garden. Getting ready for the next Metro extension towards Hagley Road. There are hoardings in the road outside of Cineworld.



Same view in January 2018



Also September 2013 long before the Metro works.

 
My god what an abortion they have made of a perfectly good thoroughfare , used to walk upu and down there everyday as a kid , alas never again all gone in the mist of time
 
Brindleyplace on the right built in the 1990s.

Further up the Five Ways leisure complex home of the Cineworld cinema.

Lots of hotels and bars down here.

By 2021 the Westside Metro extension is expected to be finished with trams running down there beyond Centenary Square.


This doesn't show much but was on the new hoardings on Broad Street.



Will be a tram stop close to Brindleyplace, with the next one beyond the tunnel on the Hagley Road near Morrisons.
 
Williamstreeter said:
My god what an abortion they have made of a perfectly good thoroughfare , used to walk upu and down there everyday as a kid , alas never again all gone in the mist of time
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I cant see the problem.

Yes there is disruption while they lay the tram tracks, but when that is finished it will be fine. And the tram taking people up and down Broad St will be a huge advantage.

I can remember (not that long ago) when Broad St was a main road in to an out of the city for cars and other vehicles and it was often rammed with traffic and not very pleasant.

With the council having to reduce traffic in the city centre due to pollution laws it makes sense to try to reduce or remove traffic from Broad St and have it for mainly trams (and buses and taxis) and encourage cars to use the "outer" Ring Road.

We no longer want or need traffic pouring in to the city centre.

Think how many roads in the city centre USED to have cars and other vehicles driving down them, causing jams, pollution etc.

Roads pedestrianized (or limited to mainly trams) now include New St, Paradise St, Corporation St, High St, Bull St, Stephenson St, Pinfold St, Union St, Cherry St etc.

And think how much more pleasant it is to walk round the city centre.

I go up to Birmingham a lot taking photos and on a Saturday New St is PACKED with people strolling up and down it like a French Boulevard. So much better than when it used to be rammed with cars, buses and lorries.

City centres HAVE to change and adapt or they die.
 
A lot of disruption over the years to get the full tram system in place. But I agree, it’ll be worth it. Who wants a city centre clogged up with traffic, pollution and irate drivers? I could never remember what buses to catch to go along Broad Street, now I imagine it will be much easier with the tram. Viv
 
I saw a 24 bus going into town turn into Tennant Street from Five Ways. I did not even know that some buses had a different route into town from their route out with the diversions away from Broad Street
 
But, David, did they not go in and come out on different routes before the diversions?
 
guilbert53 said:
I cant see the problem.

Yes there is disruption while they lay the tram tracks, but when that is finished it will be fine. And the tram taking people up and down Broad St will be a huge advantage.

I can remember (not that long ago) when Broad St was a main road in to an out of the city for cars and other vehicles and it was often rammed with traffic and not very pleasant.

With the council having to reduce traffic in the city centre due to pollution laws it makes sense to try to reduce or remove traffic from Broad St and have it for mainly trams (and buses and taxis) and encourage cars to use the "outer" Ring Road.

We no longer want or need traffic pouring in to the city centre.

Think how many roads in the city centre USED to have cars and other vehicles driving down them, causing jams, pollution etc.

Roads pedestrianized (or limited to mainly trams) now include New St, Paradise St, Corporation St, High St, Bull St, Stephenson St, Pinfold St, Union St, Cherry St etc.

And think how much more pleasant it is to walk round the city centre.

I go up to Birmingham a lot taking photos and on a Saturday New St is PACKED with people strolling up and down it like a French Boulevard. So much better than when it used to be rammed with cars, buses and lorries.

City centres HAVE to change and adapt or they die.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry for the loss of many things in Birmingham but as you say we all have to accept change a town center needs to adapt to our modern lift style, one problem for all is the amount of cars in our lives.
The loss of front gardens given over to parking spots outside of homes something I and others have made comments on, my farther no longer wants to drive of a Tuesday to his brothers for lunch along with his sister the reason traffic.
I remember being able to drive into the city center on a Saturday night and find a parking space in New St just up from Dayvilles Ice Cream shop a feat I am sure today would be hard indeed.
Pedestrian only streets and thorough fare's are a fact of life, we can no longer have our city's full of cars and trucks along with people.

Now I used to have to go to Broad Street and pick up the breakfast and the lunch order for the guys at work maybe 40 or so people, they would make me walk in the snow and rain up past the Opposite Lock club turn right onto Broad St to the sandwich shop, the tester would pick me up if it was raining only because the guys did not won't their sarnie's wet but how many 17 year olds got chauffer driven in a Rolls Royce with a box full of bacon buttiey's and toast.
 
guilbert53 said:
I cant see the problem.

Yes there is disruption while they lay the tram tracks, but when that is finished it will be fine. And the tram taking people up and down Broad St will be a huge advantage.

I can remember (not that long ago) when Broad St was a main road in to an out of the city for cars and other vehicles and it was often rammed with traffic and not very pleasant.

With the council having to reduce traffic in the city centre due to pollution laws it makes sense to try to reduce or remove traffic from Broad St and have it for mainly trams (and buses and taxis) and encourage cars to use the "outer" Ring Road.

We no longer want or need traffic pouring in to the city centre.

Think how many roads in the city centre USED to have cars and other vehicles driving down them, causing jams, pollution etc.

Roads pedestrianized (or limited to mainly trams) now include New St, Paradise St, Corporation St, High St, Bull St, Stephenson St, Pinfold St, Union St, Cherry St etc.

And think how much more pleasant it is to walk round the city centre.

I go up to Birmingham a lot taking photos and on a Saturday New St is PACKED with people strolling up and down it like a French Boulevard. So much better than when it used to be rammed with cars, buses and lorries.

City centres HAVE to change and adapt or they die.
Click to expand...

Well you certainly don't need that much traffic on Broad St , with all those drinkers spewing up their entire evening's enjoyment . Blackpool have their Golden Mile . Las Vegas have their Sunset Strip , what would our great city have for Broad St ? Alcy Alley
 
Williamstreeter said:
Well you certainly don't need that much traffic on Broad St , with all those drinkers spewing up their entire evening's enjoyment . Blackpool have their Golden Mile . Las Vegas have their Sunset Strip , what would our great city have for Broad St ? Alcy Alley
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Well, William, I guess based on what you say, the tram people will be happy that the after effects of the revellers are on the street rather than in the tram. :scream:
 
mikejee said:
But, David, did they not go in and come out on different routes before the diversions?
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I have not travelled on the 23 and 24 very often but my recollection is they used Broad Street for both the inward and outward journeys. They have had very complicated routes at various times in the city centre serving both the markets area and Colmore Row
 
jennyann said:
My eldest brother Peter attended King Edwards Five Ways Grammar school in the mid l950s. At least twice a year our family would attend a function at the school and we would walk between the Hall of Memory along Broad Street to Five Ways and the school.
It was an interesting walk with many shops to look in the windows of. I particularly remember a theatrical shop that sold to the people who worked in the theatre. They sold wigs, Leichner stage make-up, dancing shoes, costumes, in fact anything that an actor or actress may require. I always looked for that shop.

Kunzle's Cakes had a large double fronted shop on Broad Street with great window displays especially at Christmas and Easter. I also remember the amazing windows of Lee Longlands, the furniture store which is still in Broad Street.

The address that caught my eye on John's list was that of the company Parker, Winder and Achurch, a very old Birmingham company that made hardware items if I remember rightly. I was sent there as a temporary shorthand typist in l963 for a three week assignment. It probably had the most old fashioned offices I can ever remember working in and the office managers were very strict indeed with their staff. It seemed like being at school. :knuppel2:
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I lived in Bishops Avenue, Bishopsgate Street, off Broad St. from 1945-1953. My favourite shop in Broad St. Was opposite Kunzle`s on a corner. It was Astley`s Toy shop. I spent many hours adoring the toys in their windows.
 
jennyann said:
My eldest brother Peter attended King Edwards Five Ways Grammar school in the mid l950s. At least twice a year our family would attend a function at the school and we would walk between the Hall of Memory along Broad Street to Five Ways and the school.
It was an interesting walk with many shops to look in the windows of. I particularly remember a theatrical shop that sold to the people who worked in the theatre. They sold wigs, Leichner stage make-up, dancing shoes, costumes, in fact anything that an actor or actress may require. I always looked for that shop.

Kunzle's Cakes had a large double fronted shop on Broad Street with great window displays especially at Christmas and Easter. I also remember the amazing windows of Lee Longlands, the furniture store which is still in Broad Street.

The address that caught my eye on John's list was that of the company Parker, Winder and Achurch, a very old Birmingham company that made hardware items if I remember rightly. I was sent there as a temporary shorthand typist in l963 for a three week assignment. It probably had the most old fashioned offices I can ever remember working in and the office managers were very strict indeed with their staff. It seemed like being at school. :knuppel2:
Click to expand...
I remember St Thomas`s Church in Broad street. Just up from Watsons Motors. My sister and I were christened here.
 
millacaterpilla said:
I remember St Thomas`s Church in Broad street. Just up from Watsons Motors. My sister and I were christened here.
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St Thomas's church was in Bath Row. It was Emanuel church in Broad Street. But you could be right as I think from a thread about the church, which said that St Thomas's congregation moved to Emanuel when St Thomas's was bombed.
 
Hi there, i have a death certificate which gives the address as what appears to be ‘5 Back 88 Broad Street’. I’m not sure how to interpret this address. Any ideas?
 
Hi guys - my cousin today showed us an old photo of my Great Grandfather driving a Birmingham Express Motor Company bus outside the Five Ways Inn - we guess in the 1920s. I will try and photograph it and post in due course. Any memories or info would be greatly appreciated!
 
gvh1309 said:
Hi guys - my cousin today showed us an old photo of my Great Grandfather driving a Birmingham Express Motor Company bus outside the Five Ways Inn - we guess in the 1920s. I will try and photograph it and post in due course.
Click to expand...

If you have access to a basic ink jet printer then it may have a scan option so you could scan in it.

I have a mid price Epson printer that does very good scans.

Probably better quality then a photograph of a photograph, and quicker !
 
There are photos of early Birmingham buses in this thread. Maybe it is one of them?

Birmingham buses

LRW 377 (99) was , as reported in Bob's post (1680), a Daimler Freeline with Gardner engine. It has 20 seats and provision for another 30 standing. This type of bus were not popular Birmingham and many other places that tried them. It had a body built by Duple and went into service in 1951, it...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
Astoness said:
hi gvh1309 what a fantastic photo thank you for sharing it with us all

lyn
Click to expand...

My parents and I were overwhelmed by it when my cousin gave it to us yesterday. I had to research it and found the forum and am delighted to share it. If anyone has any information to add re: period (we believed it to be 1920s but I'm beginning to think that's way out from what I'm learning!) etc. I would be most grateful. In the meantime - enjoy!
 
Addendum: I am told the driver of the bus is my Great Grandfather, Thomas Harrison. Again, any info appreciated. (If there's a more appropriate thread for this info, please advise!)
 
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