EPW062658 ENGLAND (1939). A cityscape over Gib Heath and Winson Green, Birmingham, 1939

On the old map of 1884-1891 this is shown as the 'CABLE TRAMWAY DEPOT'. It is little known that Birmingham, prior to the trams, had 'CABLE' tramways, same as the ones in use in SAN FRANCISCO, USA. One line went along COLMORE ROW, down SNOW HILL (the road running down the other side of SNOW HILL railway station parallel to LIVERY STREET), along GT HAMPTON ST to the HOCKLEY BRIDGE Depot. The then city boundary was just north of Whitmore St...Handsworth not being amalgamated with Birmingham until 1911. 'CABLE TRAMS' do NOT have their own method of propulsion but grip a continuously running cable, in a below ground channel, driven from the Depot Winding House. So no electric gantry etc. but have a 'groove' between the rail tracks.