The removal of dis-used tram tracks along the Croydon Road, near Mitcham Common, 1942.
Partial / Incomplete Date | 1942 |
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Area | Mitcham |
Copyright 1 | Autolevels |
Picture Reference | Mit_26_7-15 |
Original Format | Photo |
Notes / History | The tram network was extended to Mitcham in 1906, linking the area with Tooting Junction and Croydon. An extension from Fair Green to Cricket Green was added in 1910. By the 1930s much of the local tram network was being decommissioned and replaced by trolleybuses and petrol vehicles. During World War II, the old metal tram track was removed and melted down as part of the salvage campaign to support the war effort. Notice the white lines painted on the local telegraph and tram poles - these were a wartime safety measure to highlight the road and reduce accidents during the low visibility of the night-time blackout. |