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What an interesting account of William Hill's life! I'm not a betting person myself, but what comes through in that biography is his remarkable fairness, and his open dealing. A true sportsman. Peter

Oh, that hurt, seeing those two pictures side by side! At least it's got a little better now, but still not quite real to me. Peter

So far as the location of Alf's photo (post 159) is concerned, I think it must have been the lifting shop at Tyburn Road Works, as I wouldn't have thought any running depot had a roof as high as that - why should it? They were cheap and serviceable buses, but not a patch on those lovely TD6c's...

Thank you for the interesting pictures of the Park Road / Church Lane derailment, which tell a little of the story. From the note by the driver's colleague, it looks as if he (the driver of the overturned tram) did not take the precautionary action specified in the 'blue book' when the magnetic...

Although I was a north Brummie, I have a few early memories of the Harborne line. Most are from visiting relatives in Moorpool Avenue, Harborne. We would get off the bus at Station Road, Harborne, and use the footbridge over the platform to get to a footpath leading straight into Moorpool...

I'd just like to say again how enjoy these recollections. I have recently been given some DVDs of Berlin trams, one of which includes about 15 minutes filmed by the East Berlin staff social club in the late 50s and early 60s. Over five minutes covers one trip they made in one of their then new...

Dave, Many thanks, but the title is wrong this time! About 20 years ago an expensive coffee-table book of aerial views of London reputedly penned by the late Alastair Cook was produced, in which four or five images were reversed - unfortunately, one was the cover picture. As it was probably...

Mike - another very interesting picture because it shows properties on the south (right-hand) side of Edmund Street still standing, although the University and other buildings had been cleared for the new library. You can still see part of the old library buildings in the picture, and the tiny...

Back to the City Circle BCT Bus route 19 (not Midland Red at Digbeth I'm afraid), I have posted this somewhere before but it has probably been wiped. I think the 19 bus was always rush hours only, certainly not Sundays and only Saturday mornings. It was consistently run down in the 1970s: in...

Jennyann, Your'e quite right about the limestone deposits around Dudley. When I was only ten I was easily motivated by my teachers, and i persuaded two other boys to come with me to the Wren's Nest, which is the next of those very dramatic hills around Dudley. The reason was to look for fossils...

Claire-brum 71, I first thought that watermen would be people who worked on the canals, but I am fairly sure sure now that they were the people who delivered water by cart to the many, many properties that had no piped water before the late 19th century. Having been through quite a few census...

Malvern, In the days before everyone was paranoid about security, a lot of things used to happen. A friend of mine and fellow tramway enthusiast was surprised at the school assembly one morning when the headmaster got to the public warnings section and said "I don't mind you boys using your...

Although I've never worked for a bus company, I've had quite a bit to do with the industry, and always like to hear recollections of those who did the real work. I have a recollection about 25 years ago when I was in Willenhall, of getting on a 525 bus (replacing the 25 trolleybus) to Bilston...

I'm afraid we are repeating earlier post, but before Hornton's started in the model business in the later 1950s, the nearest model shop was Kanga Models, right opposite, half way up Colonnade Passage on the left. I first discovered this place I think in 1943, when they had few models to display...

I can certainly remember Scribban's and the local baker George Baines (in Finch Road) delivering by horse and cart in the early fifties, but I don't remember when they were taken over. Funny thing is I don't think I can remember the Co-op delivering bread, but I wouldn't rule it out. Peter

Thank you Di. Another lovely picture, but why did you leave the buses out? I can't remember being in Bull Street without a bus in sight. And three cars together was a bit unusual from my memory. Best wishes to you. Peter

Terry, I should be interested in a visit, preferably late morning or afternoon. Perhaps we could arrange a small party at a convenient date? Peter

Very nice pics, Astonite. I walked round the centre of what was Tamworth on April Fool's Day this year (first day I could use my London bus pass elsewhere in England). It was the first time I had been since 1943, when my nan took me. I didn't have my camera with me, but I noticed all those...

Fascinating pics, Lencops. What a pity we don't realise how important the horse was to to the growth of our 'civilisation'. Before steam, gas, petrol and electricity came along in the 18th and 19th centuries, we relied on water power, a bit of wind, a lot of human labour, but above all, our...

Ragga, After getting past the adverts, I found the site you recommended, but I can't say that I was very impressed. I'm no expert on this subject, but having catalogued some of the archives of one of the German churches in London, I am aware that there were far more PoW camps in the UK than...