Stunning photos capture days when Glasgow trams 'ruled the streets'

For three days, fans of the much-loved ‘caurs’ had been able to have one last ride on a special service between Anderston Cross and Auchenshuggle for sixpence (2½p) and receive a special souvenir ticket.

The story of the wind-down of the tramway from 1947 to 1962 is told in the illustrated book Glasgow Trams: A Pictorial Tribute, by Martin Jenkins and Geoff Price, just published by Pen and Sword to mark the 60th anniversary and raise funds for the Online Transport Archive, a charity devoted to the preservation of photographs and moving images related to transport and its links with social and industrial history.

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The book is full of fantastic pictures of trams in the heart of the city, in the suburbs and in surrounding towns, with people, cars and buses, shops, churches, theatres, cinemas, parks, shipyards and factories in the background.

Authors Martin and Geoff explain: “Prepare for a nostalgic journey back to those days which show a lost way of life when trams ruled the streets, services were frequent and fares relatively inexpensive.

“Passengers knew their drivers and clippies by face, if not by name. Many crews were happy to pose for the camera in the last few weeks of the trams. Perhaps Times Past readers will recognise some of them?”

The last service of all was the cross-city 9, originally from Dalmuir West to Carmyle but cut back in latter days.

The 1372, seen here in our main image on Argyle Street passing under the bridge of Central Station, was one of 100 ‘Cunarder’ cars built between 1948 and 1952.

Two trams on Argyle Street. Pic: : W J Wyse collection/LRTA (London Area)/Online Transport Archive (Image: W J Wyse collection/LRTA (London Area)/Online Transport Archive)

Passengers would usually wait no longer than a few minutes for the next tram on Argyle Street. Nearest the camera in this image from 1956 is 1189, one of the 152 ‘Coronation’ cars dating from 1937-41. Behind is a ‘Standard’ car, some of which dated back as far as 1898, whilst to its left is 1010, which arrived second-hand from Liverpool in the mid-1950s. Services 10, 15 and 17 had gone before the final abandonment of the trams.

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Some parts of the Glasgow tram system went right out into the countryside.

‘Cunarder’ 1302 was photographed by a visiting enthusiast from Chicago in 1955 on the rural stretch of service 14 between Arden and Cross Stobbs which closed the following year.

Late Evening Times reporter Jack House was at the farewell procession, and waxed lyrical about the network’s final moments.

“Half Glasgow seemed to be lining the streets,” he wrote. “I saw tears in many eyes. The heavens were weeping in sympathy.”

In Union Street, people of all ages dashed out to lay pennies onto the tracks so that they would have a flattened souvenir of the day. Dads held their kids up for a last look at the trams. An elderly woman grabbed Jack by the arm and told him: “Glasgow will never be the same.”