Author Topic: illuminated tram.  (Read 7038 times)

planetmalc

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6150
Re: illuminated tram.
« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2016, 12:49:42 PM »
The only reason I would buy a book about trams was if it had some good street shots of Birmingham in it. Thanks for the effort though.

In that case, the Lawson book is definitely not for you!     The best one I know is a landscape-format book published by (I think) TPC and it's probably called 'Birmingham Trams and Trolleybuses'.     I think it came out 30-40 years ago and has been out-of-print for years.     TPC produced a series of landscape-format Midlands transport books, one of Birmingham buses and two volumes about Midland Red   -   all have got nice street shots.     They fetch high prices at transport swapmeets, but I saw several for sale, going real cheap, a year or two ago at that Birmingham memorabilia fair that's held in the Services Club just off Moseley Village.    Wish I'd 'rescued' them now! :-\
 
Which books have you got?     
There's no B/S on Planet Malc.

Phil

  • Account Closed
  • *
  • Posts: 32653
Re: illuminated tram.
« Reply #12 on: April 03, 2016, 05:04:11 PM »
PM

As I stated my books on public transport are very limited, the ones I have purchased were more for their views of Birmingham streets and roads. I have plenty of other books that touch on transport but don't specialise on it.

The Inner Circle by David Harvey & Peter Drake
Birmingham Transport by Mike Hitches
Birmingham Buses Route by Route by Malcolm Keeley
City to the Lickeys a Journey by Tram & Bus by David Harvey.

Though I admit to giving some away as they were mostly just photos of trams or buses with technical details and route information.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

JudithM

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3861
Re: illuminated tram.
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2016, 01:22:19 PM »
I'm too young to have seen the old trams around here, and I suspect they won't have any illuminated trams in the new fleet. Shame.  I've seen ones in Blackpool and they are great.  Today everything seems to have to be purely functional, no bells & whistles as it were.  It's sad, a bit of colour & character goes a long way.
"I know tomorrow's gonna taste like cake"

planetmalc

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6150
Re: illuminated tram.
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2016, 02:34:26 PM »
I'm too young to have seen the old trams around here
 
Have you seen tramcar #395 which used to be in the old Science Museum?
There's no B/S on Planet Malc.

planetmalc

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6150
Re: illuminated tram.
« Reply #15 on: April 04, 2016, 03:31:40 PM »
PM

As I stated my books on public transport a very limited, the ones I have purchased were more for their views of Birmingham streets and roads. I have plenty of other books that touch on transport but don't specialise on it.

The Inner Circle by David Harvey & Peter Drake
Birmingham Transport by Mike Hitches
Birmingham Buses Route by Route by Malcolm Keeley
City to the Lickeys a Journey by Tram & Bus by David Harvey.

Though I admit to giving some away as they were mostly just photos of trams or buses with technical details and route information.
 
'Birmingham By Bus' (Malcolm Keeley and Derek Potter) is the one to get for street scenes (in fact, I'm tempted to say "The best EVER for street scenes", though they're all in colour and postwar   -   none of that B & W 'atmospheric' stuff.)     It's still in print and Waterstone's stock it.
 
I'll look through my stuff and post details of other 'suitables'.     
There's no B/S on Planet Malc.

JudithM

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3861
Re: illuminated tram.
« Reply #16 on: April 05, 2016, 01:00:26 PM »
 
Have you seen tramcar #395 which used to be in the old Science Museum?

Not that I recall.  We used to go to the old Science Museum at lot, but I can't remember it.  Maybe it was there but not illuminated - I'm sure I'd have remembered it if it was.  I can remember the planes hanging from the ceiling, and the steam train and the mock up of a Victorian nursery (my mom was really scared of the porcelain faced dolls and wouldn't go anywhere near it  ;D ), but no trams.

I last went to the Science Museum about 20 years ago and was 'amused' to see on display the last 'pay as they answered' phone box to be taken out of service.  It was the phone box from by the shops on the estate I grew up in.  I would have used that many times.  Seeing it in a museum made me feel rather old  ::)  ;D
"I know tomorrow's gonna taste like cake"

planetmalc

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6150
Re: illuminated tram.
« Reply #17 on: April 05, 2016, 02:49:50 PM »
Not that I recall.  We used to go to the old Science Museum at lot, but I can't remember it.  Maybe it was there but not illuminated - I'm sure I'd have remembered it if it was.

Car #395 was never an illuminated car, it was just a normal one that was rescued from the Birmingham fleet before they were all broken up.    It wasn't really typical of the ones in service in most of our lifetimes because it had open balconies on the upper deck (they were the oldest type in the fleet and most had been scrapped before 1950, though some of us clearly remember going on them).
 
You may have missed seeing it because it was displayed 'in a corner' and not at all obvious (so I'd have to say, "You've never lived!" ;D )
There's no B/S on Planet Malc.

JudithM

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3861
Re: illuminated tram.
« Reply #18 on: April 06, 2016, 01:31:31 PM »
I've been on 'proper' trams in Blackpool and liked them a lot.  The ones we have here now (and the ones in Manchester) don't seem like 'proper' trams to me - more like little trains.
"I know tomorrow's gonna taste like cake"

Phil

  • Account Closed
  • *
  • Posts: 32653
Re: illuminated tram.
« Reply #19 on: April 06, 2016, 05:47:10 PM »
PM

Especially for you, tram 395 whilst ensconced at Newhall Street. I understand it's now at the Think Tank, not that I will ever see it there because I refuse to pay an entrance fee to see exhibits that were donated to the people of Birmingham, especially when most of them are locked up in a storage facility about a mile away.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

townie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8931
Re: illuminated tram.
« Reply #20 on: April 06, 2016, 06:08:32 PM »
PM

Especially for you, tram 395 whilst ensconced at Newhall Street. I understand it's now at the Think Tank, not that I will ever see it there because I refuse to pay an entrance fee to see exhibits that were donated to the people of Birmingham, especially when most of them are locked up in a storage facility about a mile away.

I agree with your statement completely.
Was it a vision, or a waking dream?

JudithM

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3861
Re: illuminated tram.
« Reply #21 on: April 07, 2016, 01:29:54 PM »
The does look familiar now that you've posted a picture.  We took my brother to the Think Tank when he was 11 (he's 23 now) and I think that I remember it from there rather than the old science museum.
"I know tomorrow's gonna taste like cake"


 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy