Trams are a thing of the past. Nowadays, they have been replaced by buses, subways or cars. Sweden have had its share of trams. I can name at least five major cities that had them. Stockholm was one of them, but the Stockholm transport authority decided to remove them when Sweden switched from left side, to right side traffic in 1967. The cost of replacing cars and what not would have been too big.

Malmö (third biggest city in Sweden) on the other hand, decided to convert their remaining tram cars to right side traffic, which prolonged the tram service until 1973. When it was decided that too few people used the remaining lines and cars. The transport authority felt that buses were cheaper and easier to maintain. I have been lucky enough get hold of some photos taken on the last day of the tram service in Malmö, April 27, 1973. I’ve always felt that a tram service in a city makes it more alive and more pleasant. But I guess, it really is a thing of the past.

I recently discovered a Swedish website that featured abandoned and disused places, buildings and what not. One of the locations was one of those old motel / restaurant / bar establishment thingies that was a common sight along the Swedish highways up to the 1980s. The interesting thing about this place is the design. It looks like nothing I have seen before, at least not in Sweden and I was delighted to find out that even a small country like Sweden got a touch of the famous Googie design that was very common in California, USA in the 1950s and 1960s. You can also clearly see it was inspired by the American model of combining roadside motels and diners together.

The place is called Brännebrona Wärdshus och Motell (Brännnebrona Diner and Motel) and I guess it is located near Brännebrona on one of the main roads. It is no longer in use and probably haven’t seen a customer for a decade or so, although I hear they are trying to find a new buyer for the place to fix it up (numerous people have tried and failed). I guess the location is not that great.

If nothing interesting happens I assume they will level the place to the ground in a near future. Would be better to leave it as a museum or roadside architecture for people to enjoy and remember a past time, when things were a bit simpler and happier. (Via)

I have a keen movie interest and I try to fit as many movies as possible into my busy schedule each week, although my spare time seams to have become smaller and smaller recently. However, I would like to recommend some lush movies I have seen the past. Most of them are what most people would refer to as “oldies” (why does that name have a bad ring to it?), but I think some of the best movies was made in the 50s, 60s and 70s. If you are thinking that I am going to recommend huge masterpiece by famous directors, you are wrong. I watch movies that make me feel good, happy or movies that has a certain feel to them. And that is all that counts.

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