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Birmingham Trams

motorman-mike said:
Ray,
Many thanks, that side of town is still a mystery to me even today let alone in tramway days. Nice to know help is always at hand. Again thank you.
Mike
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Sorry Mike the Motorman is on platform with chain across it just come from Short Heath and was going to Steelhouse lane.

To quick that's my trouble.

Ray
 
motorman-mike said:
I'll have a check through my stuff Astonian but I don't think I have. Lloyd might well turn up something from his collection though. I don't think there would have been a turntable as the trams didn't need to be turned round. The motorman just walked through and drove from the other end of the car. Sounds more like a derailment on crossover points to change line.
Thanks for best wishes, mine back.
Mike
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I'm sure you are right there would be no need for a turn table, but there was a set of complecated set of points to allowthe following:-

78 Short Heath to turn left and to turn right to City.

2 Erdington would go straight on no problem to/fro City

79, 5, 63 to turn right up Tyburn Rd. and on return turn left to City.
 
No problem Ray, it was the location I was after but useful to know which way the tram was heading as well. Thanks again.
Mike
 
If you look at the pictures of Salford bridge you see the points system.

Just inside Tyburn Rd. was a set of reversing points for change direction and track used by the No 5.

With regards to Aston Stn. picture you will note that because the bridge was so low, the overhead wires ran to near side of the carriageway to allow the tolley pole and tram to proceed.

The picture of Sixways Aston shows a different type of points I think they called them Box points, trams did no right or left turns.

Pictures are from the excellent little book A Short Review of Birmingham Corporation Tramways by P.L.Hardy & P. Jacues.

Hope this will of so use understanding the workings of the super Birmingham Trams
 
Re the low wires at Aston station - this was where upper saloon passengers could watch the trolley head running on the wire, as it came below tram roof height!
As stated, only certain trams were low enough to pass under the low bridges on the system, at Selly Oak and Dudley Port as well as Aston. These cars had 'low bridge ' plates for the driver to see where he would stand to drive the tram. Here's two from my collection.
 
Lloyd said:
Re the low wires at Aston station - this was where upper saloon passengers could watch the trolley head running on the wire, as it came below tram roof height!
As stated, only certain trams were low enough to pass under the low bridges on the system, at Selly Oak and Dudley Port as well as Aston. These cars had 'low bridge ' plates for the driver to see where he would stand to drive the tram.
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Great pictures Lloyd I've never seen theses before.

Ray
 
the silver fox said:
I think one of the steam trams is in Moseley Village.
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Yes, on the Kings Heath route which ended at Silver Street depot. Earlier, horse trams running to Moseley only turned on a tight loop at the start of St Marys Row, shown on the map below.
Note there is also a small depot or yard the tracks run into just south of this point, Salisbury Road doesn't exist, and a 'running track' stands where King Edward Road was later built.
 
Lloyd said:
Re the low wires at Aston station - this was where upper saloon passengers could watch the trolley head running on the wire, as it came below tram roof height!
As stated, only certain trams were low enough to pass under the low bridges on the system, at Selly Oak and Dudley Port as well as Aston. These cars had 'low bridge ' plates for the driver to see where he would stand to drive the tram. Here's two from my collection.
Click to expand...

Here is the page relating to these plates in the Birmingham Corporation Tramway and Omnibus Department Rules and Regulations book issued to motormen from May 1937 onwards.
 
Birmingham Corparation Tram Drivers badge & Union Members badge. Mike,The certificate. owner was not a relation. Len.
 
Motorman Mike, my little wrinkle is de-cluttering. Now you know what that means don't you. Thats correct, I have something for you. If you do not want it, would Lloyd like it? It is about 16"x14" and the pictures are a similar size to a postcard. The frame could do with cleaning up a little. I also have a 1980 loose leaf workshop manual for the FX4 Taxi and the hire car fitted with same engine.
 
Hi Sticker, could you take pics of each of those Tram cards in your post 314
as I would love to see them as individual photos to show my sons father in law who is a great tram buff.
 
The Baron, I will do the best I can but I am not a photographer. I may be able to get a scan better than a photo. I will post the best of my efforts
tomorrow.
Stitcher.
 
I have the actual pictures of 1,2 and 3. If Sticher cannot scan them I can photograph them.
Also have 733 Rubery terminus
551 Renal terminus
774 Northfield
396 Rednal coming up Lickey Rd
779 Eastern Road/Bristol Road
 
Tardebigge, it would help me if you would do that because there is glass on the front of this thing and I can't really see me getting a decent scan or photo.
 
Time for another tram. This sadly is car 730 on the last day of tram operation seen at the junction of Miller Street after transfer of passengers to the replacement bus in front. It will then run to Depot to await disposal for scrapping.
 
You are right there Alf, so to cheer us up here's some shots from a recent visit to Basle in Switzerland where they have convoys of quite old trams in the city centre that still sound like they used to in Birmingham. What a joy to sit at a outside table sinking a beer and watching and listening to the trams go by. What we couldn't figure out is on some older trams the motorman had a white 1950's style steering wheel. Trams being on rails we would love to know why.
Mike
 
I have just found this acticle on a descendant of the family and thought it may be of interest, anything anyone may be able to add would prove extremely useful

Brummy10
 
View attachment 38079 My Lads aboard a Swiss Tram in Zurich
motorman-mike said:
You are right there Alf, so to cheer us up here's some shots from a recent visit to Basle in Switzerland where they have convoys of quite old trams in the city centre that still sound like they used to in Birmingham. What a joy to sit at a outside table sinking a beer and watching and listening to the trams go by. What we couldn't figure out is on some older trams the motorman had a white 1950's style steering wheel. Trams being on rails we would love to know why.
Mike
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I've got couple more somewhere must dig them out:)
 
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Any photos or memoriabilia sandracoley, would be good to see.

Alf, Switzerland certainly is a great place for trams and light electric railways.
 
motorman mike .i dont think there are any fotos of my grandad on the trams .we didnt have a camera then but i will ask my cousins if there are any and get back to you then
 
over the weekend i was in Swansea and in a little museum there is the Swansea and Mumbles tram known as the train it,s last run was January 1960 but before that there was a train and before that there was a horse drawn coach a couple of photos of it.






Swansea007.jpg
 
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