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Coventry Road (arthur St) Tram/trolley/bus Garage

Hi Junie, I travelled on trolley buses from when they replaced the trams on the Coventry Rd (A45) from the City to the terminus both ways, in 1943 i started working in Garrison Lane, the trolley buses were garaged at Arthur St during those years until they were replaced by the petrol or diesel powered bus in 1951. Len.
 
The Coventry Road trams were replaced by Trolleybuses from Arthur Street depot on 7th January 1934 with fifty new Leyland three-axle trolleybuses bodied by Metro Cammell (as pictured), and from that date tram tracks in Station Street, Dudley Street, Pershore Street and Coventry Road outwards from Cattell Road were abandoned and lifted.
 
I remember the 94 Trolley Bus service has being very regular, it seemed to be only a few minutes between buses.

Nick
 
brummie nick, Yes the 94 trolley bus was a great service 2 or 3 minutes between buses fare was 2:1/2d? from The Swan,Yardley, and as it slowed to take the corner before the garage to the City i would get off while the bus was still moving and run (i was only 14yrs) to Garrison Lane were i worked. did the same when i went to the Blues matches. Len.
 
The Swan roundabout clocking point & toilets, building on right in the background is the former tram garage and in this photo is an engineering factory run by R.H.Collier car sales.I have posted it before. Len
 
The Colliers building later became Staples office supplies and sundries warehouse, and was originally a steam tram trailer depot, (as was Aston Manor Transport Museum and the International Stock shop in Kings Heath).
 
Hi guys
i surpose that if they cannot let it off eventualy they will
demolish it and sell the land for houses or som-think of that kind
just like the wash wood heath rd garage went to redvelopement
by the way , can some-one tell me is the picture house oppersite still there ,i thought some one told me it turned intoan asian picture house
some time ago ,?.have a nice day every body , best wishes astonian ,;;;
 
Astonian, The Kingston cinema was demolished many years ago and the Asian Conference Centre has been demolished the site has apartments? built on it, Welder posted that the garage had been sold to a Dubai based company. Len.
 
Lads, do not forget that trams were still running from Arthur Street Depot along Cattell Road to Bordesley Green Terminus and on the return journey split at the Atlas Pub. Some ran down Garrison Lane to city and some down Cattell Road into the lower end of Coventry Road, then into the city, until (I think) 1948. Trolley buses served the main Coventry Road to and from Sheldon. Have I got this right?

Junie
 
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You have indeed, Junie. My records confirm that:
3rd October 1948, tram services 11,12,84 and 90 replaced by bus services 53 and 54. Track in Deritend High Street and Coventry Road abandoned. (Which meant trams travelling to Kyotts Lake works, off Stratford Road, had to go via Digbeth, Rea Street and Bradford Street to reach Stratford Road.)
Here's trolleybus 84 running over the tram lines outside the depot at around that time.
 
Arthur Street tram depot was built in 1906, so at 102 years old I'm not surprised it's a bit ricketty now. It was never particularly a safe garage, with its doorway on a blind bend. It's in an area which is seeing regeneration now, so I suppose new housing replacing it isn't all that bad. Shame, but I can't think of a suitable use for it as it is.
 
There were a small number of "suites" in the yard of the former garage today, so it may have a new owner/renter? the yard is now full of wood pallets, I wood still love to go inside and take loads of photos
 
welder, colin worked in the old bus garage when light and sound were in there, don,t know whether it was with kieth or some one else, dont know what he did there (apart from moan) :D
 
Tramcar 380 on the 84 route to city unloads outside the depot in this view that also shows Hancocks shop opposite and in the background, the Kingston Cinema.
 
Coventry Rd railway bridge with Arthur Street bus garage in the background, The Swan Hotel traffic roundabout, the Swan is top left, a trolly bus is leaving the time clock stop and traveling to the City. Len.
 
Nice pics Len, from a time when kids knew how to behave responsibly. Today the fence posts would be on the track to derail the next train.
 
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