Birmingham horse drawn buses

[Vivienne14]

The original thread has disappeared since the recent site problem. So reposting a few images of horse drawn buses.

 

[Vivienne14]

The Harborne image gives us a contrast between horse driven and motorised buses. The Erdington image shows the bus outside the Swan (terminus perhaps?). And what a great view from the top deck of all the activity going on down below on the Hagley Road.

 

[Richard Dye]

The Harborne image gives us a contrast between horse driven and motorised buses. The Erdington image shows the bus outside the Swan (terminus perhaps?). And what a great view from the top deck of all the activity going on down below on the Hagley Road.

All wonderful photos, very nostalgic (at least for me).

 

[Radiorails]

The Harborne image gives us a contrast between horse driven and motorised buses. The Erdington image shows the bus outside the Swan (terminus perhaps?). And what a great view from the top deck of all the activity going on down below on the Hagley Road.

Those of us who remember the open balcony trams would attest to that - even to high jinks of dropping tickets and other lightweight things on passers by.

 

[BrummieGeoff]

Re-posted ....
1. Mary Street, Balsall Heath
2. Dale End
3. Five Ways, Edgbaston

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks again Geoff - three great, detailed photos.

 

[BrummieGeoff]

A bus posing on Ladypool Road, Sparkbrook .... by the Clifton pub.

 

[BrummieGeoff]

A Birmingham-Shirley horse bus outside the Saracen's Head in Shirley.

 

[Vivienne14]

What a great image Geoff ! Is it just two horses pulling that one ?

 

[BrummieGeoff]

No, I think it's the usual three .... the second dark head is just visible.

 

[Vivienne14]

Two more to add to our collection.








Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[Vivienne14]

Fast forward to more modern times.

Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[BrummieGeoff]

At the Kings Head on the Hagley Road.

 

[Vivienne14]

A short piece on the fate of the horses after horse drawn buses were replaced with motorised buses. Hopefully its true that Birmingham and Midladnd Tramway horses were well-kept, and enjoyed a long and happy second career.



Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[Vivienne14]

At the Kings Head on the Hagley Road.

View attachment 191483

A very ornate pub sign at the Kings Head.

 

[mw0njm.]

Horse drawn omnibuses ran along the Moseley Road from 1846

 

[BrummieGeoff]

Another great horse bus photo outside the old Swan PH in Yardley .... showing the replacement pub building under construction in the background.

 

[Moseley Bill]

Horse drawn omnibuses ran along the Moseley Road from 1846
View attachment 191490

This is one of the beautiful photos I used when I researched my scratch built horse drawn bus model, I did wonder where it was taken.

Seeing these new to me pictures I wish I was making another, almost

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[Moseley Bill]

I wanted the bus to look Brummy so I adapted the Corporation scheme for it, not being sure when blue and cream actually began.

 

[Lloyd]

I wanted the bus to look Brummy so I adapted the Corporation scheme for it, not being sure when blue and cream actually began.

With the Corporation trams in 1904. The two companies running electric trams in the city (on lines leased from the Corporation) were red & cream, and green & cream. The City chose blue & cream to show they were not company trams. The standard livery for everything else (works dept, highways dept etc. wagons, even dustcarts) was Green and remained so until fairly recently (might even still be so!)

 

[Moseley Bill]

Thank you Lloyd I thought I remembered that from reading the Forum a while back and since the blue theme worked for the time frame even if not under the exact signwriting I used it I am pleased the horse buses could have been blue and cream.

Of course I can remember the green dust cars with the sliding doors up on the back coming up the crescent and stopping for the happy blokes to dump the bin contents into.

No Hot Ashes

I am thinking about possibly going for a Co-op milk cart next although a George Mason delivery van is another prospect.

 

[Lloyd]

Thank you Lloyd I thought I remembered that from reading the Forum a while back and since the blue theme worked for the time frame even if not under the exact signwriting I used it I am pleased the horse buses could have been blue and cream.

Of course I can remember the green dust cars with the sliding doors up on the back coming up the crescent and stopping for the happy blokes to dump the bin contents into.

No Hot Ashes

I am thinking about possibly going for a Co-op milk cart next although a George Mason delivery van is another prospect.

But...the Corporation never ran horse buses, initially only electric trams joined later by motor buses taken over from the Midland Red company under the "1914 agreement", and others operating feeder services from Rednal and Rubery to the tram terminal at Selly Oak (and later at Northfield, then Longbridge). Pictured below is a 'colourised' BCT (Birmingham Central Tramways) Company green horse bus.

 

[Moseley Bill]

Shhh please Lloyd, green and cream or red and cream did not quite fit my dream of a Brummy horse bus, a mate of mine is going to undertake to make a motor bus from a bit later, that will be proper coloured.

Can we keep it our secret please.

I know that picture of course, I used it to design the signage around the upper deck.

I wonder what hue of green the bus was, you never know I might do another, a four light, proper like.

 

[Lloyd]

Shhh please Lloyd, green and cream or red and cream did not quite fit my dream of a Brummy horse bus, a mate of mine is going to undertake to make a motor bus from a bit later, that will be proper coloured.

Can we keep it our secret please.

I know that picture of course, I used it to design the signage around the upper deck.

I wonder what hue of green the bus was, you never know I might do another, a four light, proper like.

I would imagine there was a standard B.E.T. (British Electric Traction) group shade of Green, used across the group's tramway companies. Whether or not restored vehicles like the 'Tividale' single deck tram at the Black Country Museum, or the beautifully restored Barnsley & District Leyland 'Combination car' bus are the right shade I'm not sure, but they will be as close as you can get.
I'll not put photos up as everyone's computer screen is different, you need to see the things in real life to view the shades correctly. It has, I believe, been described as "Holly Green" to give you an idea.