Plymouth Transport Through Time

This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Plymouth's transport has changed and developed over the last century

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With today's constant stream of busy traffic, it's hard to imagine a time when Plymouth had no cars, lorries or buses. With the dawn of photography, the only vehicles in the area would have been horse-drawn wagons or hand-carts and the occasional bicycle. Horse-drawn trams were introduced in the later 1800s and, with the introduction of the railway, it became far easier for people to travel further afield.The early 1900s saw the introduction of cars but these were very scarce and a man with a red flag would have to run in front of the car to warn of its coming. If children saw such a vehicle, they would run along behind it. Today it's very easy to get from one point to another without much thought whereas 120 years ago, travelling the same distance, would have been an adventure and a day out that would be talked about for weeks after.