LMS Route: Rugby to Wolverhampton

LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Lichfield

LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Soho and Perry Barr

Curzon Street Goods Station: lnwrcs1497a

Close up of image 'lnwrcs1497' showing the fleet of primarily light motor lorries together with a sole example of a lorry for medium loads. The light motor lorries were built with a flat loading deck behind an open cab which, like its horse-drawn equivalent, had a folding tarpaulin which could be slid forward to behind the cab where folded up as a concertina it would allow larger loads to be carried. The other vehicle on the left is larger and its tarpaulin covers appear to be more fixed and shaped differently. Both vehicles are fitted with wooden wheels and solid rubber tyres, another illustration of how the evolution of transport was shaped by its historical roots in horse-drawn transport. The first motorised lorry style vehicle appeared in the 1800s in the form of a steam truck. The introduction of petrol engines was the next development but as these were only equipped with two-cylinder engines their capacity wasn't as great as we might have thought. It was the impact of developments during the First World War which saw real advances in the power output being made. In addition, to an increase in the number of cylinders being deployed - up to eight - other advances included fully enclosed cabs and electric lighting.

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