Kirkstall Road Bus Depot (formerly LCT Trams)

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Fri 30 May, 2008 9:26 am

Phill_d wrote: Do you know much about the Seacroft depot Blakey?? Worked there quite a bit on a "spare" basis in the early 1970s - rather a strange , bleak place which always seemed remote from civilisation so to speak In view I suppose of its location most of the crew reliefs during the day were carried out in the city centre - one notable exception being on the 45/64 services from Wortley to Stanks - the drivers for that had to wait in the open air, rain or shine, at Ramshead Hill below the depot.The actual garage and workshop was very small indeed, and most of the buses were parked in open fronted sheds around the edge of the large yard. Being purpose built in a totally "fresh" area the place always lacked the tradition and atmosphere of the older established depots. Nevertheless there were some great characters there, and one of my happiest memories, although difficult to put across in print, concerns a little rather refined elderly chap who had been a conductor but was now an offcie assistant/cleaner etc. He was a perfect gentleman and took to confiding in me from time to time. Now the Senior Inspector there (NOT your good self G) was a very noisy, brusque chap who ruled with a rod of iron but with a fair degree of "rule and law bending" if it suited him - he constantly gave the nice little chap a dog's life it has to be said. One day, when there was a real howling gale outside, he bellowed from his glass office (he never ventured out) "EDWARD !!" The little chap scuttled in and emerged a minute later looking shocked and, drawing me safely aside, said :-"He's told me to go in the yard Mr. Y. and sweep up all those leaves - I'LL DO SOME OF THEM, BUT I'M NOT DOING THEM ALL !!"I still fall about every time I think of Edward outside with his brush selecting which of the flying swirling leaves NOT to sweep up.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Fri 30 May, 2008 9:34 am

amber wrote: You will have to write a book one day. I would really love to write such a book G, but time prohibits it, and in any case there is nothing left to write now since the four magnificent volumes (LEEDS TRANSPORT) by Jim Soper for the Leeds Transport Historical Society. Volume 4, just published, is the finest of the lot, photos magnificent, and concerns "our time" right up to 1974. Well worth a look for anyone - many say its dear at £35 but I think its a bargain - you can spend that in two hours on a meal out. In any case its in the libraries and brings the good memories flooding back.

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Fri 30 May, 2008 11:13 pm

That' a great recollection about Seacroft Blakey. Those tale are priceless. I wonder if you know when the 67 route went over from the back loaders to the Atlanteans? I used to love going to town on the old buses as a boy until one day this shiny 'box' turned up. I hated the thing immediately. Everyone who got on was saying ''oh isn't this posh''? I recall the conductor saying 'yes it is, but it means I won't have a job in a few months time' Little by little my journeys to town were getting less frequent on the old back loaders until they never appeared at all

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Fri 30 May, 2008 11:48 pm

PHILL d WROTE :-"I wonder if you know when the 67 route went over from the back loaders to the Atlanteans?"Ist March 1970 Phill was "OMO" day on services 67/68 - but not with Atlanteans. Seacroft depot had only the far superior (in my humble opinion) Daimler Fleetlines although of course with the same splendid "Leeds standard" bodies by Roe of Crossgates.Just after the War, the 67/68 routes had been the home of the notorious Crossley back loaders. I never drove one, but apparently the steering on them was so heavy that it made driving them very hard work, and they were very very slow indeed.

riclam · Post by **riclam** » Sat 31 May, 2008 12:03 am

Starbuck wrote: BlakeyThis is all really interesing and despite some of the stuff I seem to be able to remember I'm not even a bus geek! I noted from another site /www.typg.org.uk/591.html that the last double door to be delivered in LCT OMO colours SUG 591M is alive and well and awaiting restoration. Pictures on the site show it in LCT, Metro and Yorkshire Rider colours. I think the Yorkshire evening post still have a ( slightly butchered) one too (DUA ***K) and I once saw one driven into a lke on telly as part of a Noel Edmonds stunt! suprisingly SUG 580M the noels house party bus was in service until 200 with a buckinghamshire independant, 473 is still with yorkshire post and 591 is still undergoing restoration, i'm a sort of memeber of TYPG. 401 still survives in france!! and some may survive in austrailia too (of the XUM/ANW batch)

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Sat 31 May, 2008 12:35 am

Really?? As early as that?? Blimey I'm surprised. I can remember this so well. I must have only been 3 at the time then.. What type of bus were normally on that service do you know? I remember the radiator grill covers they had in winter and the Jam doughnut bell push

amber · Post by **amber** » Sat 31 May, 2008 10:23 am

Crossleys. You jogged my memory Blakey. When I was a spare driver at Sov St in 1960 I was sent to Seacoft one morning and given a Crossley to do 3 Dibb Lane swingers. I only managed 2 the bus was a monster Heavy steering lightweight clutch and a very low seat even at its highest. Also your Eddie story When I went to Seacroft as S/I he thought he had been promoted as I told him not to bother knocking on my door and not to call me Mr As he had to call FP. I only stayed 6 months then went back to Sov where as S/I the garage where I had started as a Cdr 18 years before

amber · Post by **amber** » Sat 31 May, 2008 10:25 am

Crossleys. You jogged my memory Blakey. When I was a spare driver at Sov St in 1960 I was sent to Seacoft one morning and given a Crossley to do 3 Dibb Lane swingers. I only managed 2 the bus was a monster Heavy steering lightweight clutch and a very low seat even at its highest. Also your Eddie story When I went to Seacroft as S/I he thought he had been promoted as I told him not to bother knocking on my door and not to call me Mr As he had to call FP. I only stayed 6 months then went back to Sov as S/I the garage where I had started as a Cdr 18 years before

amber · Post by **amber** » Sat 31 May, 2008 10:26 am

Crossleys. You jogged my memory Blakey. When I was a spare driver at Sov St in 1960 I was sent to Seacoft one morning and given a Crossley to do 3 Dibb Lane swingers. I only managed 2 the bus was a monster Heavy steering lightweight clutch and a very low seat even at its highest. Also your Eddie story When I went to Seacroft as S/I he thought he had been promoted as I told him not to bother knocking on my door and not to call me Mr As he had to call FP. I only stayed 6 months then went back to Sov as S/I, the garage where I had started as a Cdr 18 years before

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Sat 31 May, 2008 11:06 am

Glad to hear my harsh condemnation of the Crossleys confirmed by someone with practical experience G, and as to the Eddie tale I didn't mean FP (who was he I just can't recall ??) I meant HD, he of the rancid pipe and tobacco, and "generous" interpretation of the Road Traffic Acts and Department rules !!