Hi Merv, great story and memories, all what you say about the Trams, Rock & Rolling I can remember, also of them feeling a bit unstable. Funny enough I can’t remember the No Spitting signs, but my sister can. I remember the “Pea Souper’s” (Fogs) & as you say you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, but boy couldn’t you have fun. Knock-down ginger was one as no one could see you when you ran away and hanging on the back of the horse & carts was another.
One thing that really brings back some great memories, is lying in bed at night and hearing the barges (boats) on the Thames sounding their fog horns. In reality the fogs were bad but as a kid you never realised that, also, when you got off the Tram you had that gap before you got to the pavement and in the Fog, you couldn’t see any vehicle coming down the inside. Even without the fog, riding your bike could be dangerous, especially when your front wheel got caught in between the tram track.
Yes Merv “Those were the days”, our memories, our BERMONDSEY.