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Last tram ever along Bristol Road

B

Brenda

master brummie
Does anyone please know the date of the last ever tram along Bristol Road? My grandfather, William Gare, of Bournebrook drove it. He died in 1950.
 
Someone will know for certain but this site suggests it would have been a little later than 1950.

This post (this site) suggests that the last tram along the Bristol Road was in 1952 which would fit in with my memory of going to the Lickey's by Tram as a youngster.
 
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The last service trams on Bristol and Pershore roads ran on Sunday 6th July 1952, but the redundant cars were stored on the central reservation tracks in Pebble Mill Rd and Bristol Rd nearby until there was room at Witton depot or Kyotts Lake Rd works to scrap them, they would move there a few at a time for a couple of weeks.
 
Thank you, a member of the family had it wrong that it was the very last tram if they finished in 1952.
 
Hi all
i think all the trams in birmingham had finished by 1953.
Edward 36
 
I believe the last trams on the Bristol Road services and Cotteridge actually ran on Saturday; bus service started on the Sunday morning.
 
Some great footage on YouTube of Brummie trams.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIPmJY5uhQk"]YouTube - Old Birmingham Trams[/ame]
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raln143nOhw"]YouTube - Old Birmingham Trams/Buses Part 3[/ame]
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJEz-6UKi-E"]YouTube - Old Birmingham Trams / Bus Part 2[/ame]
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qKuECSrUys"]YouTube - Birmingham Remembered - Trams - Part 4 - Erdington, Slade Rd, Streetly Rd[/ame]
​
 
Brenda said:
Does anyone please know the date of the last ever tram along Bristol Road? My grandfather, William Gare, of Bournebrook drove it. He died in 1950.
Click to expand...

Hi Brenda, this is the last tram in to Selly Oak Depot on Saturday 5/7/1952 the final night of the Bristol Road trams (although it was the early hours of Sunday when it got there). Sorry it couldn't be your grandfather driving it.
Mike
 
Thank you to you all who have replied. I loved watching the trams on UTube and recently saw the tram in the Think Tank Museum. As the last tram on Bristold Rd was in 1952 then it couldn't have been my grandfather who drove it so will have to tell my cousin that she has the story wrong.
 
I am very puzzled now ... I was born in February 1949 but didn't move with my family to Northfield until I was four years of age ... but I can clearly remember several journeys on trams ... walking up St Lawrence Road, crossing to the central grassed reservation and climbing up the step onto the tram ... the driver with a big winding handle to start and stop the tram ... the electric arcing and sparks showering down every now and again ... the slow progress through Selly Oak centre waiting for cars and vans to get out of the way.

I can also remember a weekend journey the other way to the Rednal terminus at the Lickeys ... sweeping in to the back of the queue of trams in a big circle ... the trams edging forward slowly till they reached the front and one broke away to rattle the way back towards Birmingham.

A cessation date of July 1953 would work, but I am very sorry but they could not possibly have ceased in July 1952 because I did not even live there then. Someone has made a mistake somewhere.
 
Sorry Adrian, July 1952 was indeed the last working of the Rednal/Rubery/Cotteridge trams.
July 1953 was the final demise of all trams in Birmingham with the ending of Tyburn Road(Pype Hayes)/Stockland Green/Erdington routes.
 
Agree with the dates both the 70,Navigation St to Rednal and 71, Navigation St to Rubery was Saturday 5-7-1952 but it was likely that it was Sunday before they reached their Depot. I vaguely remember my dad taking me to see the last 36, Navigation St to Cotteridge arrive at Cotteridge depot very late at night but I was up early on the Sunday to see the first 45 run.
 
Remember seeing signs of the Tramway Terminus at Lickey's in the early 70s. Imagine how much the traffic congestion would be relieved if Trams still run up central reservation along Bristol road? Visit Oslo on regular basis. There Tram service Quick and pollution free. Have memory of using Birmingham Trams loved the sounds and smell associated with them. When Cihild would use the old Mangle handle in the garden to pretend to be Tram driver
 
Off actual topic, but last tram reminded me that my dad tried to take me on the last one from Short Heath to town (think it was No 78). Must have been 1952 or 3. It was full up, so we went on the first bus instead which followed behind it (No 65).
 
Just found this site - brilliant - so much to read!
I have so many questions to ask, but stopped at this thread as my father (living in Northfield in 1952) always said he was on the "last" tram, and embarrasingly, tells me he came home with one of the flip seat backs as a trophy!
 
Hi Sallydevon and welcome to the Forum. use the white box at the top for searching. There is a thread for Northfield.



Regards stars
 
A few weeks before the Bristol Rd trams finished running I can remember the deplorable state of the track. Trams would rock furiously from side to side, just like a fair ground ride. In fact the track between Witherford Way amd Middle Park Rd was so rough that a guard was placed at both junctions to allow one tram at a time to travel in one direction so as to prevent opposing tram upper decks from hitting.
 
Would'nt it be great for our city tourisum..................... if the council or others put it all back and what an attraction it would be for the city and the Licky Hills as a tourist area? Any suggestions who could re build it all as an old Tram heratige line??
 
Might proove to be so popular that folk would want it all back. Someone mentioned something about EU safety requirements. Wouldn't want to get their knickers in a twist.
I read somewhere on here that trams were stored on the central Rednal divide awaiting to be scrapped so maybe the last one driven might have been from there to a scrap yard pick-up location which might vary the dating a bit if the power was still overhead. I imagine that the same sheds were used for busses and there would not have been room for them and trams. What a sad affair it all was...the public that used them were never given any say in the matter.
 
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