This photographic postcard by A. Twigg of 291 Bloomsbury Street, Nechells, Birmingham, shows the last Birmingham horse tram at Nechells on 30th September 1906, heading to the depot for the final time. The Driver was G. Little and the Conductor, standing beside the tram, was J. Gallimore.
In 1884 the Birmingham Central Tramways Co. opened a 3ft 6in gauge horse tramway to Nechells from Old Square via Great Lister Street, with a second line in 1887 from Albert Street via Curzon Street and Holborn Hill.
The City of Birmingham Tramways Co. (CBT) took over the Birmingham Central in 1896 and in turn in 1911 it passed to Birmingham Corporation on the expiry of the leases. After the horse tram routes, CBT went on to run steam, cable and electric services which have been described on other postcards, (see Postcard Index).
The horse tram in the picture, which was probably in a crimson livery, was built by the Falcon Engine and Car Works of Loughborough (which later became Brush). The depot was in Butlin Street, Nechells and it closed at the same date as the last horse car being withdrawn.
The Nechells route was electrified when the horse trams stopped, but in 1922 it became the first tram to trolleybus route conversion in Britain. This used early double-deck "tram-like" trolleybuses from Railless Electric Traction of Rochester, Kent with bodies by Charles H. Roe of Leeds and electrical equipment from Dick Kerr. Although more modern trolleybuses and another route followed, the Nechells route was converted to motor buses in 1940 with the remaining trolleybuses lasting until 1951 and the electric trams until 1953.
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