Locals have been remembering a time when Reading’s roads were filled with a different kind of vehicle.

Electric trams were introduced to Reading in 1903 and ran through the town centre until 1939.

In a photograph provided by Reading Museum, a crowd surrounds an electric tram car that had been decorated for the Mayor of Reading, Alderman A.H. Bull.

This was taken on the first day of operation on 22 July 1903 on Broad Street just outside Wellsteeds department store, now The Oracle.

There is also Blandy and Hawkins brewery dray in the foreground. The postcard was produced by Jenkins of London Street, Reading.

In a recent post to social media, Neil Klopke shared a photograph of the tram tracks being removed in 1978.

Reading Chronicle:

He wrote along with the picture “While Duke Street was closed as High Bridge was being repaired in the winter of 1978/9, the opportunity was taken of removing the tram tracks from the street and bridge.

“This picture taken on 4th January 1979 shows the contractors working hard in the cold weather, removing the road surface to get at the rails, which would then be cut up into small pieces in situ for scrap as they were too heavy to remove in large sections.

“Note the condemned shops in the background - Tots to Teens, which sold children's clothing and accessories, and Lewis Ltd, outfitters.”

Residents took to the comment section of the post to share their memories of the lost trams of Reading.

One commenter wrote underneath the picture “I remember those shops, my dad brought my clothes in tots to teens in the 60s and I remember seeing the tram lines in Broad St when they were doing the rounds.”

Echoing the previous comment, another user wrote “Wow our mum used to buy our special clothes there two or three times a year it was a lovely shop. 1970 to 75 great memories Tots To Teens.”

Others remembered how the trams had been replaced by trolleybuses in the mid-1900s.

Another user asked “Do you know when the trolley lines were removed from London Street?”

In response to the previous question, Mr Klopke responded “It would have been soon after closure, about November/December 1968. The wires only went as far as Mill Lane to give access to the depot.”

“The electric trams ran between 1903 and 1939, when they were replaced by the trolleybuses.”