Martin Jenkins aqnd Charles Roberts 2021
Few books have been written laying out in detail the run-down of a great British tram system. This is an attempt to do just that by bringing together all the known information by following, in diary form, the detailed decline of one of the finest city tramways in the country. Despite investing in hundreds of new trams and opening an extension as late as 1944, the City Council approved a complete conversion programme the following year. What led to this sudden change of policy? How far were powerful, local politicians involved? Were the figures produced by The Transport Department an entirely accurate representation of the post-war alternatives? Did they include the cost of track removal and road resurfacing? Had trams been built, and extensions laid, to the highest standard? Was there a breakdown in communication between different areas of the Transport Department? Did wartime neglect and post-war shortages lead to the inevitable? Why was so much track re-laid after the war only to last a few years? Could/ should any part of network, with its miles of segregated ‘grass tracks’ have been retained?
Martin Jenkins has a life-long interest in the tramways. He has written many other transport books and, for some years, he directed and voiced over 100 transport- related DVDs which raised thousands of pounds for vehicle restoration projects. In his professional life, he was with the British Broadcasting Corporation for some 30 years during which time he travelled extensively. Today, he works as a free-lance director, lecturer and drama teacher and is delighted that one of his grandsons shows a keen interest in trams!
Co-author Charles Roberts was born and brought up in Merseyside, trained as a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and worked in the bus industry around the time of deregulation and privatisation, before embarking on what he refers to as his ‘career break’ in the academic world. He ran the Maritime and Logistics degree programmes at Liverpool John Moores University until 2017. His interest in all forms of transport dates back to a very early age and has been taking slides - nowadays digital images - since 1973. He has been involved in OTA since its inception and has served as secretary, treasurer and now chairman. He is the co-author of three transport books based on material in the Archive.
Published by the LRTA – A4 softback; 232 Pages; 624 mainly black & white pictures; 19 maps
