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I think this must show the tram waiting room and public convenience. I expect when the structure was removed the toilets were created underground.
Prior to the above, this was the cabman's tower at Aston Cross.
Are these old lamps or modern ? Repurposed lamp parts ? Or good modern design ? There are several of these lamps on Granville Street. They look old and remind me of tram poles as they seem to be quite high. The lamp shade and fitting on top seem to be older in style but I doubt that part is very old. The lower part has decoration, unlike most modern street lamps these days. Maybe they're a modern make, copying an old design.
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Richard Dye
master brummie
Regardless, they look quite right in their place! That area (off topic) looks like an excellent mixture of old and new.
Bring back these street lights !! A lovely design, I expect, making it a very attractive square at night.
Richard Dye
master brummie
And those more genteel times!
Masked traffic lights - a precaution in 1939.
I think I have seen these somewhere, though not sure where and did not realise their original use. Were they used in Birmingham?
The little-known everyday street object that helped save hundreds of lives during WW2 by carrying wounded civilians during the Blitz | Daily Mail Online
The little-known everyday street object that helped save hundreds of lives during WW2 by carrying wounded civilians during the Blitz | Daily Mail Online
This has now sadly deteriorated, from this ...
To this ...
To this ...
Eric Gibson
master brummie
I thought you were going to say the lower was an opinion on the advertiser above. 
paul stacey
master brummie
Blow me!!, I am old enough to remember the street gas lights, by the Town hall, and the gas lamp lighters , with their small "A", frame ladders, they cast a beautiful soft mellow light, especially in winter, in the late 50's, Birmingham was still a beautiful place in late 50's. I also remember using the Victorian cast iron urinals too, there were still quite a few up to the late 60's I believe!!!
Eric Gibson
master brummie
One of my mom's uncles was a lamplighter.
Richard Dye
master brummie
Very sad indeed!
Richard Dye
master brummie
Wow! That really took me back! I too remember those ladders and sometimes they had a bike with them as I recall. The urinals we’re a little smelly in summer but always very welcome.
I Am Nico
master brummie
Just an observation. They have some reproduction gas lamps in Coventry which bend in half to be cleaned or bulbs replaced. I remember them as a small child and a man climbed the ladder to get at them.