London trams 1952

London’s Trams It's difficult to envision London roads without thinking about vehicles, motorcycles, black taxicab, and red double-decker buses. But the London’s thoroughfares have not really seemed this way; once upon a time, it was the tram that was king. The tram has made its last appearance in London after nearly a century of service. In the early hours of the morning, the very last tram to rumble through the capital's roads landed at the New Cross depot in south-east London. It was driven by John Cliff, the London Transport Executive's vice chairman, who started his career as a tram driver. When a horse tramway began operating along Victoria Street in Westminster, the first generation of trams in London was born. George Francis Train, a slightly eccentric American, ran the first line. Several efforts to run motor-powered trams on London tramlines were made in the early 1900s: In 1873, John Grantham tested an experimental 23-foot steam tramcar in London, but it was withdrawn due to poor performance. It took decades for the electric tram to gather momentum in London. An electric tram was tried on the West Metropolitan Tramways route between Acton and Kew shortly after the storage battery was created. Electric trams quickly gained popularity after a sluggish start. When the first complete electric tramway system was discontinued — at Sheerness — hundreds of cities and towns had ‘last car' memorials, with some cheering the departure of what they deemed abominations and others watching in quiet and, maybe, grief. Trams, on the other hand, were pleasant vehicles that, in their prime, were a source of community pride. LTE chairman Lord Latham greeted the tram at New Cross depot. "In the name of Londoners, I say goodbye, old tram". The rattly old trams, formerly a much-loved element of the capital's transportation system, were judged uneconomic to rebuild after WWII, and were replaced by buses. Trams were said to generate traffic congestion because their set paths made it difficult for other vehicles to circumvent them. Trams were regarded as being disruptive and perhaps risky to other road users. It was excluded from the city due to concerns about the city's development and environmental damage. However, now there is a tram network that runs from Wimbledon to Beckenham, and it has proven to be a popular means of transportation. Those who have seen the trams in London must be telling their children and grandchildren about them; “We used to use Trams to work/office and to many locations. I adored the trams not just for their sound and movement, but also because I was aware that they were a "living" legacy of a bygone era. I can still recall how sad I was when we took the last Tram across London only hours before the trams were to stop running. The streets were vacant where I was used to seeing trams, with only the tracks showing where they had been.” "Last Tram Week" banners have been displayed on trams all week, and special tickets with the same message have been printed. People drove or cycled beside the tram for the length of the ride, while conductors punched souvenir tickets. Even though that beloved vehicle is no longer in existence, its legacy lives on in the hearts of many people. Many people may have sighed and said, "Once upon a time, this town had a tram." Many people's memories have been broken by the removal of this vehicle from the city. These unforgettable emotions of running the trams will remain forever. (Jobayer) This is not my video, I collected and uploaded it only for education purposes.