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Witton Aston Manor Tram Depot

and hats off to you all for doing that simon but it not the same... it still rankles me that that wonderful building and its special interior is no longer available for the people of birmingham to see...its just not right...if ever i had the power and or the money it would certainly be a building i would give back to the city and its people because as we all know...money talks...rant over:rolleyes:

lyn
 
Simon4130 said:
Just a small correction Graham, the museum is at Shenstone Drive, Aldridge (just in case anyone searching for it gets confused). One of the very last acts that our directors did before we were forced out of Witton tram shed was to get the building listed, even though we were being evicted there was a determination to get some protection for the building.

Simon
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Hi Simon,

yep, "Drive" is it - I don't know why I made this mistake, as the garage that does my MoT's is right opposite the Museum.

One little memory that's just come to mind. Shortly after the trams were taken off Brum's streets, my elder brother went to Witton Depot where they were scrapping some of the trams, and bought a large piece of plywood for the base-board of his Hornby railway. I went with him, and between us we hauled this panel, which was about 7' x 7', back to our house in The Broadway. I think it was a piece of a ceiling, as it was beautifully decorated on one side with lovely brown and gold scroll-work, and varnished. There were loads of other stuff being sold off, as I recall.

Graham
 
Dave. Your visits to Grandad must have been fun with passing the depot each time. Lots of bustling, noisy activity.

The Historic England listing in post #35 talks about Aston Manor being a separate borough when the depot was built and this building along with others demonstrated the area's confidence and independence. The facade certainly echoes this with its bold name plaque. Something I wouldn't have picked up on by simply looking at the functional and austere interior (obviously that's only as you'd expect of any tram depot interior!) Viv.

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Both Parker and I were very sad when the tram museum closed. I'm not much into vehicles but just to stand there and enjoy the space and the memories was wonderful. A little bit off topic but some time ago they were 'doing things' in Erdington High Street and the old tram tracks were exposed and in some places removed. I don't actually remember when the trams went down the High Street, before anyone asks! Parker set off to claim a small piece of history. The workman said he could have as much as he liked so he brought a large piece home and planted it in our patio. How he carried it I'll never know - I couldn't even lift it. It's still there but under the veranda now.
 
oh wow pen thats great...how lovely to have a bit of erdington tram history..just the sort of thing i would have done given the chance lol

lyn
 
Dave. Your visits to Grandad must have been fun with passing the depot each time. Lots of bustling, noisy activity.



Wished i had a camera then but young, always looked in each open entrance on passing, and stepped over the rails,
 
Astoness said:
oh wow pen thats great...how lovely to have a bit of erdington tram history..just the sort of thing i would have done given the chance lol

lyn
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Yep - can see you on the bus with a tram rail slung over your shoulder Lyn. "Tickets please ..... afraid it'll be an extra 6d for the tram rail love" !!

Viv
 
ha ha viv...you know me too well...i have quite a few old relics in my garden collected over the years..:rolleyes:
 
On 4th. December, 1940 five 1911 built trams (car numbers 303, 307, 324, 360 and 390) were destroyed in an air raid on Witton tram depot. These trams were being held in reserve. Also extensively damaged were nine 1925 built trams (702, 703, 708, 711, 714. 718, 720, 723, 724 and 727) due to the collapse of the depot roof. None of these cars ever ran again and were scrapped in 1945. The depot remained part roofless until 1947.
 
I have copied Old Mohawk's photo in another thread to here My post above (45) gives some detail and there is even more in the Peter Walker archive.
Cars 337 and 340 were built in 1911 lasting until 1950. Car 152 of 1906/7 was withdrawn sometime between 1939 and 1939.
I guess the Borough of Aston Manor Tramways Depot sign must now qualify as a 'ghost sign'.

Amended post as the previous comment about photo date was incorrect.

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Wonderful that three of these Leyland PS2's are preserved. One of them, after BCT use, was a regular sight in the Torquay area when a school owned it.
They were a pleasure to travel in, I often travelled in one from Kings Heath to Stirchley - 27 route.
 
cheers lloyd i guessed it was a tour of sorts....passed the depot the other day and the signage is still there

lyn
 
Some earlier detailed comment regarding the tram photo in #51
Radiorails said:
Car 623, was one of 50 built in 1920/21 - ( 587 - 636). It led car 616, the official last car of the BCT system on 4th. July, 1953, out of Miller Street depot for the closing day. Prior to this it had. apparently, been stored at Kyotts Lake Road and had occasional use as a spare car. It therefore escaped any graffiti!

The photo is of that last day and there were enthusiasts on board. The route box says 'Special Car'
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Lloyd said:
The building is grade 2 listed, so the new owners cannot alter anything (supposedly). They have put a new (wooden?) level floor in, covering and protecting the original tracks and cobbles.
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yes they have lloyd i went in a few years back and took photos of the false floor going down and you could clearly see the old tracks and cobbles were still there also all of the original walls were protected...i did post the photos on the forum but in case you missed it dated 2014..absolutely disgraceful that we lost this gem of a building

WITTON TRAM SHED...MARCH 2014 001.JPG

lyn
 
Astoness said:
yes they have lloyd i went in a few years back and took photos of the false floor going down and you could clearly see the old tracks and cobbles were still there also all of the original walls were protected...i did post the photos on the forum but in case you missed it dated 2014..absolutely disgraceful that we lost this gem of a building

View attachment 150821

lyn
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All we have to hope for is that it doesn't "mysteriously" burn down now. Birmingham has a poor history with grade 2 properties.
 
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