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Then & Now

It seems the limited stop services were connected, in a way, with the Aston Expressway. The 97 limited stop started in 1972 to Castle Vale. I don't know the city starting point. There was a 98 to Kingstanding (limited stop) which started in 1968 (BCT days) which went via Six Ways, Aston. Also in BCT days, 1958, a limited stop to Tile Cross, numbered 99, ran but only for three months as there were congestion delays and the normal 14's became overcrowded and the 99's under used. Staff were not pleased. ;)
Another Limited Stop trial was on the Bristol Road in 1967, numbered 99, although the Bristol Road idea had first been considered in 1958. It was named Rubery Express, using the Fords, but being successful became a double deck operation.
All these LS routes were peak time services so may have not been as obvious as those on the regular services.
As Bob mentioned PTE matters are outside our interests so it is not easy to detail what eventually happened to these services. With the Midland Red amalgamation many routes out of the city were extended to combine previous BCT and MR services. Moreover the photographs of these limited stop buses generally show the city centre streets after demolitions and redevelopment which means I often do not recognise the buildings. Fortunately many of Elliot Browns present day photos do show - or mention some of the present day PTE service numbers. But, we do our best. :)
Having lived in Devon since 1954 I do have to rely on memory, based on having spent hours travelling around the city and its environs on trams, buses and bicycle, noting all transport interests. Books and other research materials are generally a good place for information and fact, however, as the 'find that bus location' proves things are not always as they seem to be. :eek:
 
Phil said:
Alan,


The old photo shows the corner of Stratford Place and Moseley Rd where the Golden Gloves was situated just opposite Chandos Rd and Highgate Park. I would hazard a guess that the photo dates from sometime in the early sixties before the club was opened. The color photo shows the location today and was taken from Google. As far as I am aware the Golden Gloves and the premises next door were demolished sometime in the last twenty years or so.
Click to expand...
Hiya Phil, I have a vague memory of the Golden Gloves club. I went to Chandos Road school 1953 /1956 up to the age of 6. Then we left 4 back of 7 Ravenhurst street. The old back to back houses you gained access via an entry tunnel off Ravenhurst street which opened up into a yard with the toilet block down the middle of one side and the Washhouse in the corner complete with tub for washing and a mangle to squeeze out the excess water. Hard work for mothers of the day. My Grandfather lived a couple of doors from us and I remember being sent on an errand to get his accumulator acid batterie for his radio. We Had a cellar for Coal. Gas Lights and an old black range in the living room.
One other memory comes to mind Saturday matinee at the cinema along Mosley road. On the way back home we would have a penny dip of hot lard on a slice of bread with a bit of salt.from the cafe that was just before Higate park I think...
 
Radiorails said:
As for the Foden bus, see post 1515 of this thread:

Birmingham buses

Everything about this bus (AHX 93)is in the earlier thread, linked by Old Mohawk. It was a revolutionary vehicle in its time particularly when it is considered that the AEC Regents of the period did look antiquated when compared with this bus. Midland Red of course favoured, at the time front...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
Regarding the route, well I have no idea. I had never heard of Chelmsley Wood when I lived in the Solihull area. It was only when it often made news on tv that I became aware of it. Even so I always thought it south of Solihull, whereas it is NE of it I gather.
Click to expand...
Hi there,
I wonder if you remember the Italian restaurant that was in Marston Green during the late 70s/early 80s?
 
Earlier in the thread there are pictures of the Perry Hall Gate Lodge
oldMohawk said:
The Avenue, Perry Hall with the Gate Lodge.
index.php


Clivedon Avenue today viewed from the Walsall Road.
index.php
Click to expand...
Another picture below of the lodge from different angle. The avenue behind the large gate leads off to the left and the Walsall Road is on the right. The well dressed lad out front appears to have a watch chain. The wires on those ten bar telegraph poles were probably connected to those passing the 'Great Barr Cottage' (famous on the BHF) two miles to the north.
LodgePerryHall.jpg

And the view today.
PerryHallLodgeNow.jpg
 
Last edited:
oldMohawk said:
Earlier in the thread there are pictures of the Perry Hall Gate Lodge

Another picture below of the lodge from different angle. The avenue behind the large gate leads off to the left and the Walsall Road is on the right. The well dressed lad out front appears to have a watch chain. The wires on those ten bar telegraph poles were probably connected to those passing the 'Great Barr' cottage two miles to the north.
View attachment 144777

And the view today.
View attachment 144778
Click to expand...
Great photos oldMohawk! Such a shame that change had to be made.................
 
oldbrit said:
Then, as I remember it when I left Brum 1957 and NOW Gold leafed WHY??? Another example how Brum has changed PROGRESS????
Click to expand...

Hijacking, with apologies, an elderly post for no better reason than the fact that it brings back a number of special memories all at the same time ...

As a young boy of 7/8/9 in the mid-50s, one of many highlights for a while was a regular Friday evening trip by bus with my Father to go to the then-called Tatler Cinema behind New Street Station to watch their revolving 1-hour programme of cartoons and B/W comedy classics like Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Keaton and those wonderful others.

Dad would arrive home from work around 6:00, we'd eat and then set off for the bus with a hug from Mum. It was a special treat and a special time. It felt kinda grown-up to be going out in the evening, in the actual dark sometimes, and not infrequently in to evening fog peppered with hazy streetlamps trying hard to glow through it.

We hopped off the bus in New Street where the sounds of the pigeons cooing and fluttering and flapping were unmissable as I stepped down to the pavement, and where the pairs of overhead street lights strung from cables across the street high on the buildings either side, and that were more like elegant lanterns to my eyes, created a ceiling that stretched right along New Street as we went along then turned to walk clear through the Station - a *proper* train station in those days! - and past the ranks of steps on either side that led down to the platforms ... and then on to the end where more steps led down to the street directly across from The Tatler.

Heading home afterward, having undoubtedly lingered to watch a cartoon or two one more time when the programme's loop began to go around again, we had a choice of bus stops depending on whether I wanted to ride the New St/Corporation St/Bull St/Colmore Row loop around Town before setting off, or just head straight home if maybe it was cold or rainy.

Either way we would be riding the bus out of Town along Broad Street, and another highlight - I have skipped many! - was to do with the fountain by the Hall Of Memory ... we would have to bet each other whether it would it would be in just its white light when we went past, or if it would be in its rotating colours stage ... and for some further excitement (!) we might also have to choose a first-seen colour for if it was in that part of its sequence ...

... the prize? Just whatever sweets were left over from watching the cartoons, though we inevitably shared those on the bus anyway til the paper bag was empty :)

So what has this got to do with the Boulton, Murdoch, Watt statue?

Well, we would also sometimes just walk to the start of Broad Street and catch our bus from there, because I enjoyed watching the fountain so could do that for longer while waiting.

And one time when we got there there had already been something happening that by the next week had become the completed installation of that statue. But it hadn't been formally unveiled yet, so the figures were covered by a huge tarpaulin lashed to/around the plinth, though it was pretty easy to make out that it was a statue of three people with something between them.

So because Dads know absolutely everything I asked what it was a statue of, and he said it was three women hanging their washing out.

Which I didn't question. Well you don't, do you? :)

And that is exactly what it has been ever since!
 
Donna said:
And ted Haynes greengrocers. He used to have a shop up ward end “the main” as well
Click to expand...
my friend had a cafe just up from ted Haynes.....( pops) there was a shoe shop on the corner of sladefield rd.that took provy checks. No daily mail/tackety boots for us. I think the shop is still there.
 
mw0njm. said:
my friend had a cafe just up from ted Haynes.....( pops) there was a shoe shop on the corner of sladefield rd.that took provy checks. No daily mail/tackety boots for us. I think the shop is still there.
Click to expand...
And there used to be a traditional cobblers shop on the same side as ted Haynes just a bit further up. I still went there for repairs into the ‘90’s but not sure if he still trading
 
Donna said:
And there used to be a traditional cobblers shop on the same side as ted Haynes just a bit further up. I still went there for repairs into the ‘90’s but not sure if he still trading
Click to expand...
i remember that cobblers. just past there is a entrance to a road that runs the back of the shops.right down to t/haynes.it is were the lorries were kept.
 
T Q said:
Hijacking, with apologies, an elderly post for no better reason than the fact that it brings back a number of special memories all at the same time ...

As a young boy of 7/8/9 in the mid-50s, one of many highlights for a while was a regular Friday evening trip by bus with my Father to go to the then-called Tatler Cinema behind New Street Station to watch their revolving 1-hour programme of cartoons and B/W comedy classics like Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Keaton and those wonderful others.

Dad would arrive home from work around 6:00, we'd eat and then set off for the bus with a hug from Mum. It was a special treat and a special time. It felt kinda grown-up to be going out in the evening, in the actual dark sometimes, and not infrequently in to evening fog peppered with hazy streetlamps trying hard to glow through it.

We hopped off the bus in New Street where the sounds of the pigeons cooing and fluttering and flapping were unmissable as I stepped down to the pavement, and where the pairs of overhead street lights strung from cables across the street high on the buildings either side, and that were more like elegant lanterns to my eyes, created a ceiling that stretched right along New Street as we went along then turned to walk clear through the Station - a *proper* train station in those days! - and past the ranks of steps on either side that led down to the platforms ... and then on to the end where more steps led down to the street directly across from The Tatler.

Heading home afterward, having undoubtedly lingered to watch a cartoon or two one more time when the programme's loop began to go around again, we had a choice of bus stops depending on whether I wanted to ride the New St/Corporation St/Bull St/Colmore Row loop around Town before setting off, or just head straight home if maybe it was cold or rainy.

Either way we would be riding the bus out of Town along Broad Street, and another highlight - I have skipped many! - was to do with the fountain by the Hall Of Memory ... we would have to bet each other whether it would it would be in just its white light when we went past, or if it would be in its rotating colours stage ... and for some further excitement (!) we might also have to choose a first-seen colour for if it was in that part of its sequence ...

... the prize? Just whatever sweets were left over from watching the cartoons, though we inevitably shared those on the bus anyway til the paper bag was empty :)

So what has this got to do with the Boulton, Murdoch, Watt statue?

Well, we would also sometimes just walk to the start of Broad Street and catch our bus from there, because I enjoyed watching the fountain so could do that for longer while waiting.

And one time when we got there there had already been something happening that by the next week had become the completed installation of that statue. But it hadn't been formally unveiled yet, so the figures were covered by a huge tarpaulin lashed to/around the plinth, though it was pretty easy to make out that it was a statue of three people with something between them.

So because Dads know absolutely everything I asked what it was a statue of, and he said it was three women hanging their washing out.

Which I didn't question. Well you don't, do you? :)

And that is exactly what it has been ever since!
Click to expand...
 
That's a great story TQ!. I have so many memories of trips to the town centre in the fifties and early sixties with my parents, but one memory that always sticks in my mind is clutching my Mum's hand as we made our way down Corporation St on a dark autumn afternoon and hearing the sound of thousands of roosting starlings on the buildings. Then it was a wait for the 45 bus where the baked potato oven was parked. I can still smell the lovely odour, and of course mum always bought me a baked potato.

I wonder if anyone can remember queuing on the stairs in Lewis's to see Father Christmas.....?
 
Thanks for the information Rosie. I shall look it up. I just remember queueing up for what seemed like hours (perhaps it was), then the little grotto with the marionettes, then Uncle Holly, who I think gave us a badge, then Father Christmas, the the distribution of the present, blue tissue paper for boys, pink tissue paper for girls. A big moment of the year
 
bullring boy said:
Thanks for the information Rosie. I shall look it up. I just remember queueing up for what seemed like hours (perhaps it was), then the little grotto with the marionettes, then Uncle Holly, who I think gave us a badge, then Father Christmas, the the distribution of the present, blue tissue paper for boys, pink tissue paper for girls. A big moment of the year
Click to expand...
Bullringboy, I hope you put some salt on those baked potatoes :cool:
 
In the square in Margate there were 100s of starlings till about 3 o'clock in the autumn and Winter .Used to take my dog a walk down the park about that time.What a brilliant display of flying watching them twisting and turning.
Suddenly they have all disappeared. Wonder were they have gone
 
Stoney Lane in 1927 showing Wilton Rd on the right and Chesterton Rd on the left with the tower of St Agnes church in the distance. An image search shows 3 copies of this scene in the Old Streets thread but this one is clearer.
1927StoneyLane.jpg

The view today with the turn into Chesterton Rd just visible on the left and the tower of St Agnes just about visible in the distance.
StoneyLanetoday.jpg
 
It does make you realise, when looking at the early 20th.c photo of Stoney Lane, that when stepping off a tram in the days principally of horse drawn carts etc, rather than motor vehicles, you had to look quite closely where you put your feet! :scream:
I guess sometimes that was not always achieved especially for those who were not fleet of foot. ;)
 
Radiorails said:
It does make you realise, when looking at the early 20th.c photo of Stoney Lane, that when stepping off a tram in the days principally of horse drawn carts etc, rather than motor vehicles, you had to look quite closely where you put your feet! :scream:
I guess sometimes that was not always achieved especially for those who were not fleet of foot. ;)
Click to expand...
It also makes you realise how time have changed with kneeling buses and the provision for the disabled, you had to be very fit to get on and off a tram, it was a big step down and with all those around you getting off and trying to get on, you did not have time to look at the road. In fact the tram was actually a mobile health and safety risk and as a joke I recently did a risk assessment and method statement for using a tram. The actual result was that the tram was a high risk for both passengers and other road users and needed so many safety features that it was an uneconomic form of public transport. I was placing a tram through the inner city not on any of the reservations (but there were problems there. Pedestrian crossings at every stop.........
Bob
 
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