Green Lanes, looking north from Manor House, (early Sixties?)

Comment by StephenBln on February 18, 2011 at 13:57

I would date this photo to 1960, As you can see, by the temporary fence,  the estate on the right is not yet completed and the flats(sic!) ;o) are all  still empty. 

The 629 last ran in April 1961 and by that time Stoke Newington BC had already planted new lamp standards in readiness for the dismantling of the old. Yes, I would say this is (by the look of the sky) August 1960! 

Comment by StephenBln on February 18, 2011 at 17:16

BTW, I think everything looks more or less perfect in this shot.. The overhead wiring also gives some importance to the street. I recall everything looking bare, once it had gone.

Comment by Laurence on February 23, 2011 at 0:39

There is a short set of rail track perpendicular to the road (in a cobbled yard I think) just before Manor House tube (north east side of Green Lanes). Does anyone know the story behind this? I assume there must have been trams on Green Lanes, and maybe a depot on the corner (but before 1960 as there are no tram tracks in this photo).

Comment by StephenBln on February 23, 2011 at 6:44

The red brick building on Seven Sisters Road was built as the Headquarters of The Metropolitan Electric Tramways, the authority responsible for providing trams  for the Middlesex County Council in North and North West Middlesex. 

London's Trams started out as municipal operations, were the pride of the councils, but became an expensive liability. By the time London Transport was created in 1933, there were three main players. The L.C.C. or London County Council including Leyton Corporation, the Underground Group including the M.E.T. and S.M.E.T. and L.G.O.C. (Buses) and the L.U.T or London United Tramways (West Middlesex and Surrey).

There were also still many smaller operations, including Walthamstow, Ilford, Barking, West Ham, East Ham, Dartford, Erith and Croydon. 

Trams in Harringay were replaced by Trolleybuses between 1936 and 1938, with one exception, Tram route 33 from Manor House to West Norwood via Angel, Kingsway Subway, Westminster Kennington and Brixton. This continued through the war and was replaced by diesel buses in July 1952 when the 171 was introduced and extended from Manor House to Tottenham (Bruce Grove) in order to provide Harringay with a link to the Tottenham Borough Council's administrative offices at Tottenham Green. 

The 33 terminated on the south side of the Manor House junction, where there was a crossover, but a single track was kept to the siding, which had been originally used by Company Trams delivering goods to the Headquarters. In LT days, it was used to park up a defective tram or to position a snow plough in winter. 

I think it was last used on 5th July 1952, when the remaining trams were all sent south of the river to New Cross depot and for scrapping at the Charlton Penhall Road scrap yard.

These posts are a bit out of date, need to be updated, but may be of interest:

Trolleybuses in Harringay: http://www.isarsteve.de/?p=845

Trams: http://www.isarsteve.de/?p=1020 (Link no longer available and not archived on Wayback Machine)

Comment by StephenBln on February 23, 2011 at 7:15

Oh dear, my memory .. To correct a small mistake above, The trams to Manor House were withdrawn on 5 April 1952 and the siding last used on that date. After the trams were removed southwards the Kingsway Subway and it's two stations was closed for ever.. London's last trams ran on 5th July 1952. As this is my property why not show it here:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e2/W171.jpg 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsway_tramway_subway

http://www.google.de/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=kingsway...

M.E.T. (Middlesex) Tram at Finsbury Park: http://www.harringayonline.com/photo/electric-tram-in-1904

 

Comment by Hugh on February 23, 2011 at 9:03

A few more pics of Manor house here.

Comment by StephenBln on February 24, 2011 at 21:13

A nice shot of a 33 Tram to Manor House at Aldwch Tram Subway Station here:

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/k/kingsway_tram_subway/ind...

Comment by John McMullan on February 24, 2011 at 21:32

In 1958 they had traffic jams across Waterloo bridge and still nothing was done?

Comment by StephenBln on February 24, 2011 at 22:29

lol John.. They had bus jams on Oxford Street a hundred years ago, but the council never allowed trams to be introduced.. 

BTW, I know it's 'be nice to NZ and Kiwi time' but can't resist adding this (OT?) link showing the very strange 'wormlike' looking T'buses in Wellington NZ. If you look around Zed's stream you'll see that not only does NZ have some strange looking plants and trees, it also has wierd? looking trains too!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24447011@N02/4956422750/in/photostream/

Comment by John McMullan on February 24, 2011 at 22:37

Good point. Silly me.

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