Trams: Is There Much Tramway Interest On Here??

[Miamigo259]

View attachment 203278 Heres a couple to shock some!! No Trolley poles, Modernised under G Scale rule 8 conditions

Actually, a pantograph on the 3rd Ave Railway car (red & cream one) isn't that far fetched, as the ones that ended up in Vienna after the war were fitted with pantographs. There is one in this state in the Vienna tram museum - hemmed in by concrete roof pillars unfortunately...

 

[playmofire]

I have some interest in trams, both in real life and have I also thought of setting up a simple layout with a reversing module at each end. A tram section would be a good idea.

 

[dutchelm]

A couple of photos of my latest tramway layout, still under construction at this point.

 

[stevelewis]

My first journey to INFANT school was by TRAM!! I was very very young! Within a few months the system closed down!

 

[Rhinochugger]

Ah, yes Mike, I have one of the models in your photo - the Post Office Morris van

We live in The Old Post Office and have a very few bits of PO memorabilia

 

[stevelewis]

Like the PO van Morris 1000,? my first company car was a Morris 100 Van Plumrose Danish Fine foods! Pale Blue in colour 5318RH

 

[trammayo]

My main interest is in trams. However, my interest centres on early American and British (plus colonies). I admire the LGB models but probably woulldn't purchase much from their range. I have two models on the way - hopefully in the post! LGB is normally outside my budgetary constraints. There were not many Germany trams operated in the UK and their influence had little or no impact on UK development. Modern trams are great but don't have the same apeal!

 

[van5]

I am a tram enthusiast having fallen for the trams on the Isle of Man. Performance of the early Bachman open has proved less than satisfactory but convert well to IoM trailer cars. I am currently searching for Decals for LGB 2500/3500 bought from Holland. The same supplier had a beautiful Christmas tram set at a fair price.
I would support a Tram only section.

 

[DoctorM]

Ah, yes Mike, I have one of the models in your photo - the Post Office Morris van

We live in The Old Post Office and have a very few bits of PO memorabilia

That is not a Post Office van! - it's a ROYAL MAIL van.

Post Office vans were painted green, and used by Post Office Telecommunications staff.

 

[G-force1]

I don't agree. They were both under the control of the Postmaster General, so they were ALL Post Office vans. I spent 33 years fixing the bl**dy things!

 

[Rhinochugger]

That is not a Post Office van! - it's a ROYAL MAIL van.

Post Office vans were painted green, and used by Post Office Telecommunications staff.

Uh uh - you're dead right. (and mine has the placard, with a running elephant saying 'post early and don't miss the noon post)

Royal Mail only became the Post office in much more recent times.

And that is why the White Pass and Yukon Railroad combines have Royal Mail on the side - because most of the line is in Canada where, I was assured by one Canadian, the Queen is still in charge

 

[mcbearuk]

I will gladly declare an interest.
I have been interested in trams for nearly 60 years and I have spent the last 30 years building them in 12ins/foot scale.

I had a G scale garden tramway when I lived in Croydon (yes, close to Tramlink) and I have been amassing equipment for a new line at the cottage that we have bought as a retirement home in Fife. I am planning to undertake my first tram 'bodge' this winter (and may even submit some pictures to this website as I progress the job - and if I don't make too much of a balls of it).

Every time I open this site I hope to find a tram thread, so if I can encourage others to write something I will gldly read it. If Tramcar Trev has stopped posting I will be very sad as I have enjoyed his work, he is a good modeller.

As for buying some more LGB cars, well at the risk of my partner shouting "Oh no not MORE trams"....tell me what you have and what you want for them and I might be in a position to consider buying some of them.

Scott

 

[stevelewis]

Scott, trams currently listed in the sales section....

Re yr projects please keep us advised! plenty of pics!!

 

[G-force1]

Royal Mail only became the Post office in much more recent times.

Sorry, not true. If you look carefully at the near side front door of said MM van you will see that there is a black roundel and it clearly states Post Office. For a service vehicle in the bottom of the ring was the local Postmaster's area such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stoke-on-Trent etc. What they carried was the 'Royal Mail'. All post was the property of his/her Majesty once it was placed in the care of the Post Office and remained so until delivered, hence the title 'Royal', which was removed in later years. In the service we referred to post or mail vans, or 'phone vans. Sometimes, Engineering vans, which were not 'phone vans, and were red with a white stripe to denote that they were maintenance vehicles for postal equipment in sorting offices and the like. We also maintained HM Customs and Excise vehicles.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=p...6xAyPTCjM:&usg=__U8kVAVm7En1H__TN3x-EhdGZbWQ=

 

[Rhinochugger]

Ah, thanks for the history - it's amazing what one takes for granted.

While I knew that both divisions (post and telephones) came under the one overall head of shed, I had not appreciated the subtleties of the branding.

To the man in the street if you said GPO, you were either referring to the General Post Office - as in the 'big' one in the town, or the telephone service

After all, most of the time, I only shoved a letter in the box on the street corner

 

[Madman]

Uh uh - you're dead right. (and mine has the placard, with a running elephant saying 'post early and don't miss the noon post)

Royal Mail only became the Post office in much more recent times.

And that is why the White Pass and Yukon Railroad combines have Royal Mail on the side - because most of the line is in Canada where, I was assured by one Canadian, the Queen is still in charge

Yes, things in Canada are royal. At least that's what I was told when two royal swans were given to the Morris Arboretum in the early '90s. The catch was that the swans had to first be "Deroyalized". Then it was proper for them to make the trip to the colonies.

 

[schienenkönig]

Here is also a tram modeler from Germany., so we are not alone on this planet.

 

[Lobethalbahn2]

View attachment 203279 View attachment 203278 View attachment 203277 Heres a couple to shock some!! No Trolley poles, Modernised under G Scale rule 8 conditions

As it has often been said, there is a prototype for almost everything. Adelaide (South Australia) H class trams were very similar in appearance to the LGB model. When introduced in 1929 they were fitted with trolley poles, however later in their operational lives the poles were replaced by pantographs (photo from wikipedia commons)

 

[nimbus]

Making a “tram”.

A few years ago after buying and making up a little IP diesel loco, I wondered if it was possible to fit it with radio controls. So, I bought a little kids radio controlled car, for £7-00 from Argos. After a chat with Ivan at IP, it was not possible. The loco motor was 3 volts, and the car was 4-5 volts.

So I thought I would try to make a tram. I dismantled the car, and opened the gear box. The car wheels sizes couldn`t be adapted to 45mm which meant that I would have to remove the car wheels, and fit some spare IP wheels and axles. I had to open out the main spur wheel from 3mm to 1/8th in. also the “bearings”, this I did with my hand drill, no pillar drill then. After re-assembling the gearbox, with the axle, I fitted the driving flange wheels to the axle. I then had to make the wooden frame and chassis and fit the rear wheels to the chassis. Axle boxes were then glued on to the frame. Put 3 batteries in, and moment of truth. Pressed the switch on the transmitter, and it worked. Took it outside on to my track and it ran round ok, I did find that the 3 AAA batteries did not last very long on my track, as there are several inclines, my track is at different levels so it climbs from the bottom to the top track. I added 3 AA batteries to give it more power and to last a lot longer. All that remained to do was the “dressing up”. I know it`s not a TRAM, for the purists, but it goes round, and I fun to watch. And that’s what its all about for me.
Hope springs eternal.
Clarry Chapman (nimbus)

 

[3Valve]

Does it really matter whether the MM van was Royal Mail, Post Office, or GPO? This is a Tram thread. More tram piccies folks,keep em coming.