The Colours of Yesterday's Trams - Book from Capital Transport

[DaveF]

I don't think this book has been mentioned on RMWeb before.

 

While I was browsing the bookshops in Morpeth today I came across this book,  "The Colours of Yesterday's Trams", by Martin Jenkins and Ian Stewart, published by Capital Transport, ISBN 978-1-85414-356-3, rrp £25.

 

It is a hardback, 10" x 8.5" with 160 pages.

 

It must contain over 300 colour photos of trams (I haven't counted them, but most pages have at least 2 images)  from the early 1930s to the end of operations in the 40s/50s for 29 tramway systems in Britain and Ireland, plus a few photos from other systems in Britain.  The earliest images are stills from films, of a surprisingly high standard.  The vast majority are slides, both pre and post war which have been restored to a very high standard.  I think the latest photo is around 1961.

 

Not only is it full of tram photos but as they ran in towns and cities there is a lot of background interest.

 

Many of the photos contain people, old lorries and cars, buildings and street furniture which give a very good record of what towns and cities looked like from the 30s to the 50s.  The images out to be useful for modellers, questions are often asked here on RMWeb about these things.

 

Towns/Cities covered:Manchester, Dublin, Blackburn, Giant's Causeway, Leicester, Rotherham, Southampton, Cardiff, Newcastle, Bradford, Gateshead, Stockport, London, Birmingham, Belfast, Sunderland, Lllandudno and Colwyn Bay, Dundee, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Fintona, Aberdeen, Hill of Howth, Leeds, Swansea and Mumbles, Sheffield, Grimsby and Immingham Glasgow, Blackpool.

 

There are also a few photos from Bournmouth, Salford, Lytham St Annes, Brighton and Bristol, also all in colour.

 

David

[Red Devil]

I got a copy when it came out last year and it is without doubt a superb book the majority of the pictures haven't been published before and for anyone with an interest in trams it's a must for the bookshelf, even Mrs Red Devil who has little interest in 'most things transport' found it fascinating to look at the pictures of various high streets in the 40s/50s.

[jonny777]

I don't think this book has been mentioned on RMWeb before.

 

While I was browsing the bookshops in Morpeth today I came across this book,  "The Colours of Yesterday's Trams", by Martin Jenkins and Ian Stewart, published by Capital Transport, ISBN 978-1-85414-356-3, rrp £25.

 

It is a hardback, 10" x 8.5" with 160 pages.

 

It must contain over 300 colour photos of trams (I haven't counted them, but most pages have at least 2 images)  from the early 1930s to the end of operations in the 40s/50s for 29 tramway systems in Britain and Ireland, plus a few photos from other systems in Britain.  The earliest images are stills from films, of a surprisingly high standard.  The vast majority are slides, both pre and post war which have been restored to a very high standard.  I think the latest photo is around 1961.

 

Not only is it full of tram photos but as they ran in towns and cities there is a lot of background interest.

 

Many of the photos contain people, old lorries and cars, buildings and street furniture which give a very good record of what towns and cities looked like from the 30s to the 50s.  The images out to be useful for modellers, questions are often asked here on RMWeb about these things.

 

Towns/Cities covered:Manchester, Dublin, Blackburn, Giant's Causeway, Leicester, Rotherham, Southampton, Cardiff, Newcastle, Bradford, Gateshead, Stockport, London, Birmingham, Belfast, Sunderland, Lllandudno and Colwyn Bay, Dundee, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Fintona, Aberdeen, Hill of Howth, Leeds, Swansea and Mumbles, Sheffield, Grimsby and Immingham Glasgow, Blackpool.

 

There are also a few photos from Bournmouth, Salford, Lytham St Annes, Brighton and Bristol, also all in colour.

 

David

 

 

Nothing from Peterborough, although I am not surprised because until last week I was completely ignorant of the fact that Peterborough had any trams at all.

 

And then while trying to get my 90 year old Dad to recount his boyhood trainspotting exploits, he suddenly comes out with the info that he remembers a trip to Peterborough as a very young boy, with his mother, and there were trams in the street. He had never seen a tram before, or at least not that he remembers.

 

Peterborough abandoned its tram system in 1930, so he must be one of very few people alive today who can actually remember them working. I have found a couple of photos on the internet so far, but that is it.

[stewartingram]

I have a book covering the history of Pboro Tramways, I'll have a look in the loft later.

 

Stewart

[stewartingram]

OK I've looked in the loft and found the book. A landscape format of about A4 size (I haven't measured it), with soft covers, 56 pages of history, maps, drawings, and photos.

 

First published 1975, reprinted with amendments by Heffers Printers Ltd., Cambridge, 1984.

Copyright by Peterborough Arts Council 1984

 

"Peterborough Tramways"

Peterborough Papers No.1

by G.D.Austin

General Editor: C.E.C.Burch, Deputy Chief Archivist, Northamptonshire Record Office

Published by the Greater Peterborough Arts Council, 1975.

 

 

I suspect this book is now long out of print and unobtainable. I first saw it in one of the Cambridgeshire Libraries, then later purchased a copy from, I think, a trader at a steam do somewhere.

If you need more info on the book or its contents don't hesitate to PM me?

 

Stewart

[jonny777]

Thanks very much, Stewart, for the details. The booklet may be long out of print, but second hand copies seem to be readily available on the Amazon website for as little as £4.

 

I will send for one and give it to my father at Christmas. Hopefully it may jog his memory further.

[jamie92208]

Having just finished restoring an 1898 Horse Tram I can say that I was amazed how colourful it was when the final correct livery was applied.   It's a pity there was no colour photography in those days.

 

Jamie

[jonny777]

The Peterborough Tram book arrived this morning. Well done to St Mary's Books of Stamford. I'm sure my father will enjoy this book.