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Birmingham Cable Tramways Gear

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
Absolutely no idea what exactly this Tangye winding gear would have been used for. It's an advert from The Engineer in 1888. Anyone know? Viv.

image.jpeg
 
https://www.tramway.co.uk/library-collections/online-exhibitions/birmingham-3/
https://www.cable-car-guy.com/html/ccuk.html#btc
The picture you give Vivienne was the machinery to operate the cable system and was situated, as far as I know at Hockley.
Satellite
 
Thanks Alan and Mike. Didn't realise trams used this sort of machinery, albeit not for very long. Viv.
 
oldMohawk said:
Hi Lloyd - Thanks for the information. I have been studying the systems but still can't work out how the cables go round corners. Some sort of guidance would be needed and I would assume that the gripper has to push past any guidance devices. There is a slight curve on the hill in the photo.
oldmohawk
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In the above pic the central grooves for the cables can be seen although they appear to have installed overhead wires ready for 'normal' tram operation. I still can't exactly understand how the cables went round bends but obviously they did !
 
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The Great Orme Tramway in Llandudno operates on the cable system too. Well worth a ride if you are in the area, most enjoyable.

Simon
 
Simon4130 said:
The Great Orme Tramway in Llandudno operates on the cable system too. Well worth a ride if you are in the area, most enjoyable.

Simon
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Although that is a different system, where the trams are permanently attached to the cable and the "driver" for both is in the winding house! The on-car driver has a means of stopping the cable in emergency, but of course both cars will stop. The weight of the "down" car nearly balances the weight of the "up" car, so the power required is small.
 
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