First Tram Rodley to Leeds 1906?

[LS13]

This is a photo which is on the wall of the Railway pub in Rodley. The decription is '1st Car Leeds to Rodley, 5.30am July 9th 1906. The picture is clearly taken in Rodley opposite the Owl (RIP) probably next to whats now the Rodley Barge.The drivers name is given as W.Booth and the conductor W.Cressfield(?) but there are about another 10 uniformed tram company employees in the picture including the impressively whiskered chap at the front, plus assorted trilby wearers and small boys. They can't have been passers by at that time on a morning, so whats the occasion? Was it actually the first tram from Rodley to Leeds, and if so, why did they have the launch party so early in the morning?

[trophy]

it is strange the railway pub has lots of old photos but none of the station??

[stutterdog]

trophy wrote: it is strange the railway pub has lots of old photos but none of the station?? Nice picture of the tram and the Owl pub. Perhaps some of the people were off to work? They did start early in those days and long hours too! A question I've often wanted to ask and never got round to is, what is the function of 2 handles? I travelled on trams a lot in my childhood and often wondered why one appeared to be for steering but then ,that can't be true as the rails steer the tram.The other one is I think the is"dead mans handle" which I think stops the tram when let go? Then,I think, could one of them be the throttle and is there a pedal on the floor for this? Does anyone know?

[jim]

Reading through Jim Soper's "Leeds Transport" It seems that the majority of new tram services started with the earliest timetabled tram of the day, usually at around the time indicated on the photo. On page 282 (Vol 2) is another picture obviously taken at the same time (same site, same description at bottom of photo and same persons present) which shows the tram to be number 155. The book notes the discrepancy that the Tram Depot log for that day gives tram no 156 as carrying out the duty, and the further information that tram 155 is not recorded as visiting Rodley until the 8th of August. Either there is a fault with the information in the depot log, or the pictures were specially "posed" at a later date.Stutterdog, the two handles you ask about were the controller and the handbrake on the majority of trams. The left hand operated the controller which handled all power functions - various power configurations and the power brakes - and included a dead man's handle function. The right hand operated the handbrake which was used in most non-emergency situations and for parking.        

[stutterdog]

jim wrote: Reading through Jim Soper's "Leeds Transport" It seems that the majority of new tram services started with the earliest timetabled tram of the day, usually at around the time indicated on the photo. On page 282 (Vol 2) is another picture obviously taken at the same time (same site, same description at bottom of photo and same persons present) which shows the tram to be number 155. The book notes the discrepancy that the Tram Depot log for that day gives tram no 156 as carrying out the duty, and the further information that tram 155 is not recorded as visiting Rodley until the 8th of August. Either there is a fault with the information in the depot log, or the pictures were specially "posed" at a later date.Stutterdog, the two handles you ask about were the controller and the handbrake on the majority of trams. The left hand operated the controller which handled all power functions - various power configurations and the power brakes, and included a dead man's handle function. The right hand operated the handbrake which was used in most none-emergency situations and for parking.     Thanks Jim!