Customer Reviews

The Two-Pound Tram

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Wilfred and his brother, Duncan, ignored by their parents, decide to pursue their dream to own a tram. The story starts in 1937 following the brothers' travels to London to buy a horse-drawn tram and then to Canterbury, where they find they have unwittingly but fortuitously attracted passengers from the local bus route. They finally arrive in Worthing where a wealthy Austrian benefactor enables them to buy the horse-less variety of tram, and find themselves caught up at the beginning of the Second World War defending the Sussex coastline in its hour of need from their tram-cum-lighthouse. Written without sentimentality, it is funny, moving and captivating.

This wonderfully understated book begs for a cover-to-cover non-stop read. Parental indifference and neglect result in great miracles. Fascinating characters hop on at every bend in the road. The rarest of butterflies flits by and a most dignified dog always takes the front seat. The King and Queen of England drop in and a well-meaning letter from Winston Churchill causes an uproar. Hopefully Mike Leigh has already read "The Two Pound Tram" and is working on obtaining funding for the film. Most memorable!

The book tell the story of two brothers, how they come to go away from home and follow their dream to own a tram. It tells of events, decisions and coincidences that have an impact on the course of their lives, and it gives you a glimpse of life in the thirties.

The book tells its story in a very tranquil, not too emotional, way, so it won't make you laugh, it won't make you cry, it may make you think "yes, that's the way of life, sometimes". It was not boring to read the book, but it wasn't very interesting either. Yes, quite nice...

What a lovely heartfelt story of childhood and innocence.
I could not put this little gem down until I had finished it.
It's a joy to read a truly believable story of adventure, chasing a dream,
and reaching it. Do not read this book without a box of tissues handy!
Truly beautiful.

This book just sort of happened to be on the bookshelf with the other unread books. Something one of us must have picked up at some point or other from somewhere or other, and I just sort of happened to be in between two heavy books, so decided to give myself a break and read something a bit lighter. It was a lovely little ditty, enjoyable to read, although at times a touch technical for me, enjoyable because the young people in it expected good and found it, sometimes in the most unexpected quarters. The characters, affable and uncomplicated,find themselves in comical situations throughout. An enjoyable, relaxing read.