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One for the Tram enthusiasts

Thanks Di. you can just see the outcurl of the bodywork at the front above the drivers head. Travelled many a mile on those buses. If that is the one I'll be there arn't many photo's around. They had been around for a while and were just coming to the end of their lifespans after the war.
Regards.
 
Not sure if this book has been recommended before but I have just been given a copy of "A nostalgic look at Birmingham Trams 1933-53 vol 2 the southern routes by David Harvey published by Silver Link Publishing Ltd.
This book (100 pages) is crammed with pictures of trams,and contains a lot of local information.usefull for anyone researching Birmingham trams.
I'm not sure if this book is still in print,it is dated 1994.They also appear to have a vol 1 which covers the northern routes.
This book was purchased off ebay for ?8 last year,a very good buy,it will make good bed time reading

Colin
 
Another great one John and a Policeman on Traffic Duty complete with White Mac O0
 
hi Rupert Thats a great pic with the 2 midland reds behind the tram at perry barr they fedds i worked at midland red sutton and they still had some there in the 50s allen
 
Hi. Allen,
Nice to hear from you, was I right about the upstairs front seat being full width and the entrance to it on the curb side. The door if I recall was at the front of the bus and and the stairs were behind the driver. We have to thank Di.Poppitt for the picture.
Regards.
 
Here's three photograph's
taken at the Crick Tram Museum
a couple of years ago,odd as it may seem,
they have not got a B'ham tram
 
Great place to visit it was one of the places I took my dear Mom before she passed away :'( I have some photo's I'll post later
 
Not exactly One for the Tram enthusiasts

Rupert was talking about Midland Red buses - here are a pic of the early piano-fronted rear entrancer buses that used to run on the 118, and 3 pics of later front-entrance bus, showing the lo9ng seat at the front upstairs.
Peter
 
Thanks Peter, thats the one. What super pctures. It was a grand bus, nicely propotioned design and we always used to aim for the front upstairs seat. They were rather old when we used them and used to grind a bit on the hills especially Mucklows if I remember rightly. They still had a starting handle on the engine.
Well done,
Rupert
 
dennis said:
Here's three photograph's
taken at the Crick Tram Museum
a couple of years ago,odd as it may seem,
they have not got a B'ham tram
Click to expand...

Dennis they haven't got a Brum Tram but sell things in their Gift Shop of the Trams I have a Teapot Trivet with Tram No. 345 open Front seats upstairs we all rushed for. Sign Hagley Road To Navigation St No route number on Artist must have forgot to paint it in?
 
We were in York Railway Museum a few weeks ago, and I was surpised to find models of a Birmingham and Aston Tramways 1880s-vintage steam tram engine and trailer. They are in the'warehouse' section, where things are very jumbled up and in no sequence. I remember those models used to be in the Science Museum in South Kensington 40 years or so ago, and I think they came from the collection of Dr H A Whitcombe, who was THE authority on steam trams.
Peter
 
Peter,
The illfated ships of Sir John Franklin's voyage to find the North West passage; Erebus and Terror (1845 approx) were fitted with stationary steam locomotive engines and a screw,  as auxiliary power to navigate in tight quarters. I wonder if the company that made the trams also made those engines. It's known that the ships dissapeared west of King William Island. Some fragments have been found. However it is thought that one of the ships, possibly the Terror, could still be somewhere on the bottom waiting to be found. The engines were not very powerful, I seem to recall 20hp. All of the members of the expedition were regretably lost.
Regards.
 
Birmingham Trams

The reason Crick Tram Museum have not got a Birmingham Tram is probably due to the fact that our trams were of a different gauge to the rest of the country and consequently would not run on their lines.
 
Peter Walker said:
Rowan, your picture was taken on the Pershore Road route to Cotteridge. I would guess from the condition of the car that it was taken shortly before the route closed in July 1952 (54 years ago to the week!). I don't remember the route well enough to say exactly where it was taken, but I think if you look on Mark Norton's site containing his dad's pics, you will find the answer.
Peter
Click to expand...
Looks like it was taken by what used to be the old Pavillion Cinema
 
though damaged I thought is was worth putting on
Attached Thumbnails
Click to expand...
Well worth it. Digbeth, opposite Rea Street (see the tram tracks curve right just in front to the tram).
Although the tram is in pre-war paint style, The 1930s Daimler COG5 bus heading towards it has a wartime camouflaged roof, a matt dark colour in place of the cream they used to be, but there are no blackout masks on the headlights so it's between 1945 and October 1949, when the 50 tram route and tram 416 came off..
 
Loydd what a lovely old photo. I think it may be worth posting in photo restoration there are some very clever folk on here who will repair it!

Thanks for posting it!
 
I did have a go at restoring this photograph some time ago it was so badly damaged this is as far as I got with it it's had a couple of showings prior to this last posting
John Houghton
 
John,

Here you are as good as new. For the tram buff's it is the No 50 service Trafalgar Rd via Bradford St Car No 416 about to turn out of Digbeth into Rea St having left from Albert St Terminus and the date is 28.06.1949.

I have to be honest, I didn't restore it I have another copy.

pmc1947

No50TurningoutofDigbethintoReaSt1949.jpg
 
Birmingham Trams

pmc1947. Yours is a Great Photograph !!!
I would also like to add that even a damaged Photograph posted on the website is far better than no Photograph at all.
Keep Up The Good Work Everyone.
 
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