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They Were Caught In Our Old Street Pics...

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Hi Old mowhawk,
Hope you are keeping well , many thanks for your time informing me of your answer
may be some one else may come up with the answer
our mom used to catch the bus there to take us up to the botanicle gardens in those days
take care best wishes Alan,, Astonian;;;
 
That boy on the errand bike (a Gundle) could be me :) , when I left school I worked for Herbert Pollit, a garage business and used one of those to collect car spares all over the city.
 
In Northfield a man on the motorbike stares at the tram and hopefully he is not moving too fast otherwise he could run into the photographer. A group of women decide to have a chat as they are boarding the tram and two happy looking youngsters upstairs on the front seat maybe on their way to the Lickey Hills. The tram driver (motorman) stands looking in his mirror wondering when he can start off ... well that's my story about the pic ...:)
NorthfieldTramNo70.jpg
 
oldMohawk said:
In Northfield a man on the motorbike stares at the tram and hopefully he is not moving too fast otherwise he could run into the photographer. A group of women decide to have a chat as they are boarding the tram and two happy looking youngsters upstairs on the front seat maybe on their way to the Lickey Hills. The tram driver (motorman) stands looking in his mirror wondering when he can start off ... well that's my story about the pic ...:)
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Like the little lad with his dad and teddy bear on the right, also the two chaps taking it easy outside the Bell Hotel at about 10 past one.

Of course the Bell has a thread of its own...

https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/the-bell-inn.10693/
 
Today's view of the scene in post#2075 and that nice old building with the clock and conical top survives looking almost the same as back in the 1950s. The Bell Hotel has gone but that 'Furniture & Electrical' store for some reason has an unusual conical 'lookout' tower on top !
Bristol Rd.JPG
 
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oldMohawk said:
Today's view of the scene in post#2075 and that nice old building with the clock and conical top survives looking almost the same as back in the 1950s. The Bell Hotel has gone but that 'Furniture & Electrical' store for some reason has an unusual conical 'lookout' tower on top !
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Looks like the building may have been built somewhere between 1903 and 1913?
 
The motorbike and sidecar driver looks dapper. Doubtless he applied lots of Brylcream before he set off to keep his hair in place ! Viv
 
Vivienne14 said:
The motorbike and sidecar driver looks dapper. Doubtless he applied lots of Brylcream before he set off to keep his hair in place ! Viv
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Like the way he has his shirt outside his jacket, this was always the fashion until very recently. I had forgotten that the trams didn't pull into the pavement to load and unload.
 
I had forgotten that the trams didn't pull into the pavement to load and unload.

That, I believe was the principal drawback of the tramcars. Whilst they were inflexible in where they could run i.e. they could only go where the tracks took them, their passenger loading and unloading caused delays and consequently congestion to other road users - not to mention the hazard to passengers alighting and loading. They were fine when on their reserved tracks but once in the narrower and busy city streets the problems arose.
 
The steps were a long way up too, I can just imagine the disabled of today screaming 'discrimination'

Radiorails said:
I had forgotten that the trams didn't pull into the pavement to load and unload.
That, I believe was the principal drawback of the tramcars. Whilst they were inflexible in where they could run i.e. they could only go where the tracks took them, their passenger loading and unloading caused delays and consequently congestion to other road users - not to mention the hazard to passengers alighting and loading. They were fine when on their reserved tracks but once in the narrower and busy city streets the problems arose.
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The Perry Barr tram terminus was in the middle of Birchfield Road. When getting off trams the rule was always to look left. They did think about safety in the old days because all trams had 'cow catchers'!
This post earlier in the thread shows what could happen if you tried to drive a car past a tram when passengers were boarding ... one of my favourite forum pics ... :)
oldMohawk said:
You had to be alert getting off trams in the old days, watching out for the cars passing on the inside. That lady stands in the way of that car is she saying something ?
That man crossing the road looks like he is in his own little world !
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Some years ago I went on the tram at the Black Country Museum, I found it very difficult, the steps seemed very high.
rosie.

Off topic, the other day in the Bull Ring a woman kicked my walking stick and told me I was taking up too much room, I didn't scream.
 
The Highway Code used to say that you should not pass a tram when it is stationery at a tram stop. I have to admit that I have not read the Highway Code since I passed my test so if that was taken out, I wonder if it has been put back, because learner drivers over the years must have been wondering what on earth they were talking about.
 
I was in Leipzig a few years ago where most of the trams run on their own right of way but I did come across one tram stop where I had to get on which was in the middle of the road. The tram was an old Tatra (Eastern European - I think Czeck) with a high step and no platform at the road side.
 
In Perry Barr the No 6 tram stood for up to 10 minutes at the terminus in the middle of the road and traffic had to pass. With normal stops I suppose some drivers had not fully read the highway code and took chances.
Perry Barr tram standing at the terminus. (linked forum pic only visible if logged in)
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There is a passenger standing on the platform of the first tram looking like he wants to get off but it is not an authorised tram stop so the cars will drive past and he needs to be careful.
Tram Queue in HorseFair.jpg
 
oldMohawk said:
There is a passenger standing on the platform of the first tram looking like he wants to get off but it is not an authorised tram stop so the cars will drive past and he needs to be careful.
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What model is the first car DT 7826? In today's world how long would it be before the emblem on the bonnet was nicked?

The second car does not appear to have a windscreen wiper.
 
Pedrocut said:
What model is the first car DT 7826? In today's world how long would it be before the emblem on the bonnet was nicked?

The second car does not appear to have a windscreen wiper.
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The DT reg car appears to have a triangular badge on the radiator. Based on this and the bonnet cap I am guessing an ALVIS.
The second car has a single windscreen wiper on the top edge of the windscreen above the drivers head.
 
Pedrocut said:
What model is the first car DT 7826? In today's world how long would it be before the emblem on the bonnet was nicked?

The second car does not appear to have a windscreen wiper.
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I suggest the marque of the car might be Lanchester or Wolseley, but only a guess. ;) The emblem would not be permissible I believe today as it would be considered something that might cause serious injury to a person hit in an accident. I think owners of veteran and vintage cars remove them whilst on UK roads and locate then at shows. Highly collectable and I guess they might have some form of fitting to make them less likely to be stolen.
Older car windscreen wipers were often located at the top of the windscreen unlike more modern cars which are at the base of the windscreen. Those who have had older cars will remember that the wiper, usually only one, could be operated manually.
I see the sausage van in the background. :D
 
The tram driver leans to his left looking in his mirror to see who is coming up the inside. Even I know what make the car is because of the flutes on the bonnet! The pic shows a No 71 tram to Rubery so it must be somewhere on the Bristol Rd but I have not yet determined where.
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oldMohawk said:
The tram driver leans to his left looking in his mirror to see who is coming up the inside. Even I know what make the car is because of the flutes on the bonnet! The pic shows a No 71 tram to Rubery so it must be somewhere on the Bristol Rd but I have not yet determined where.
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This photo is of the Horsefair. The two spires are of the old St Catherines RC Church and Bristol Street School
https://www.search.birminghamimages.org.uk/Details.aspx?&ResourceID=7331&SearchType=2&ThemeID=690
 
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oldMohawk said:
There is a passenger standing on the platform of the first tram looking like he wants to get off but it is not an authorised tram stop so the cars will drive past and he needs to be careful.
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Another cracking picture, where was it and how come so many trams in line? Now one for the experts with the magnifying glasses and the infinite knowledge that seems to flow from the members of the forum...It is obviously post war from the FOB reg'd Austin in the queue but what make is the car that is number 10 in the line? Could it be a Jowett Javelin?

Bob Davis
 
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