Trams, form and function.
Finally got a decent day and the right access to my boy and the right time to pay a visit to the Tram Museum on the weekend. Was a good day and it’s well worth a visit.
I was struck by the four examples that were out and running on the day. Ranging from the early to mid/late 1900s you could see the utilitarian nature of the vehicles grow over time. Not a huge amount had really changed in undercarriage and even the materials were pretty much standard fare through the time span. What was obvious was the attention to detail and the pride and workmanship that went into them.
I mean the older trams showed attention paid to such things as lead light glass window panes bearing the symbol of the tramways; brass fittings and ornate decoration. It was obvious that it was designed and built by crafstmen, people with passion, character. And at a time when these things were actually valued.
And that character was evident in the creation.
Maybe in this day and age of everybody production and publishing; continuous partial attention, fast change and the proliferation of stripped down simplification we would do well to look at the finer, subtle nuances some aspects of things from the past hold as lessons for us. Things that talk of passion, craft and focus of attention - in all things we create, virtual, physical or social.
Form not just function.
