During the 1930's a small band of tram enthusiasts spent many hours touring Bristol, photographing the electric traction cars which were then quite numerous in the streets of our city. Fortunately the pictures of H.B. Priestly, S. Miles Davey, W.A. Camwell and others have survived, and having been collected by the author and others, are grouped together in this book to give the reader an insight into the style of public transport in this city during the full period of almost forty-six years that the electric trams operated, and served Bristol and the surrounding districts so well.
The 14 October 1895 saw the inauguration of the first electric tram service in Bristol, with the opening of the line from Old Market to Kingswood. Some forty-six years later the very last passenger carrying tram to operate in Bristol was working the same route when its motive power was brought to a sudden and unexpended end as a result of hostile enemy action. In compiling this book I have attempted to set out the background story of Bristol's Trams, how they came into existence, and how they contributed to the growth of public transport, whilst at the same time concentrating on the two lines which form the basis of the pictorial story. The pictures used have been chosen so that the reader can take an imaginary tram journey from Hanham to Old Market and on out to Knowle, with the return journey from the Tramway Centre to Kingswood. Many of Bristol's Trams can be individually seen in the book as they went about their work, whilst the last section deals with their unfortunate demise.
This book is not only of great local interest, it will also appeal to all those who are fascinated by the urban electric trams once so common in all major towns and cities in the first half of this century.
May 1995
Price £9.95
ISBN: 0-9526490-0-4
