See Birmingham by Post Card

[motorman-mike]

A couple of the buses we used to take into town...the 5a or 7 Portland Road from the Ridgeway or Witton, used to stop where those bus shelters were on Colmore Row. Great shots Mike. Might it have been the early 50's in the right hand shot and a bit later in the l950's the left hand shot? Don't know exact year though.

I think you are right jennyann, the later shelters were there when I moved to Brum in 1959. Have enjoyed the Blackpool site, thanks for posting it. Pity they didn't keep and modernise the Bristol Road tram routes. The Rubery route could have been extended on from Rubery to the Frankley Estate and form a loop back into Northfield rejoining Bristol Road at the Black Horse and vice versa.
Mike

 

[Rupert]

Great site Jenny. It all brings back memories. I don't know...I tend to think that some of the pleasure of riding them was 'just the way they were'. They were plenty comfortable and smoothe riding for me. The track out to the Lickeys could have been a bit better in places though. Hmmm..what might have been...with a bit more foresight.

 

[jennyann]

I agree Rupert. Growing up I had a choice of both buses and trams to reach town, in particular. I always liked walking around to Stockland Green and riding the No.78 to Steelhouse Lane and after shopping, etc. catching the tram home outside the Wesleyan & General Insurance offices in Steelhouse lane. I tried to find the link to D.J. Norton's site on the forum Search. Here is the link for people who haven't seen them
https://www.photobydjnorton.com/ also Robert Darlaston's site
https://www.robertdarlaston.co.uk/Trams.htm

Didn't like getting off them much in busy places. Mum always seemed to make a dive for the pavement with me in tow. It was frightening at times
I can tell you. Not many cars, lorries and bikes on the road back then
mind you. When I lived in Toronto in later years, all traffic was required to stop when the street car did. Mostly in Toronto they all have their own contained tracks these days.

Years ago a friend of mine sent me a couple of small books about Birmingham Transport with loads of photos. The saddest photo was of the breakers yard where the trams were all smahed up except for No.395 which spent years in the Science Museum.

I finally have a scanner of my own now. It arrived yesterday. It's a printer, copier as well. I'll have a go at scanning some Brum photos soon.

 

[Peter Walker]

Reading people's recent comments about the loss of the Bristol Road trams prompts me to mention my futile efforts as an 18-year old student to fight the long-established Corporation plan to abandon the trams in July 1962. I had already been a member of the Light Railway Transport League, based in London, for four years, and was fired with enthusiasm by a monthly paper which they published, in my first years edited by Brummie Wingate H Bett. (I noticed his face on the recent picture of the last Ladywood tram, by the way.) I already had some small scale models I made of Birmingham trams which I was showing at various exhibitions, and I was persuaded to to do two posters suggesting how the Bristol Road trams could be made to work more efficiently in relation with other traffic. These appeared at a few events, but I can also remember distributing leaflets into letter boxes around Rednal and Rubery. (Only this evening I have been stuffing notices of concerts in London - I hope this will have more effect!).
Turning now to the recent pictures of Colmore Row, one change noted by Motorman Mike does help tyo date the two views. The earlier one shows the old cast-iron tram shelters with a pitched roof which date back to elerification of the Soho Road cable trams in 1911. I cannot be certain, but I think the new steel shelters with a flat roof were in place before I started as a student at the Art School in 1950, but it might have been a bit later.
Peter

 

[Jayell]

Hi Mike and Jenny

The bus stops in Colmore Row in the first picture were as I remember them when I used to catch buses home, to both Edgbaston and later on Quinton. The number 9 and the no. 7. We also used to catch the night buses from that stop when we made our way home from a night out. They ran on the hour all through the night. This would have been in the late 50's/early 60's.

Judy

 

[jennyann]

Hi Judy: I certainly remember the Night Service from town. I used to catch the 5a which went to the Ridgeway. The Outer Circle buses didn't run at night
so it was a good walk to my house at the top of Woolmore Road. I always felt
pretty safe on the walk. Did the Night Service have a flat fare? I seem to remember one shilling but can't be sure.

 

[Jayell]

Hi Jennyann

I often used to catch the night service buses from Colmore Row, although I can't remember the fare. They used to run to certain terminus points. I was lucky as when I lived on Hagley Road West at Quinton, the bus used to stop at the Hollybush Pub, and I just lived across the road from there. When I lived in Gillott Road later on, I remember getting off on Hagley Road and having to walk down Gillott Road to where Portland Road crossed it. My friend used to live in Northfield and I think her bus only went so far and she had a fair walk to where she lived.

I never once felt unsafe, and I often walked through Birmingham in the wee small hours, either alone, but mainly with my sister, and never felt nervous. Wouldn't want to try it today though!!

Judy

 

[Stitcher]

The Colonnade hotel,1900 and the same site in 1972 whence it had become Woolworths. New St/Ethel St.

 

[Jayell]

Got the pictures now Trevor. Good ones. I like to see the comparison photos, although it is depressing to see what the modern buildings look like in comparison.

 

[Stitcher]

I have to agree with about that but so many peole just love the new style glass and glitz.

 

[oldMohawk]

Looking at PMC1947's evocative view of Lewis's (post450) - I well remember crossing by the lights. I wonder if all those blinds were put out automatically or did someone have to pull them out every day with a pole.

oldmohawk

 

[Stitcher]

This is High St, viewed from Dale End. 1932 and again in 1971 with the Rotunda in full use.

 

[Mike Shakespeare]

Here's a couple of Erdington....

 

[Stitcher]

The Old Square in 1903 and 1971.The steam trams in the early picture were bound for Perry Barr and were replaced by electric in1906. In 1885 Lewis's opened on the corner of Corperation St and Bull St, but by the 20s the building was found inadequate and was demolished along with other buildings.. A new building extending from Bull St to Old Square was erected and a few years later another block of similar design was built on the former site of Newburys. Both buildings are of stone and linked by two bridges across The Minories. After further work The Minories became a continuous covered arcade. On the right of the later photo is the building of Bell Nicholsen and Lunt, wholesale drapers.

 

[john knight]

Here's a couple of postcards I came across.
Does anyone remember this sign at the bottom of
Gravelley Hill ?.
And the Spaghetti one must be very early after it opened, judging by the amount or lack of traffic.

 

[Stitcher]

John, I seem to remember that sign was well after Gravelly Hill as one travelled away from Brum. Up the hill, across the traffic island and along the short dual carriageway. Then the dual carriageway became 2 lanes again, a slight left bend and the advert was there on the left near a set of traffic lights.

 

[Rupert]

The spaghetti junction card might well be named General Electric as it shows most of the factory. Top right of the highway is the Magnet Club and sports field and under the highway were some hard sand hills that we walked over from Mechanical Test for lunch past the little hut for testing the attributes of various greases if I recall correctly. 2 DO over by Electric Avenue seems to have been demolished maybe.

 

[ASTONITE]

Is this the one?

 

[mike-g]

and every Christmas it changes to father Christmas climbing the ladder

 

[john knight]

Hello Stitcher,
Yes you are right in what you say, I've always thought of it as Gravelley Hill, and I couldn't remember the name of the pub next door.
Thanks to Astonite also for posting the other image.

 

[Stitcher]

No problem john.

 

[GeorgieG]

Here's a couple of postcards I came across.
Does anyone remember this sign at the bottom of
Gravelley Hill ?.
And the Spaghetti one must be very early after it opened, judging by the amount or lack of traffic.

The Cornwallis Hotel, Carbis Bay is no longer a hotel... but luxury flats. Georgie

 

[jennyann]

That Sign Service has been there for decades. The corner of Station Road and Sutton New Road. Didn't know the man became Father Christmas at Christmastime. Great idea. What is the pubs name?

 

[Lloyd]

Its Erdington, Gravelly Hill is the other side of Erdington village down to Salford Bridge.
That 'Sign Service' sign is world famous, and a good advert for them in that it appears real. The Santa which replaces the workman at Christmas is a board they screw to the wall, though.

 

[Mike Shakespeare]

The pub is called the Cross Keys if I remember right Jennyann.

 

[jennyann]

Thanks for the info about the Santa, Lloyd.
Yes, very famous and it's great to see the Sign Service is still there.
Of course, it's the Cross Keys pub, MikeS. Thanks both.

 

[Frothblower]

That sign was painted out a few years ago, their was a public outcry and they had to paint it back again.

 

[ASTONITE]

anyone remember a similar sign in Clarendon street?

 

[Stitcher]

A view of Bull St from High St. Bull St was the site of a mediaeval priory and church and was known as Chappell St.The present name is derived from the 16th century Bull Inn. In 1824 John Cadbury set up a shop in Bull St. He sold tea and other and other goods but his main sales were from Cocoa.

 

[Jayell]

Thanks Trevor for the interesting photos and the information which I never knew about. I had heard of Cadbury's in Bull Street, but didn't know the name of the street came from the Bull Inn.

Judy