Leeds on screen

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Fri 11 Jan, 2013 11:46 am

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edlong · Post by **edlong** » Fri 11 Jan, 2013 12:48 pm

The tram thing was pretty good but (sorry, totally non-Leeds related) Metro-land was one of the most captivating things I've seen for a long, long time, well worth seeking out if it's available on iPlayer.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Fri 11 Jan, 2013 12:54 pm

salt 'n pepper wrote: The showing of Metroland on BBC4 last night - nothing to do with Leeds but vintage stuff all the same - was followed by a programme about the history of trams. I don't know if this was a repeat. Probably.There was some Leeds content, ranging from the voice of Alan Bennett and the sight and sound of Keith Waterhouse actually driving a tram. For that reason only, let's hope number one fan Jogon saw it, or has seen it before.Historical locations shown included Boar Lane, the Corn Exchange and Lowfields Road for a football fixture.Among Alan Bennett's contribution was a straight lift from one of his books where he berates Leeds City Council for being too hasty to race headlong into the future without careful consideration. Anybody recognise that point of view?Getting rid of trams was a mistake, just like the Beeching Plan was a mistake was almost the last line of the film. Great nostalgia. By chance I caught much of the program. The shots of the Elland Road trams brought back my memories of the trams to (from Swinegate) and back from Elland Road in the early to probably mid 1950s. I still recall the long line of trams on Lowfields Road waiting to take people back into Leeds after the match. One particular section of interest was that view along Duncan Street to the Corn Exchange showing lots of trams. There did seem to be lots of them!

uncle mick · Post by **uncle mick** » Fri 11 Jan, 2013 1:01 pm

This is it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNMbGNo6lcYEDIT: Very enjoyable.Also available herehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b017zqw8/ ... ed_Desire/

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Fri 11 Jan, 2013 1:49 pm

[quotenick="Leodian"][quotenick="salt

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Fri 11 Jan, 2013 11:10 pm

Here's a fine painting of a Lance corporal tram for you Jogon, and it's your neck of the woods too

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Sat 12 Jan, 2013 2:46 pm

Excellent image phill...!I've spent many hours at the clock meeting mates.

BJF · Post by **BJF** » Sat 12 Jan, 2013 3:10 pm

The junction at Boar Lane looks pretty hair raising.

majorhoundii · Post by **majorhoundii** » Sun 13 Jan, 2013 12:32 pm

salt 'n pepper wrote: Getting rid of trams was a mistake, just like the Beeching Plan was a mistake was almost the last line of the film. I thought the Beeching plan was a mistake at the time, but I was only 15 so what did I know? My wife who worked in Wakefield and lived in Ossett used to catch the train every morning and evening and it was packed. That didn't stop them closing the line though, in fact they closed both lines that linked Bradford directly with Wakefield and beyond, the one my wife used, through Dewsbury and Batley, and the one that ran through Morley and Drighlington. (BTW the train journey from Wakey to Dewsbury including a stop at Ossett took 12 minutes - you couldn't do it in that time today)It has been proved recently that all the statistics used to justify the Beeching plan were taken when the lines cited for closure were at their quietest - Sundays etc. Unbelievably short sighted.I suppose the same argument applies to the trams, a valuable infra structure is literally thown away. Investment was what was needed not abandonment. What puzzles me is why? Continental cities, Amsterdam, Paris, Munich (and there are probably many more) still have their tramway systems. Why did our country abandon them? At a guess some vested interest influenced council and government policy but who knows?

Loiner1960 · Post by **Loiner1960** » Sun 13 Jan, 2013 5:45 pm

Leeds City trams hadn't had any investment since 1930's and the system was worn out. The track needed replacing and the power distribution was still using old mercury dipped diodes,aka The Mekon. At the time diesel buses could travel to places cheaper and easier than the trams. In the 1940's 50's and 60's Britain had great idea's but very little money. The railway closures under Dr.Beeching were a curates egg. Mostly bad but with some good idea's. The bad was the closing of useful lines. I wonder how busy an Otley to Leeds service would be now. Or many others long since built on. Europe had money from the Marshall Plan and invested in diesel and overhead AC electric.Britain continued with steam.. As for films in school. "The Invention of Margarine." Sticks in my mind. Usually shown at the end of term just before the summer holidays. Simple pleasures for a simpler time.