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Birmingham Trams

robroy said:
Hi,
My grandfather Fred Gilks, worked for the BCT from 1911 to 1951: first driving trams, and then trolley buses. He was asked if he would postpone retirement so that he could drive the very last trolley bus on the Coventry Road route in July 1951. He was delighted to be asked, and I have looked on the forum for photos of the occasion, but being new to this might not have looked in the right place.If there are any I would love to see them.

Roy Gilks.
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Dear Roy,
If you look in my book Birmingham trolleybuses 1922-1951 you will find a photo of Fred Gilks driving the last trolleybus FOK 90 in Coventry Road, but a much earlier photo of him as a young man as a steam tram conductor, c.1905
 
Already discussed. Probably taken from this site by a F/Book user.

Birchfield Road Perry Barr

The car bottom left in the picture appears to be a Ford Mk1 either Cortina or more likely Zephyr, they weren't launched until 1951 so it has to be after that, my first thoughts when the picture was posted was mid 50s. Ps. the car next to it is a Ford 100E Anglia/Prefect, the were launched in...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
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It's in the Electric Trams thread
oldMohawk said:
As a child I was often taken on the No 6 Perry Barr trams getting on at the terminus in Birchfield Road but don't remember seeing one like in this pic. It was probably something connected with WW2 and I vaguely remember grey painted utility buses but no grey trams. The No 6 route was closed in 1949 so the date could be just after WW2.
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Can I just confirm that the photo in question I posted on a FB group of which I am admin; and would also confirm that I would never take copies from your site without permission. This was given to me by my brother some time ago. Regards Carol
 
It never bothers me if anyone makes a copy of any photo I have posted on the BHF and then uploads it to another site.
:)
 
The grey tram is 345 working on a 6 service to Perry Barr a service usually worked by one of the Aston bodied cars such as the distant car 20. 345 was repainted sometime between January 1942 and March 1943 with new fleet number and legal lettering being painted over the unlined-out grey livery. had been a Washwood Heath tram and moved to Miller Street in April 1941. It was never repainted into fleet livery and was transferred to Rosebery Street on the day before the closure of the Ladywood 33 route on 30 August 1947 and was used as the penultimate tram on that route, (the last was car 319). 345 was broken up by George Cohen in Moseley Road depot during January 1948.
 
The grey painting of buses & trams (no trolley buses was painted grey) in the last moths of 1941 paint could not be obtained it was done to preserve the original paint work. It was only necessary for a short time later it was applied to only 301-400 class cars.
Because they couldn't be seen in foggy weather the fenders were painted white, the buses were paint in the depots and the trams paint in works none had advertising displayed.
After the 1945-46 those trams in battleship were returned to 1932 livery with black fenders.
I remember seeing one going through the island by Central Fire Station it looked like some thing out Sci-Fi like one of those transformer model it looked really depressing and horrible.
 
oldMohawk said:
Going back a few 'forum years' see following ... :)
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My gran told of me of an accident involving the cow catchers on the Lichfield Rd a tram from city approaching the stop before Victoria Rd.
Katie Damper who own the shop in Sandy lane near Vine Street running for tram fell in front of the tram and was rolled on to the front cow catcher.
She was rescued by the tram driver and conductor and passers by she got up and walked away with a few bruises.
 
'Cowcatchers' - a device invented in Britain in the early days of railways - but rarely used due to railways being fenced. It soon found favour in North America and other countries. Its is a deflecting plough, whereas the fitment on Birmingham's old tramcars, knows as lifeguards, has a scoop effect. That explains why the lady in post 641 walked away bruised.
 
David Harvey said:
Dear Roy,
If you look in my book Birmingham trolleybuses 1922-1951 you will find a photo of Fred Gilks driving the last trolleybus FOK 90 in Coventry Road, but a much earlier photo of him as a young man as a steam tram conductor, c.1905
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Hi David, thank you very much for your reply, which I'm afraid I've only just noticed! I have bought a copy of your book from eBay and am very pleased to see the article about Driver Gilks and the photographs. Thank you for the suggestion, it's a great book.

I'm not sure if that is Fred Gilks in the picture on the bottom left of p.120 (from the John Whybrow collection), the man in the photo looks a little older than Fred would have been at the time. However, I think I may have spotted him in a very similar picture I found on the British Tramway Company Uniforms and Insignia website, which I've attached here. What do you think? Regards, Roy
 

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robroy said:
Hi David, thank you very much for your reply, which I'm afraid I've only just noticed! I have bought a copy of your book from eBay and am very pleased to see the article about Driver Gilks and the photographs. Thank you for the suggestion, it's a great book.

I'm not sure if that is Fred Gilks in the picture on the bottom left of p.120 (from the John Whybrow collection), the man in the photo looks a little older than Fred would have been at the time. However, I think I may have spotted him in a very similar picture I found on the British Tramway Company Uniforms and Insignia website, which I've attached here. What do you think? Regards, Roy
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When I wrote the book, I did a considerable amount of research and via BBC radio I was contacted by Fred Gilkes' son, who I think was called Maurice. He was in his 80s but he went through the life history of his father, who sadly didn't have a very long retirement though he was allowed to leave CBT on a full pension despite being over a year too young. He didn't want to convert to buses. I sent Maurice a copy of the photograph which you copied and confirmed that it was his father who despite the moustache and the drawn countenance, was in fact his father who he said was about 17 years old. He did say that Fred had worked on the B Central Nechells horse tram route and also conducted on the CBT steam trams. They were withdrawn on 30 September 1906 and remembers finding a bundle of letters which he would send to his then fiancee in the morning which she would get the same afternoon. One of of these said something like, "I can't see you tonight as the horse dropped down dead between the shafts this morning".
I hope that is enough conclusive proof for you.
Kind regards,
David
 
Dear David,
Thank you for your reply. However, I wasn't aware of the BBC radio involvement.
He had six sons:Colin, Brian, Walter, and Sidney, and two that did not survive infancy.
Fred retired at 62, to allow him to nurse his sick wife Elizabeth, but he would have preferred to carry on driving.Fred died in 1981, at 91 years of age; giving him nearly 30 years of active retirement.
As far as I am aware Fred had no involvement with horse trams, and started his career at 16 on steam trams, moving on to electric trams, and finally trolley buses. So, I believe the photo of Fred/post 644 to be my grandfather at 17 years of age.
I trust you don't think I am being pedantic, but my grandfather's life is important to me.

Kind Regards,Roy Gilks.
 
oldbrit said:
Anyone want them? let me know Cheers John Crump Parker, Colorado USA
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John. I appreciate that your are offering to send these but I had them so I don't need them. If I remember correctly that was the newspaper supplement when they showed the back of a Midland Red house drawn bus in Tennant Street garage and said it was a tram.
 
DavidGrain said:
John. I appreciate that your are offering to send these but I had them so I don't need them. If I remember correctly that was the newspaper supplement when they showed the back of a Midland Red house drawn bus in Tennant Street garage and said it was a tram.
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Any idea when they were issued?
 
Birmingham Trams.jpg

This is a pen & ink drawing that was given to my new wife and I as a part of our wedding gift almost 51 years ago. It was given by my Aunt Dorothy (Daisey) who was born at 16 Alfred St, Aston. She lived on Trinity Rd and was married at the church (forgot the name) on the corner of Trinity & Birchfield Rd. Her wedding reception was at the Crown & Cushion at Birchfield & wellington (I think) Rds.
It is a wonderful picture.........
 
As many here will know car 395 is the one at the Think Tank, formerly in Newhall Street, when I last saw it.
The drawing would be based on how the car might have looked between 1911 and 1915 - when route number boxes replaced the large destination boards.
 
Richarddye said:
This is a pen & ink drawing that was given to my new wife and I as a part of our wedding gift almost 51 years ago. It was given by my Aunt Dorothy (Daisey) who was born at 16 Alfred St, Aston. She lived on Trinity Rd and was married at the church (forgot the name) on the corner of Trinity & Birchfield Rd. Her wedding reception was at the Crown & Cushion at Birchfield & wellington (I think) Rds.
It is a wonderful picture.........
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Many thanks for sharing that with us. As someone who has known the Hagley Road, all my life (so far) I was particularly interested in seeing this tram's destination board.


Radiorails said:
As many here will know car 395 is the one at the Think Tank, formerly in Newhall Street, when I last saw it.
The drawing would be based on how the car might have looked between 1911 and 1915 - when route number boxes replaced the large destination boards.
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Alan, Radiorails, Thanks for that clarification. I did wonder why there was no route number as I am used to seeing the route number box on the front and the destination on the sides as shown in most of the photos
 
DavidGrain said:
Many thanks for sharing that with us. As someone who has known the Hagley Road, all my life (so far) I was particularly interested in seeing this tram's destination board.




Alan, Radiorails, Thanks for that clarification. I did wonder why there was no route number as I am used to seeing the route number box on the front and the destination on the sides as shown in most of the photos
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The Forum is truly a great place to share information!
 
Vivienne14 said:
Was wondering if this was taken near Walford Road (“Embassy Dance Club”). I have no date or location for this photo. Someone may recognise the pub. Viv.
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Selly Oak, Chapel Lane in left background. Can't remember pub name, but the Embassy Dance Club is the proof.

Embassy dance club.jpg
 
Bob Davis said:
'''''and a Midland Red 'chara' in the background returning from one of those trips to the Cotswolds or the Malverns ah happy days and now being as you are in lockdown Old Mohawk you can colour it!!!!
Bob
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The 'chara' is heading out of Birmingham - more likely on an express service to Cheltenham, Bristol and/or the south west.
 
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