Green LCT Buses

stutterdog · Post by **stutterdog** » Tue 10 Nov, 2009 5:27 pm

Terrym wrote: Hi,I remember the attack at Bramley as well.At that time only one drop safe was in use, with a big sign stuck over the top on the one which was out of use.Guess which one they tried to break into.Sorry Chris for the incorrect letter at the start of your surname.Some of the drivers at Bramley whilst I was there included.Steve Talbot, Tony Harrison, Lee Reucroft, Mick Mulvaney, and Big Ronnie Abson who only worked nights.Do you remember when they had the cost cutting plans and introduced microwave ovens with little plastic keys packed in each meal.The idea was that by doing this they did not have to open the canteen on a Sunday.The only problem was the meal was either incinerated, or frozen solid.Great days with some great mates who made the job a total pleasure. Yes ,we certainly had some laughs! you haven't mentioned my name but then i didn't stand out like steve Talbot ,he was a bit of a wild card! I knew Lee R. very well. Can you remember a driver called Roberts who drove a bus in service on the 78 from leeds to bradford? He drove the bus so fast that all the regulars missed it .He arrived in Bradford half an hour early. I dont think he stopped at the stops even though there was people waiting! I cant believe he didn't get the sack! I've just remembered the night inspectors name, it was George Spanton!

Terrym · Post by **Terrym** » Tue 10 Nov, 2009 7:54 pm

Give us a clue about your name and see if I remember you.Regarding the driver called Roberts if memory serves me well were there not two brothers who started about the same time, one of them famous due to the tatoo's.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Tue 10 Nov, 2009 10:05 pm

In recent years I've been going to the Bramley Drivers' Reunions in April, at the Bramley Band Club. Always a good evening and many familiar faces each year. Sadly a good few of the older folks have varying degrees of illness but put on a cheery front at the gatherings.I always feel honoured to be made very welcome because I was never a Bramley driver, only Headingley. I did though do a good few duities "on the book" at Bramley when I was spare and always enjoyed it,Sammy Clayton was the senior and he always had nice music playing in his office - right up my street. There was a driver with the surname "Bird" who'd done something wrong once and Sammy called out to me "When that bloody Bird comes send him in 'ere - I'll clip 'is wings forrim." Another time I was on the long day duty and I was getting next day's sheets sorted - the private hire work tickets were left in a brown folder on top of a filing cabinet and you were supposed to just "find them - that particular task should heve been sorted out days beforehand and I found a sheet in the folder for a prestigious job to London the following day, and early morning at that !! It was not on next day's sheets at all, and no driver for it either. I interrupted Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata to give Sammy the news and I've never seen the blood drain from anyone's face as quick.I remember a Brian Roberts - he was here in April but lives in Helston in Cornwall. Then there was Mel and Winston Harris, Terry (lame)and Mick Holohan - Terry sadly died recently, John Jackson, Mel Eanor, Pete Shakeshaft (now in Driffield), Paul Knights, Sandra Ali (Carroll), the second lady driver in Leeds and a superb one at that, Dorothy Patchett (Mrs. Thatcher lookalike) also a first class driver. One of my favourite conductresses was Dorothy Birkett - she married a driver called Dave Evans. I thin the only person I really crossed swords with was a driver called Dave Jennings - he took an instant hatred to me as soon as he came on the job as a direct driver and reported me to the Union every time I put pen to paper. Oh, and then there were the brothers Tinson, and we culd go on all day, but better return to the topic proper - happy days eh.

stutterdog · Post by **stutterdog** » Tue 10 Nov, 2009 10:07 pm

Terrym wrote: Give us a clue about your name and see if I remember you.Regarding the driver called Roberts if memory serves me well were there not two brothers who started about the same time, one of them famous due to the tatoo's. There were not 2 brothers but Chris Roberts started at about the same time as Dougie Knott.I think Dougie had the tattoo's but so did Chris. As to my identity will K.B suffice? I was a guard for 18months as I couldn't pass my driving test, I passed my test after 3 goes at the same time as Mick Barron.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Tue 10 Nov, 2009 10:12 pm

stutterdog wrote: [ There were not 2 brothers but Chris Roberts started at about the same time as Dougie Knott.I think Dougie had the tattoo's but so did Chris.Ahh !! - Roberts and Knott - roofing contractors extrordinaire - in all seriousness they were really good at it and once cured a leak in my roof where one "professional" after another had made an expensive failure of it. I believe Dougie Knott was still a night driver until very recently and still may be.

stutterdog · Post by **stutterdog** » Tue 10 Nov, 2009 10:23 pm

BLAKEY wrote: In recent years I've been going to the Bramley Drivers' Reunions in April, at the Bramley Band Club. Always a good evening and many familiar faces each year. Sadly a good few of the older folks have varying degrees of illness but put on a cheery front at the gatherings.I always feel honoured to be made very welcome because I was never a Bramley driver, only Headingley. I did though do a good few duities "on the book" at Bramley when I was spare and always enjoyed it,Sammy Clayton was the senior and he always had nice music playing in his office - right up my street. There was a driver with the surname "Bird" who'd done something wrong once and Sammy called out to me "When that bloody Bird comes send him in 'ere - I'll clip 'is wings forrim." Another time I was on the long day duty and I was getting next day's sheets sorted - the private hire work tickets were left in a brown folder on top of a filing cabinet and you were supposed to just "find them - that particular task should heve been sorted out days beforehand and I found a sheet in the folder for a prestigious job to London the following day, and early morning at that !! It was not on next day's sheets at all, and no driver for it either. I interrupted Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata to give Sammy the news and I've never seen the blood drain from anyone's face as quick.I remember a Brian Roberts - he was here in April but lives in Helston in Cornwall. Then there was Mel and Winston Harris, Terry (lame)and Mick Holohan - Terry sadly died recently, John Jackson, Mel Eanor, Pete Shakeshaft (now in Driffield), Paul Knights, Sandra Ali (Carroll), the second lady driver in Leeds and a superb one at that, Dorothy Patchett (Mrs. Thatcher lookalike) also a first class driver. One of my favourite conductresses was Dorothy Birkett - she married a driver called Dave Evans. I thin the only person I really crossed swords with was a driver called Dave Jennings - he took an instant hatred to me as soon as he came on the job as a direct driver and reported me to the Union every time I put pen to paper. Oh, and then there were the brothers Tinson, and we culd go on all day, but better return to the topic proper - happy days eh. A great story Blakey and I knew all the drivers you mention.I must try and get to the next reunion. Could you let me know when it is please,I'd be most grateful! I am going to Tenerife for 3months early in the new year but I'll be back at the end of March.Just in time if it's in April.I've never been to one of these do's since I left so it will be nice to see some of the old boys.

Terrym · Post by **Terrym** » Wed 11 Nov, 2009 4:17 pm

Firstly apologies for getting it wrong about the brothers, I do remember Mr Knott.But two names mentioned above really brought back the memories.My very first duty at Bramley in April 1974 was on the 77 Bramley to Gipton with Driver Mel Harris and Conductress Dorothy Birkett.At that time I was still a bit green having just come out of the conductors school at Swinegate.

stutterdog · Post by **stutterdog** » Wed 11 Nov, 2009 4:37 pm

Terrym wrote: Firstly apologies for getting it wrong about the brothers, I do remember Mr Knott.But two names mentioned above really brought back the memories.My very first duty at Bramley in April 1974 was on the 77 Bramley to Gipton with Driver Mel Harris and Conductress Dorothy Birkett.At that time I was still a bit green having just come out of the conductors school at Swinegate. They always put us on the busy routes when we first started. I think it was to see what we were made of. My first duty was a split all on 23 Intake /Bus station. I remember being absolutely knckered when I came off and my bag weighed a ton with all the copper I had taken! We swapped running boards on Burley Rd with the other 23 ,going in the opposite direction as both buses were running half an hour late! This happened virtually every evening mid -week! What a way to run a bus service! We called the 77 route the Whacky Races or the Wall of Death.Do you remember the Black Flash out of Headingly who once he got behind you never helped you out? He would run early and wait at the last stop on Morris Ln. and tuck in behind all the way to Eastgate.He was on the 50 service. There was another guy who had a cap with a slashed peak and a waxed mustache ,he looked like a spifire pilot! he had a funny nickname but I cant remember what it was.He did the same! Happy days!

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Wed 11 Nov, 2009 5:49 pm

[quotenick="stutterdog]A great story Blakey and I knew all the drivers you mention.I must try and get to the next reunion. Could you let me know when it is please,I'd be most grateful! I am going to Tenerife for 3months early in the new year but I'll be back at the end of March.Just in time if it's in April.I've never been to one of these do's since I left so it will be nice to see some of the old boys. ]Will do my best - I've put a note in my diary for late March 2010 to let you have the date.So far we've not mentioned the Bramley driver with that most famous of all badge numbers - Arthur Buckle - BB 44444. He attends the re-unions and is doing well after a stroke a year or two ago.The Headingley driver you mention with the "Morris Lane" hanging back habit was the famous Lloyd Allen - despite his dodgy tactics on the road (by no means on his own there !!), he was a really nice guy and it was easy to make him chuckle in a most likeable way. The one with the slashed cap and 'tache was Hector Frater - his tricks were just as dastardly as Lloyd's, but whereas Lloyd did his dirty work quieltly with one elbow in the cab window ledge Hector was as openly outrageous as could be, but was also a real toff. incidentally, I have to say that there was an equal amount on "hanging back" by the 23/77s on Leeds and Bradford Road - the view over the Abbey fields was like manna to those so inclined In these days where viscious racism sadly still abounds, isn't it nice to have known such great guys and shared in their humour.Just finally for now I must tell of an experience I once had myself when a driver. Enthusiats will know that Leyland PD2s numbers 301 - 310 at Bramly were the only examples of the type ever made, other than the 2,000 specially built for London Transport - air operated pre-selector gearboxes like the Mk 3 AEC Regents. well, the time came when pnly two remained in service and were due off any day. Desperate to have a go in one I booked a piece of teatime overtime out of Bramley just on the off chance. Going to the output sheet with my board my heart sank - very deep. 873 - a beastly little Mk 5 AEC of OURS at Headingley which must have landed at Bramley for some reason - I always loathed the rolling little beasts with their top speed of around 30 mph and we had loads of them at Headingley - they needed a steroid injection to get up Kirkstall Hill to the Merry Monk, or any other slope for that matter. To rub it in the two Leylands were standing nearby just begging for me to mis-read the output sheet, but that would have been very foolish of me as they just could have been defective or withdrawn. So I went in pleading mode to the shift foreman - can't remember who it was but when I explained he grabbed his pen with a kindly smile, made two quick alterations and said "OK take 307 then." It was an enjoyable little board - private to Barnbow, Barnbow to Halton Moor, 54 Halton Moor to Bramley Town End (swinger) and in. Terry will have been familiar with the type already as Sammy's had five of them (ex London Transport) at Armley right up to the West Yorkshire/LCT. takeover.

stutterdog · Post by **stutterdog** » Wed 11 Nov, 2009 9:23 pm

BLAKEY wrote: [quotenick="stutterdog]A great story Blakey and I knew all the drivers you mention.I must try and get to the next reunion. Could you let me know when it is please,I'd be most grateful! I am going to Tenerife for 3months early in the new year but I'll be back at the end of March.Just in time if it's in April.I've never been to one of these do's since I left so it will be nice to see some of the old boys. ]Will do my best - I've put a note in my diary for late March 2010 to let you have the date.So far we've not mentioned the Bramley driver with that most famous of all badge numbers - Arthur Buckle - BB 44444. He attends the re-unions and is doing well after a stroke a year or two ago.The Headingley driver you mention with the "Morris Lane" hanging back habit was the famous Lloyd Allen - despite his dodgy tactics on the road (by no means on his own there !!), he was a really nice guy and it was easy to make him chuckle in a most likeable way. The one with the slashed cap and 'tache was Hector Frater - his tricks were just as dastardly as Lloyd's, but whereas Lloyd did his dirty work quieltly with one elbow in the cab window ledge Hector was as openly outrageous as could be, but was also a real toff. incidentally, I have to say that there was an equal amount on "hanging back" by the 23/77s on Leeds and Bradford Road - the view over the Abbey fields was like manna to those so inclined In these days where viscious racism sadly still abounds, isn't it nice to have known such great guys and shared in their humour.Just finally for now I must tell of an experience I once had myself when a driver. Enthusiats will know that Leyland PD2s numbers 301 - 310 at Bramly were the only examples of the type ever made, other than the 2,000 specially built for London Transport - air operated pre-selector gearboxes like the Mk 3 AEC Regents. well, the time came when pnly two remained in service and were due off any day. Desperate to have a go in one I booked a piece of teatime overtime out of Bramley just on the off chance. Going to the output sheet with my board my heart sank - very deep. 873 - a beastly little Mk 5 AEC of OURS at Headingley which must have landed at Bramley for some reason - I always loathed the rolling little beasts with their top speed of around 30 mph and we had loads of them at Headingley - they needed a steroid injection to get up Kirkstall Hill to the Merry Monk, or any other slope for that matter. To rub it in the two Leylands were standing nearby just begging for me to mis-read the output sheet, but that would have been very foolish of me as they just could have been defective or withdrawn. So I went in pleading mode to the shift foreman - can't remember who it was but when I explained he grabbed his pen with a kindly smile, made two quick alterations and said "OK take 307 then." It was an enjoyable little board - private to Barnbow, Barnbow to Halton Moor, 54 Halton Moor to Bramley Town End (swinger) and in. Terry will have been familiar with the type already as Sammy's had five of them (ex London Transport) at Armley right up to the West Yorkshire/LCT. takeover. Thanks Blakey ,you have stirred some great memory's here. I can remember doing the same board from Barnbow with a driver. Unfortunately I was not as keen on bus types as you obviously were and cant really recollect what buses were which,although I did like the AEC backloaders ,they seemed to have a bit more umph about them! I remember "guarding" Hector on a Sov.St showup that we were given from time to time I was with him for a full duty on the dreaded Dewsbury Rd routes. I dont think I,ve ever taken as little money as I did that day, and your right he was a real toff! I haven't seen Arthur Buckle since I left so it will be nice to see him in April. Of course, as you mention that 23 and 77 drivers were all guilty of pushing a 50 if we could get away with it! When I look back I think some drivers were not in business to provide a service to the public,rather they were there for their own amusement and to do as little as possible.