Tramcar no. 1088
Tramcar, 1928 LT.1958.43.d
“It was demanding working with the public, but if anything out of hand happened other passengers would have helped.”
Mrs Kernowan, former tram conductor
Comment by Adam Hamilton
In some ways trams were like a youth club that kept you out of the rain. On grey days we would catch the tram at Bridgeton. Chatting along, we rode to the end of the line at Baillieston then back again.
From: Adam Hamilton
Comment by Heather Robertson
I wish I'd seen the trams, they're always written about with such fondness. I always think of "Dance of the Apprentices" where Edward Gaitens writes: "Tramcars swayed past them, galleons of light and humanity"
From: Heather Robertson
Questions from Glasgow Museums
Do you fondly remember the trams? Do you think passengers would still help staff on public transport?
Question by Glasgow Museums
Does anyone else remember the buses that Douglas saw? They would have been running at the same time as the standard trams - including 1088.
Question by DOUGLAS W. CARRUTH
About 1946 I remember seeing buses with a trailer behind. I believe these buses were using gas as fuel. The bus route was the 4A from Croftfoot to Govan Cross. Can anyone else remember these and can this be confirmed?
Eyewitness by Isobel Young, former tram conductor
It was terrible the first week because we weren’t used to it. People shouting at you. If the tram was full downstairs and you were telling them to go upstairs – they didn’t want to go upstairs – so there was a lot of arguments about that.
From: Isobel Young, former tram conductor
Eyewitness by Isobel Young, former tram conductor
The wages was four times what we got in the tailoring. The first week on the trams – we had to work a fortnight before we got a wage - but after the first week we were telling each other, “The tailoring wasn’t so bad!” but when we got wur wages we said, “Oh well we’ll just stay on the trams!”
From: Isobel Young, former tram conductor
Eye Witness by James Waddell ex tram driver
The honest fare dodgers I used to call them. They'd come on to the tram at 5am and tender a pound note for a threepenny fare knowing fine well that the conductress would not be able to change it and hoping she would forget it. I made many an unofficial stop at a newsagents to get change.
From: James Waddell ex tram driver
Eye Witness by James Waddell
Driving a tram in 1950's Glasgow was sometimes a very daunting task, mainly because other road users seemed to treat the 'Caurs' with little respect, which did cause accidents. Many vehicle drivers learned respect the hard way, once you have made contact with 20 tons of solid steel bogie you tended to avoid repeating the experience
From: James Waddell
Eye Witness by James Waddell
On the last run of the night, it was a common practice to stop at a Fish and Chip shop if there was one. The staff would normally serve the tram crews ahead of anyone else...No one ever seemed to complain.
From: James Waddell
Eye Witness by Linda Yates
The trams were stylish and comfortable. I loved travelling on them with my parents. I still like travelling by tram when I visit Liverpool and Blackpool. I can travel on them in my wheelchair - you couldn't do that on the old Glasgow trams!
From: Linda Yates
Eye Witness by E. MacIntosh
I used to travel in a tram once a week to see my Gran. It was a bonus if the family could occupy the enclosed seats on the upper floor. I have to say however, that I frequently felt sick given the "shoogly" movement and was often to be found sitting on the platform at the open door.
From: E. MacIntosh
Eye Witness by Isobel Young, former tram conductor
The staff, when you met in the canteen, was good. You had good fun. Good laughs telling them what had happened on your journeys. It was really good. We really enjoyed it.
From: Isobel Young, former tram conductor
