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Electric Trams

A No 6 tram from Perry Barr leaving Stafford Street towards Dale End as a No 8 Alum Rock tram waits in James Watt street to enter Coleshill Street.
JamesWattStreet.jpg
 
Car 18 was built in 1903 of a class of 20. They were altered a fair amount in their lives. Originally open toppers they got a top covers between 1905 and 1907, were re-motored a few times receiving standard stair cases and vestibules in from 1924 to 1929. 11 were destroyed during 1940/41 in WW2 air raids. The survivors were withdrawn December 1949.
Car 810 was newer, built in 1928. The class of 50 survived until 1952, just one (785) destroyed in an air raid in 1941. They were fitted with bow collectors at varying times after 1928. Both trams still carry the pre 1946 shaded numerals.
 
Tram 54 on the Coventry Road returning to Station Street c1910. Some nice street furniture in the pic with decorative gas lamps and tram poles. I think the location of the tram is where I have marked a circle on the map and also marked a pub (PH) which could be the one seen on the right in the pic. Does anyone know the name of the pub?
CovRoadTram1910_iOS.jpg

CovRoad1905.jpg
 
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Thanks Mike, after I posted I later found we have a 'Pubs on the Coventry Road, Small Heath', thread.
 
Car 54, belonging, at that time, to City of Birmingham Tramways, was built in 1905/6. The tracks and infrastructure were owned by the Corporation but leased to the company; operation commenced in 1904. The horse trams ceased in 1906 and the steam tram lease expired in 1907. This tramcar could have run on those routes after 1907. The last day of 1911 saw all routes passing to the Corporation.
This class of cars received top covers in the period 1911 - 1925, were re-motored and some got bow collectors fro the 32 Lodge Road route in 1924. Many had long lives, withdrawals commencing in 1930 until 1937. However those on the Lodge Road route survived until 1947 on closure of that route.
 
Car 793, a 1928 car which survived until 1952, is seen in the pre 1946 style with shaded numerals. Fitted with a bow collector and carrying a slogan on its fender, authorised by the transport department, stating "cross crossings cautiously". I have seen another photo showing a slogan on a different tram regarding evening class enrolments.
 
Trams at Salford Bridge. A No 78 inbound to the city has stopped and a young girl steps off. An outbound No 64 has also stopped but people in the shelter appear to be waiting for another tram.
Salford_Bridge1.JPG
 
Car 578, built 1913/4 survivors of this class lasted until 1950 - 1953.
Car 654 was newer, being built 1923/4 lasting until 1952/3.
There seems to be at least one other tramcar behind 654 and I guess that would be why the passengers are not boarding 654 which, being on the 64 route, was only going to High Street, Erdington. Maybe a route 2 going further is one of those behind or of course they may be awaiting for a 78 or 79. No need for those large shelters this day as it seems to be a pleasant morning or late afternoon.
 
This picture can be dated to 1st. July, 1911 when electric trams replaced the cable cars.
Cars 230 and 225 were built in 1907 and the class got top covers by 1925. Most were withdrawn between 1930 and 1937 except a few which got bow collectors and were used on the 32 Lodge Road route until 1947.
The car with the top cover is 325 which is just a few months old.
A similar car is 395 which exists at the Think Tank.
 
smashing photo phil and thanks for all the info alan it is always very useful to have

lyn
 
Found a couple of old buildings in Bilston on Mount Pleasant.

One of them is listed as Prospect House. It was formerly the Office of Wolverhampton District Electric Tramways Ltd.

Building to the left is now a Sikh temple.



 
Radiorails said:
This picture can be dated to 1st. July, 1911 when electric trams replaced the cable cars.
Cars 230 and 225 were built in 1907 and the class got top covers by 1925. Most were withdrawn between 1930 and 1937 except a few which got bow collectors and were used on the 32 Lodge Road route until 1947.
The car with the top cover is 325 which is just a few months old.
A similar car is 395 which exists at the Think Tank.
Click to expand...

I've heard of an incident regarding this, apparently Handsworth Coucil objected for some reason, ans parked a steam roller across the tracks during the night of the change, so the first cars could only go as far as the town hall (behind the trams in post #193). Some hasty negotiation allowed the services to continue.
 
Martineau Street was a favourite place to photograph trams and tram 20 No 6 Perry Barr waits at the terminus. There are often interesting things to see around the trams and I see Jeromes Photographic Studio on the left. Many parents in the 1940s would smarten up their kids and take them there to be photographed. I was smartened up and taken there and have the photos on the forum here ...
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/my-family-snaps.16090/page-7#post-416542
Also in the tram pic, flower sellers can be seen on the pavement in front of Dolcis.
Tram20.jpg
 
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Car 20 (of the class 1 - 20) was one of six which survived WW2. Built in 1903 it lasted until closure of the 6 Perry Barr route in 1949. These cars soon gained a roof 1 - 10 and then 11 - 20. Cars 11 - 20 were taller than most other trams at 16'3" - 9" in fact more - so the cars, based at Miller Street, were usually to be seen on the 6 route as there no height restriction on that route. 1949 pictures of this tram, at the same place, show it in the simplified 1946 livery, with pre war style numerals (same as the photo here) but the cream rocker panel (the part above the wheels) was blue rather than cream in union with the front and panel where the crest appears. It is suggested that these 11 - 20 cars has straight tops to the upper doors leading out to the balconies whereas 1 - 10 had an arched style. This dates the photo as between 1946 and most likely 1948. I don't believe it would be repainted in the year of its withdrawal. But who knows! :D
Preedys is just out of camera - left. Dolcis apparently has an x-ray machine at the time so you could view your feet. This was thought dangerous by some people.
It could be one of those dear flower ladies who gave me 2d, to pay for my bus journey to Hall Green as it was around the time of 1946 when I got 'lost' in the city. I recorded this elsewhere, probably in a Corporation Street thread.
 
The Erdington Sutton Road terminus was another favourite place for tram photographs and tram 270 waits there in 1908. The controls of those trams must have given the drivers plenty of arm exercise.
Erd_Term1908.JPG
 
270 was the last of a batch of 50 built in 1907 so it is fairly new. A further 30 followed in 1908. They got top covers between 1911 and 1925. Sister car 266 became the first decorated tramcar to celebrate the opening of new university buildings in Edgbaston by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in July 1909.
!CF)jwK!EWk~$(KGrHqJ,!lIE1FwGctTmBNWGVOFfmw~~0_35.JPG
 
Never mind the arm ache, imagine standing there all day (no short 8 hour days then!) in sub-zero pouring rain, or baking hot sun. Hardy souls in those days.
 
Lloyd said:
Never mind the arm ache, imagine standing there all day (no short 8 hour days then!) in sub-zero pouring rain, or baking hot sun. Hardy souls in those days.
Click to expand...
And the drivers (motormen) were still standing until 1953 (maybe with shorter shifts) when the use of the trams ended. Although front windscreens had been fitted, the driver stands at the controls – an uncomfortable and draughty position, but acceptable in the first half of the 20th century! The brake handle is in his right hand and his left hand would be on the power controller which is almost hidden from view. There was also a pedal on the floor which operated a warning bell ... see post#291.
image from https://www.robertdarlaston.co.uk/trams.htm
image137.jpg
 
A No 39 tram has arrived in town (probably late 1940s) and clearly shows the high steps we had to climb to get on the trams. Some of that typical 'post war fencing' on the left.
N39C448.jpg
 
Car 448 on the 39 Alcester Lanes End via Balsall Heath - and the car on the 37 Cannon Hill route are in Navigation Street at the passenger shelters. Judging by the posters I would, hopefully, date this as summer 1949, judging by the clothing the people are wearing and the fact that in October that year those tram routes would be abandoned and replaced by the 48 bus route.
Both trams ran through Balsall Heath on single tracks - rather like one way streets - and because the tracks criss crossed frequently it was nicknamed the 'chinese railway'.
Car 448 was a 1912 built tram surviving until 1949. It was one of the class that had hexagonal front panels.
 
Tram 404 on the No 37 route waiting by the Bundy clock in Willows Road. The front light of the tram has a blackout shade, the kerbs have the white stripes painted on them, and the overhead wire poles have painted white bands thus dating the photo probably during WW2.
Tram404Willows.jpg
 
Tram 571 on the No 18 route climbs the hill on the Stratford Rd away from Shaftmoor Lane. A rather posh looking car passes the tram on the inside and other cars follow, even the bus will probably catch up and pass the tram. No date with the pic but trams finished running on that route in 1937.
StratfordRdTram571.jpg

Near the same place today and the end wall is still used for adverts and the grassy bank still there. The way Google cameras work does not show hills and of course focal length is different.
StratfordRdNow.JPG
 
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