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The end - 60 years ago

Simon4130

Simon4130

master brummie
Today marks the 60th anniversary of the end of the Birmingham trams. On 4th July 1953 the last three routes, known as the "Lichfield Road" services finished up. The last services were:

2 Steelhouse Lane to Erdington
78 Steelhouse Lane to Short Heath
79 Steelhouse Lane to Pype Hayes Park

The last tram in service was 616 which was adorned with lettering to mark the occasion. In 1930 the Birmingham tram fleet numbered 843 tramcars and was the largest fleet in the world. In its heyday it had 80.5 route miles.

I'm just wondering how many members here are "senior" enough to remember the trams in service and if any of you remember that last day.


Simon
 
Hi Simon - I've put quite a few tram memories scattered about the forum. I've been on the trams at the Crich Tramway museum and it is good but it's not the same as being on a No 6 from Perry Barr speeding down the hill from Six Ways towards the curve by the Aston Hippodrome, when I was on the top deck I always had the feeling that the tram would tip over. Regarding the last day, I remember reading about it in the Birmingham Mail.

My last tram memory recently posted
oldMohawk said:
When I went to the Lickey Hills I remember a long queue of trams lined up to take us back home.
In this pic there is no queue of buses, but everyone standing in the long queue looks patient even the dog !
Little kids chat about the fun they have had, but their bus trip home won't be as interesting as on the old trams with sounds of the bell dinging, electric motors humming, and the swish of the wheel on the overhead line when the tram got up to speed, and if you could sit on the curved bench seat at the front upstairs it was extra fun ....
Click to expand...
 
Knowing that the trams were to cease running I took the opportunity to ride on all three Lichfield Road routes in the weeks prior to July 4th.

July 4th. was a very busy day anywhere in the vicinity of the three tram routes concerned. I was just content to see them, during the morning, just come and go. Once buses seemed to be very evident I decided that it was time to go with my memories.

My reminisces of BCT trams are recorded elsewhere on this board.

The last day of trolleybuses, 30th. June, 1951, did not seem quite as frenetic. Again, the morning was the best time to ride and see them operating
 
The trams were great. Bit of a high first step for kids and probably not acceptible now. The swoosh of riding and general solid feel of everything...seat backs that turned around instead of the whole vehicle. I don't think drivers having to stand up all day was good though. Would be a world famous facility now.
 
I loved going on the tram as a kid. I remember the excitement of being the first on board at the terminus and running along, slamming all the backrests on the seats to face "the other way". (We didn't have much entertainment in those days !).
 
l remember the last tram on Lichfield road, l worked at J.Wrights and usually caught a tram at aston cross to aston station in the mornings and vice versa an night, thats if l had the money it was only a twopenny fare but sometimes l did'nt have that l was usually broke after the weekends. l do remember the tram being given a send off with lots of people turning out after all it was the end of an era....oh the times l did'nt have the fare l would walk all the way down Lichfield road passed Ansells, and then passed Thompsons, down sandy lane to J.Wrights on Thimblemill lane running most of the way as l was usually late.....brenda
 
I can remember the trams flying down the road from Aston Cross to Aston Bridge at what seemed a thousand miles an hour in the thirties. Sparks and all. The was also a tram tip over outside Aston Park on the bend towards Whitton opposite Aston Church. I think one person was killed, that was also in the thirties and perhaps someone has a photograph. Regards, David.
 
I can just about remember them going down Witton road and when the trams stopped and the tracks taken up Pete and his brothers borrowed the blocks and burned them on their fire. I remember my parents and aunt Floss talking about that David as we lived in Holte road the next road to Witton Lane. Jean.
 
G G Jean, you must be referring to the good old 3X tram Witton to Martineau street via Aston Cross, replaced by the 39 bus about 1951, I used to catch it from Park Road/Sycamore Rd to Aston Cross when I worked at Hercules Cycles in the 40's and into town at weekends. I loved the trams and they became one of my favoured painting subjects in later life. Have attached one of Tyburn Road in winter 1950winter tramride.JPG Eric
 
Hi Eric that must be the one. I always caught the 39 bus into town. I remember being frightened when mom took me upstairs and sat in the front seat. I thought the bus would roll out of control down Park road?. Jean.
 
cookie273uk said:
G G Jean, you must be referring to the good old 3X tram Witton to Martineau street via Aston Cross, replaced by the 39 bus about 1951, I used to catch it from Park Road/Sycamore Rd to Aston Cross when I worked at Hercules Cycles in the 40's and into town at weekends. I loved the trams and they became one of my favoured painting subjects in later life. Have attached one of Tyburn Road in winter 1950View attachment 87267 Eric
Click to expand...
Stunning painting Eric
 
I love this painting Eric, every time I see it I think of those wonderful crisp, winter mornings when the appearance of the sun really lifts your spirits. Lovely. Viv.
 
G G Jean said:
I can just about remember them going down Witton road and when the trams stopped and the tracks taken up Pete and his brothers borrowed the blocks and burned them on their fire. I remember my parents and aunt Floss talking about that David as we lived in Holte road the next road to Witton Lane. Jean.
Click to expand...
Yes Jean, they burned beautifully because of all the tar around them like the sailing ships of old. In later years they became death traps on the old BSA Bantam when it rained, one minute you were travelling up towards Aston Cross and the next facing the way you came from wondering what the hell happened. Regards,David.
 
I have replied before, on this forum, I remember distinctly going on the trams down the Bristol Road, down Basall Heath Road, and the Pershore Road, going to the Lickeys, and into town, dad used to try to get in the round front bit upstairs, with the windows that opened, and I thought it great with the wind in my face, rattling along. My nan called the bus "The Car", all her life till she died.paul
 
IMG_0668.JPGIMG_0669.JPGIMG_0670.JPG

Last weekend at Aston Manor Transport Museum at Aldridge we had a small display centered around the remains of tram 107 to remember the 60th anniversary of the end of the trams.

Simon
 
I can remember my dad taking me on "the last tram"but don't know where or when,i would be about 4 & dad liked to do that sort of thing hoping we would remember,good old dad.
Ogri
 
Tram experts required!

This picture comes from Derek Harrison's collection and appeared in print in Pat Whitehouse's book "The Great Western in the West Midlands" in 1984.

Small_Heath_March_1907-002.jpg

The picture shows work to replace an original girder bridge in Small Heath in March 1907, the caption refers to a BCT tram in the right hand background.

My bones tell me it is at Sandy Lane but I am open to suggestions. From the shadows I am assuming we are looking toward the city.

So which tram route came close enough to the GWR line into Snow Hill to be able to see a tram?

My interest however is the remains of the original bridge to the left of frame with the three men standing next to the track as this one of I K Brunel's "Balloon topped tubular bridges from 1852 the only other known example being over the Warwick Road near Olton Station.

Since writing this I have discovered that the 22 tram terminated at the end of Waverley Road which is a short distance from the GWR crossing over the Warwick & Birmingham Canal which fits better with the image.
 
Last edited:
Hi All,
I have the dubious honour of dealing with the last traffic accident involving a tram in Birmingham. The accident occurred at about 4pm on the last day when a tram returning to the city along Aston Road North collided with a motor cyclist waiting to turn right into Bracebridge Street. The tram failed to stop. The motor cyclist was injured but not seriously.
I was a constable stationed at Aston Police Station
and attended to take details. The tram driver was arrested at the terminus in Steelhouse Lane and it was found he had a crate of beer with him. Apparenly a party was in progress at the depot and those who could not attend because they were on duty took the drinks out with them. He was subsequently fined at the magistrates court and I have no doubt that he lost his job. A sad end to what had probably been a blameless career before this incudent.

Old Boy
 
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