Nostalgia or nausea for ghost trams
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A CLAMMY CLOUD of what for some was nostalgia and for others nausea settled over London and Birmingham in July That month marked the 30th anniversary of the withdrawal of trams from the two cities.
Owen Prosser, founder of the Railway Development Society, described it as a "doleful" occasion in a long article in The Birmingham Post. But he really went overboard when he referred to a certain tram route as a "jewel of priceless and irreplaceable quality." Fortunately, unlike a diamond, it was not for ever.
London Transport is marking the anniversary with a tramway exhibition at its Covent Garden Museum. It has also published a 15p leaflet in which Ken Sitters recalls London trams as they were between the wars, warts. and all.
He concludes: "On the final journey on most routes there were farewell 'celebrations' by the faithful, but most of the population seemed to be saying only 'good riddance!". I was among the majority.