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Birmingham City Trams - Uploaded To YouTube

Astonian

gone but not forgotten
To day the Birmingham city council today down loaded a item of the trams of Yester ,years
They have down loaded 32 trams of the trams operating within the most city hot spots
And its on tube ,I found it good
I would like to know whom was it responsible for recoming doing away with the trams and ripping up the tracks
Now we are on about bringing the trams continental style back what a pity we ripped them up
I say we should. Ring them back best wishes Astonian,,,,,
 
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Re: Birmingham city have down load the trams

Astonian, at the time it seemed the right thing to do, having travelled on both forms of transport in the 40's and 50's I found the 'bus quieter, more comfortable and warmer in winter. they pulled up at the side of the road to pick passengers up whereas you had to walk into the road to board a tram, not very safe with increasing road traffic. Also there was no track, poles and overhead wires to install and maintain. Do not forget at the time fuel was very cheap and plentiful so it is understandable why councils countrywide took the decision to change to the internal combustion engine. I must admit I missed the old tram but fhat was pure nostalgia, same as steam trains being replaced by diesel and now electric. Slow petrol engine aircraft replaced by the faster fuel efficient jet engine. Its progress I'm afraid. Eric
 
Just to add to Eric's post above. At a time when new housing estates and whole suburbs were being created it was easier and far cheaper to run buses into them than to extend tram lines and overhead wires. Buses were seen as more flexible and found favour at the expense of the trams and indeed the trolleybus system which in Birmingham finished up two years before the trams did.

Simon
 
Simon. Yes I also remember the trolley 'bus's when we moved to Sheldon in 1935, the terminus was at an island on the Coventry Rd which was known locally as 'tigers island' I was only 5 years old at the time. Eric
 
Simon. Yes I also remember the trolley 'bus's when we moved to Sheldon in 1935, the terminus was at an island on the Coventry Rd which was known locally as 'tigers island' I was only 5 years old at the time. Eric

The trolleybuses went on until June 1951 so finished 2 years before the trams, most unusual for a city to finish trolleybuses before the trams. Eric is "Tigers Island" what went on to become the present day Swan Island, on a much larger scale obviously?

Simon
 
Simon4130, No I think it was down by the Birmingham boundary near Eldom, Its a bit vague, I can remember a large Island and lots of weeping willow trees where the bus's turned round , I was only 5 when we arrived and 9 when we moved to Shirley in 1939. my Dad worked for Bryants who built Eldom Airport (now Birmingham International) 1934 to early 1939, they then built the Cranmore estae in Shirley, we had one of the first houses in Cranmore Boulevard 75 years ago, Eric
 
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