Birmingham Corporation Tramways

[trapio]

Exactly Roy,

It was the sensation of our young lives,, 100 passengers all together like sardines and loving it...at 100 mph'' ...or so it felt - and if it wasn't, it should've been!
 
As you say, it would be terrific to go rocking and swaying again down to Bournebrook - on a full Lickey tram - I'd die happier still

trapio

[motorman3494]

The Bristol Road trams were slightly different from "our" trams. They had air brakes thatours didnt have so I would'nt have been qualified to drive them. Surprisingly there was very little contact between the two depots I never even travelled on one of them.We would not have been allowed free travel on them,not even in uniform. We were allowed to travel free only when going to or returning from duty. There were lots of stories about the crowds going to the Lickey Hills.There was said to be a tram every minute and if you shut off power twice you would be three cars out of place,so the pace must have been hectic. We had very busy days on the start of the industrial holidays with people heading for Backpool They would have soitcaseswhich went on the front platform and most people tipped us so we got a few Bob extra . If  my memory is right the Bristol Road trams went out of service before Miller St closed.While Miller St was being converted  some of our trams used the old Witton depot I had an accident as a result of that but I'll tell that story some other time
That's all for now
PS I remember that cafe well  we stopped there for jugs of tea and sandwiches which we ate on the road  There was a special knack to driving and drinking tea.  I once had a brake failure just outside that cafe .and rear-ended a tram that had stopped for tea.l

[vin t]

I may have mentioned this before so apologies if I have.
With Phil mentioning PSV training there is now available a chance to learn to drive a Midland Red D9 double decker at mallory Parce Race Track in South Leicestershire.
Midland Red Coaches provide a choice of vehicles, Leyland PD2 with crash box and open platform, a 1966 Dp or a 1968 Bristol coach. Instruction is given by ex Midland Red man Ashley Wakelin.
Full details are on www.wheels.co.uk/coach/experiences.htm
regards
Vince

[motorman3494]

The Leyland crash box is a real challenge,if you do'nt get revs and clutch exactly right you will not get the gear! Double declutch is essential ,clutch and gear together or no clutch at all .Have a go it's great fun
motorman3494

[vin t]

Its interesting about the crash boxes, most people want to drive the D9 as it's a classic Midland Red but like the challenge of the PD2. Interesting mix of people sign up, 'always wanted to drive a bus' to those who used to drive for a living and fancy another drive. One chap is coming from Seattle in the U.S. of A.
Vince

[roy one]

there used to be a yellow training bus that i used to see knocking about redditch bromsgrove  i was told it was a leopard what ever that was and i was told it had an odd gearbox i think it belonged to midland red

[Phil]

We had an old land rover that we used for breakdowns and towing around the early 70. The LR was much older than that, it had a sliding mesh gearbox and I played many a tune on it. We also had a ex army Bedford when we first started up, that was also a crash box but I only ever rarely drove that because it was a pig.
 
Phil

[motorman3494]

I have just had a look at Blackpool Tram Shop website and they have two DVD's.of Birmingham trams . I wonder if there is a similar shop in birmingham? . I am trying to remember the street and stop names .I remember Steelhouse Lane , Aston Cross ,Salford Bridge,Slade Road,(I had lodgings at no.226for a short time) but apart from that I'm lost. Google maps are no use as too much has changed An old "waybill"would be great or even an old street map from the period..Is there a museum in Birmingham that would have that type of info?

[Phil]

Motorman
 
Take a look here,
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=birmingham+tram&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=4274759150&ref=pd_sl_6s0u3alfjk_b
 
You will find some very good books about Birmingham Trams at a very cheap rate. In the meantime here is another photo of Lichfield Rd by Salford Bridge. This one always reminds me of a sea front.
 
Phil

[vin t]

Both DVDs are worth buying. If you can, look past the trams and see Birmingham street life of the first half of the 20th Century.
I would imagine that the Ian Allen shop in the city centre will stock them.
Regards
Vince T

[motorman3494]

Many thanks for info and picture Phil  I never expected to find so many publications about the subject  Re the photo it certainly opens vivid memories.  I lost my original cap badge somewhere along there.No2474. It turned up later all mashed up . I do'nt think there was an open area as on the left of that photo .I seem to remember a number of small factories in that area.Was there also a park with a boating lake near there? onthe right hand side . It may have been further back towards the city.   At the bottom of Steelhouse Lane there was a large square with two roundabouts. The tram lines passed through the roundabouts and it was tricky to negotiate. On one occasion a horse bolted when i applied the magnets He backedup into a car and then took off with a very irate drayman pointing anccusing finger at me. I had several scrapes at those roundabouts.
  Thanks again for the info  I'm enjoying this thread enormously