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Old Photographs from the British Colonies

bobsummers

bobsummers

Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
I have some photos from both Panang & Burma. But would anybody be interested? It shows Old Colonial buildings and transport systems such as old Buses, Trams and Trains possibly all built by the Brit's including I suspect Brummies.
 
Bob,
I would like to see them.
Here's my contribution...Leowin Lighthouse W.Australia the lantern was made by Chance Bros. shipped out in 1895,and is still in daily use,there are a few of them up that coast.
Also saw an old crane,in Mallaca (it was probably 150 years old),it is clearly marked "made in Birmingham",however, it can only be seen from the river,it's been reclaimed by the jungle.:(
 
I hope we have " lurkers" who may have been born those parts willing to comment about those days. it would add an interesting angle to the thread.
 
OK, Here are my 1st set from Penang Malasia. I am told we exported our B'ham Buses to the Colines we they became older stock? Is this true?
 
bobsummers said:
I have some photos from both Panang & Burma. But would anybody be interested? It shows Old Colonial buildings and transport systems such as old Buses, Trams and Trains possibly all built by the Brit's including I suspect Brummies.
Click to expand...

Great to see the photos, my Grandad went from a back to back house in Birmingham to work in Singapore when he was 16.
 
bobsummers said:
I have some photos from both Panang & Burma. But would anybody be interested? It shows Old Colonial buildings and transport systems such as old Buses, Trams and Trains possibly all built by the Brit's including I suspect Brummies.
Click to expand...

Great stuff Bob & its nice to see you back:)
 
Liked your lighthouse Ray very unusual.

What did we export in infrastructure around the world made in Brum ?

Here's a few more from Panang.
 
The first picture in post #5 is Georegetown Municipality trolleybus no 23, formerly London Transport 186. There is a page about the buses exported there, here.
Yes old but well maintained stock were a good buy for foriegn lands, often the management and engineering staff were British and understood the vehicles well. In similar vein, 125 London trolleybuses went to various parts of Spain in the 1960s, many running longer there than when in the capital!

The second picture is also a british-built vehicle, but destined for export from new. These trolleybuses were made by the famous london bus manufacturer AEC (the Associated Equipment Co), which had been formed from the engineering division of London General Omnibus Co Ltd, and originated with the Vanguard Omnibus Company which was one of the independant companies absorbed into the LGOC on its formation.

The Penang Hill Railway (pic 3 post #6) has only just ceased running (February 2010) but is to be rebuilt with new lines and stock. See this article about the former line.
 
Thanks for all that great info Lloyd, but I bet you all the nuts and bolts were made in Brum :D;)
 
A great set of photo's Bob,thanks for sharing them.:)
What amazed me in the streets of Georgetown,is the lack of people about,every street to me seemed to have a population of a million and no one ever went home.
Why anyone would own a car is a mystery,you could never go any faster than a trishaw.:rolleyes:
 
These photos were sent to me from my Chinese friend Chang whom lives in Panang. I have visited him and other friends there and had a few golf rounds with them. They are very British in there life styles, and I have left them with slight Birmingham accents!!
Here are a few more. Will try to dig out other photos from Burma during the war.

Lets see your commenwealth old photos, they realy are interesting to see.
 
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