Any more of you

[HR2]

Feltham 2104 is an old style London tram enthusiast as well as other means of transport. By trams I mean the "upstairs/downstairs" sort not these modern "trains in the street" things. I have recordings of the old type on an LP somewhere. But besides 2104 how many others of you are fans of the old style trams? Does not matter which city they ran in as long as they were pre 1962. I am fortunate to be old enough to have ridden on the old type and many fond memories I have of them.

P.S. I have nothing against these modern ones, but to me they ain't 'Trams'

 

[Tom B]

I am a bit, but I've never really travelled on that many. A couple in Blackpool and at Crich being it.

 

[warriorofrovac]

Modern day ones aint trams they are Light rail transit systems..not sure but i'm certain Trams like 'Blackpool' e.c.t are not light rail transit

 

[Jonno2055]

Nout been on a tram but i'm sure theres a preserved line in the West country that has a Victorian street with a good selection.

*Jonno gets out his book of Heritage Railways of the British Isles*

You've got the Seaton and District Electric Tramway but thats not what I was on about.

*Jonno whisks through the book again*

Here it is. National Tramway Centre. Bit off the mark by a hundred of so miles.

 

[Craig]

Living up North and having grandparents that used to live near Blackpool, I've had plenty of rides on the trams at Beamish and Blackpool. I've yet to visit Critch though, is it worth going?

I'm also a bit of a fan of funicular railways too, such as the one at Saltburn.

 

[tramboy]

Crich is one of the most spectacular tram rides you'll ever go on (with due reference to portions of the Sheffield and Croydon systems.) The single line overlooking the quarry is a nice spectacular tram ride.

I have a great affinity for the older systems (I'm not that old mind) but i've seen what can happen/could've happened if we had kept the substantial networks we had in all major cities...simply by looking at what has happened to the original systems in Germany and Eastern Europe. Glasgow (in my mind anyway) is a system that should've hung on...looking at old footage of the tramcars they seemed modern (for the day), and always well maintained, run etc etc.

It maddens me that our cities all went down the bus route...and that for 20years only one single line in Blackpool hung on. Now, we've got a government who are doing the same thing again ("look, shiny trams"..."look, shiny cars/buses...why do we want these tram thingies") and it makes me want to go somewhere else!

Cheers

Dave

 

[Tom B]

Crich is worth a visit, I've not been there for a few years but its definitely reccomended. Aside from the trams there's a couple of period streets and the depot which has some trams on display / some under restoration, and IIRC parts of the site can be walked between through the woodlands.

 

[Mushroom]

I Cant say im a fan on the older trams. As im still only young im too young to have been around at the time they were. I'v done Crich and Blackpool but its LRT all the way with me.

 

[Andy]

Modern day ones aint trams they are Light rail transit systems..not sure but i'm certain Trams like 'Blackpool' e.c.t are not light rail transit

Yer but the trams at blackpool are to soon be like that.

 

[ChrisCooper]

Feltham 2104 is an old style London tram enthusiast as well as other means of transport. By trams I mean the "upstairs/downstairs" sort not these modern "trains in the street" things. I have recordings of the old type on an LP somewhere. But besides 2104 how many others of you are fans of the old style trams? Does not matter which city they ran in as long as they were pre 1962. I am fortunate to be old enough to have ridden on the old type and many fond memories I have of them.

P.S. I have nothing against these modern ones, but to me they ain't 'Trams'

Like the 'proper' tram in you're avatar. I take it thats London HR2 1858 at the East Anglia Transport Museum. If not, I'd be very suprised since it has exactly the same adverts. I'm quite a regular visitor there, and have conducted on that tram and the rest of the fleet (except the Amsterdam single decker, that is very rarely used therefore few people are trained on it). Sadly I've been to busy to get over yet this year, but hopefully I'll get more chance soon, especially since I've done enough conducting to start driver training. Blackpool 159 is the first learned, since it's the easiest, with 1858, which weights about 10tonnes more and is about twice as powerful (4 motors instead of 2) is the last one they let you get you're hands on as either a driver or conductor (conductors have to be able to stop the tram using the handbrake on the rear platform in an emergency, so the extra weight makes a big difference, although when I did my test I found 1858 easier since the brakes on 159 are pretty crap and need winding loads before they even start to bite). It is far more fun and rewarding that working with modern trams must be, although dammed hard work at times, especially when busy and short staffed. I also conduct on a Trolleybuses and Guard on the Minature Railway.

 

[HR2]

That is indeed one of my beloved HR2's ....1858 as you say. I probably rode on that car as a child when it was actually in service on the Kingway subway routes. I have also ridden on it at EATM too.

 

[Demps]

i find trams very boring.

 

[HR2]

i find trams very boring.

To each his own Demps.......to each his own.

 

[Nick W]

Why do you want expensive million £ trams with £10k / metre track when you have have fun fun Kiddy Train for only £1,000,000 per km including trains which will go 25mph happily?

Bet that will happily fit down converted alley ways, between houses, down shopping streets.

Of course this is no subsitute for decent light rail like DLR nor for bikes which tend to beat busses in towns and cities.

 

[Demps]

lol now that would be good to see, i like narrow guage, but in a city that would be excellent.

 

[Daniel]

You've got the Seaton and District Electric Tramway but thats not what I was on about.

http://memorex.fotopic.net/c843831.html

Dont mean to plug it, just a few pics from it.

I love that tramway . Got open and closed trams, and the 'boat tram' which has loads of lights on it.

As shown it that fotopic collection, No. 12 used to work in my Town

 

[theblackwatch]

I've just returned from a week's holiday travelling the railways in Austria. One of the lines we travelled on was the 'Atterseebahn' which features 3 vehicles dating from 1949-51, and acquired from Switzerland in the 80s, in daily service on the 14 km line. I will try and get round to uploading a pic or two later in the week.

 

[Bighat]

Feltham 2104 is an old style London tram enthusiast as well as other means of transport. By trams I mean the "upstairs/downstairs" sort not these modern "trains in the street" things. I have recordings of the old type on an LP somewhere. But besides 2104 how many others of you are fans of the old style trams? Does not matter which city they ran in as long as they were pre 1962. I am fortunate to be old enough to have ridden on the old type and many fond memories I have of them.

P.S. I have nothing against these modern ones, but to me they ain't 'Trams'

'Fraid I must put my hands up to this. Mum and Dad had promised me a ride through the Kingsway Subway in 1952. I first had to go into Great Ormond Street Hospital (a mere stones throw away) for a minor Op. Whilst in there the bloody system closed!!!! I did make up for it in the early 1960's, when I visited Glasgow near the end of the system there, and was allowed to drive a double deck tram in Coplaw Hill works whilst on a visit there. Glorious!!!!

 

[Driver74]

Feltham 2104 is an old style London tram enthusiast as well as other means of transport. By trams I mean the "upstairs/downstairs" sort not these modern "trains in the street" things. I have recordings of the old type on an LP somewhere. But besides 2104 how many others of you are fans of the old style trams? Does not matter which city they ran in as long as they were pre 1962. I am fortunate to be old enough to have ridden on the old type and many fond memories I have of them.

P.S. I have nothing against these modern ones, but to me they ain't 'Trams'

At last, someone who remembers the old trams, bless em. My local was the No 16 Cricklewood to Victoria in 1938 and of course a trip down into the Kingsway underpass that had the only underground station outside of the Tube of course. Alas now all gone. But you can’t concrete or take away memories.