Updated on May 13th 2012.
Part 6
In 1964 I left Midland General to continue my trade as a painter and decorator, but a year later I saw an advert for coach painters at MGO,I was at that time self employed but it was not going very well so I thought I would see if they would set me on as a coach painter, they did and it proved to be very profitable for me.
As I still had my conductors license I found that they were short of conductors, some of the other craftsmen had PSV licenses and went driving on overtime, I was the only craftsman who held a conductors license so when they were short of conductors I was offered overtime. This was not to be straight forward to start with as I was going to get painters rate at time and a half witch was more than the drivers were getting and I received a bit of hostility off some of them, and they refused to go on the road with me. Black leg labour they called me as they said I was not a member of their union witch was The Transport and General Workers Union but what they did not know that my union The National Union of Vehicle Builders had been taken over by the TGWU so therefore I was not a blackleg, so they had to put with me.
One or two refused to work with me because of the wage gap but the majority worked alongside with me.
One Friday I was asked if I would work a late duty at Langley Mill, on Saturday.Working on lates put paid to my social life, but by now I was married and had a mortgage so I needed the money. On this particular Saturday I had worked overtime spraying bus chassis, so after I had my dinner I was ready for a pint so I called in at my local and downed one before driving to L. Mill.I picked up my ticket machine etc and enquired as to were I was to pick up the bus, I was informed that it was the two minuets past three F2 at Kimberley, Ilkeston bound, I had to catch the B1 to Kimberley so I thought I might as well have another pint in the pub across the road before the bus comes, (that made two). On arriving in Kimberley there was no sign of my driver, so I went into the Queens Head for another pint while I waited for the driver, when I got inside he was there. I would love to give his name but as I stated I would not name anyone but this one was a character of the highest degree. He looked at me and said, " Bloody painter," I replied "If you don't want to work with me I can always bogger off back to the depot and get paid for it". "Well at least you drink on duty so you will do for me" came his reply.
At our appointed take over time we stepped outside to take over the bus, but there was no sign of it. At 3-15 he said "I'm goin to have another drink' "They close at three" I informed him "Not for me they don't" so we had another half. (That was three and a half pints since I left home). At 3-35 the bus turned up, there was traffic jams in Nottingham because Notts Forest where playing in an important cup tie. Off we went to Ilkeston half an hour late. It was four o-clock when we pulled out of Ilkeston instead of three thirty and the bus was full of moaning passengers. (Don't forget it's always bus crews fault if nothing goes right). We had only gone two bus stops when the driver pulled up, got out the cab and went into the bookies to back a horse. More verbal abuse from the passengers, but with three and a half pints inside me I was not prepared to take much from them but they had there say and calmed down.
It took quite a bit of time too catch up on the timetable but by 6-15 we were in Broad Marsh bus station, and as we were not due out till 6-30 we found a pub and had another drink.
This became the pattern for the night, at half past the hour we would have had a drink in Ilkeston, then on the hour we would have the same in Nottingham. How he drove that bus I will never know. Feeling groggy coming out of Ilkeston at 9-30 I was ready to boff up, and I did just that, hanging off the platform going by Cosall pit, it was a good job the bus was a Bristol K type with an open rear platform.
Leaving the pub at 10-30 from Broad Marsh I did not realise just how much beer I had consumed, but some more had to be deposited on the road as we left Nottingham. At Ilkeston terminus we had a lengthy layover this gave me more time to get shut of more ale. When I got back on the bus after doing my ablutions the driver handed me a bottle of bitter "This will end the night off well" he informed me. The route we followed to the depot was the B6 and as there was not many passengers on I decided to cash up and make my way bill out. When I got to the paying in room at Langley Mill there was a few other conductors there but I kept away from them I didn't want them to smell my breath if they they would be as canned up as me.
There was no way I was going to drive home and I was not going to catch the paddy bus I as did not want anyone on there knowing I had been drinking, so I decided to walk along the canal, that was approx six miles. After saying goodnight to the rats and bogeymen I arrived home at 2-30am and to this day I think my wife did not believe I had been working.
Word got round Langley Mill that the painter was not such a bad bloke after all, indeed a few of them requested that I be their conductor I wonder why?!
Leaving the pub at 10-30 from Broad Marsh I did not realise just how much beer I had consumed, but some more had to be deposited on the road as we left Nottingham. At Ilkeston terminus we had a lengthy layover this gave me more time to get shut of more ale. When I got back on the bus after doing my ablutions the driver handed me a bottle of bitter "This will end the night off well" he informed me. The route we followed to the depot was the B6 and as there was not many passengers on I decided to cash up and make my way bill out. When I got to the paying in room at Langley Mill there was a few other conductors there but I kept away from them I didn't want them to smell my breath if they they would be as canned up as me.
There was no way I was going to drive home and I was not going to catch the paddy bus I as did not want anyone on there knowing I had been drinking, so I decided to walk along the canal, that was approx six miles. After saying goodnight to the rats and bogeymen I arrived home at 2-30am and to this day I think my wife did not believe I had been working.
Word got round Langley Mill that the painter was not such a bad bloke after all, indeed a few of them requested that I be their conductor I wonder why?!
Part 7.
I hope that the previous chapters have not gave you the impression that I was anti passenger, though some of them got on my wick the majority where very nice especially the young chicks that traveled on the buses but most bus crews had trouble now and then, me being no exception. I accepted some overtime at Langley Mill Depot one Saturday, this was a late duty on local routes in and around Ilkeston on the C8 route. This route varied between Ilkeston and either Swingate or Watnall Corner.
My driver for the day was a very nice chap who had a stutter that he could not help but I hope that what happened on the last run did'nt make him lost for words. The last run on that day was from Watnall corner en route for Ilkeston.
The run early on was the usual Saturday shopping expedition for most of the passengers and the latter part was for the boozers. Ilkeston bound from Watnall Corner was a pub called The Royal Oak, attached tom the pub was a building that was known as "The Log Cabin" that had a bit of a reputation, my driver informed me that sometimes there could be a bit of trouble on the last run and he asked me to keep my gob shut as he did not want any trouble he then had bad stuttering bout, as I had had trouble on last runs on previous occasions I did not want one on this run.
The bus we had on this day was a Bristol K type with an open platform, a photo of this type of bus is shown in part one.
As time approached to the running of the last run I was begining to have the sensation of a bad dose of diarrhoea but told myself "Keep your gob shut" wishing to obey my drivers request.
As we approached the log cabin on our way to Watnall Corner a large crowd was gathering opposite the pub "S**t" I thought we will never get that lot on the bus and they looked the meanest B*****ds I have ever seen.
Turning round at Watnall Corner I set the destination for Ilkeston and the diarrhoea sensation was coming back :Kkeep your ggob shsshut" said the driver we are about to go. Ding ding I rang the bell and we set off.
When we got tom the bus stop Woosh! they all tried to get on in one lump, terrified I tried to hide under the stairs but was trapped with the sheer numbers that where getting on the bus.
We had more than the legal amount of passengers that the bus should have and the diarrhoea was getting worse, but I was not going to object, they were sitting three abreast down stairs and standing upstairs. I did not have to ring the bell for the driver to go as a passenger was playing a bell symphony on the upstairs bell.
Before I attempted to get any fares in I found out that Nottingham Forest had lost a cup match on their home ground and as most of them were supporters that made their drunken mood worse. As I barged into the crowd shouting "fares please" "Eff off" came the reply from the crowd, "I dunna blame you for not paying I chuntered "The bus is a poxed thing to travel on", then something happend "I like you" said the nearest passenger "'eres my fare" handing me his money he yawped to the rest of the crowd "this ones a good un don't give him any agro". If you can't beat them join them became my motto match language for language.
Collecting the fares on the lower deck became easy because of my new found friend and my diarrhoea subsided. I got to the front of the bus to get the fares off a couple that sat on the front seat when I noticed he had his hand inside her blouse, it seemed a shame to disturb them but at my request he paid their fares.On the opposite side of the dirty duo three people sat on the seat two civvies and a soldier, the two civvies where knocking three bells out of him,"Sorry to disturb you I pleaded but could I have your fares" One of the gorillas handed me a two bob piece " take the Generals fare as well he said and carried on knocking the poor sod about.
Phew all the downstairs fares where in and I was begining to like this if you can't beat them join them attitude, meanwhile the bell symphony continued.
Upstairs the same attitude continued with me and I was getting the fares in, it was then I first saw the bell ringer he was a dead ringer for the Neanderthal man, he was happy with the bell he paid his fare so I let him carry on. Near the front of the bus two girls were sitting whilst behind them three lads were pushing their seat hand rail forward trapping them in the seat I got the fares in and left them to it. Meanwhile a a drunken choir was giving the bus a treat by singing the filthiest song that they could blurt out, and as I knew some of them I joined in much to the joy of my new friends. When we got to Larkfields Estate some of the passengers got off, the driver had stopped at every stop because of the bell ringer. A few people got on at the Larks nest pub they were a different breed to the previous lot, those that got off bid me goodnight.
At the Stag inn in Kimberley the bus stopped and three policemen got on and thats when a load of mouthing started with them and the Log Cabin lot, the police started to throw some of them off "what do you think you are doing" I shouted at the police "throwing the trouble makers off" they replied, "there are no trouble makers on my bus" I informed them and told those that had been chucked off to get back on, and I politely told the police to get off the bus and let me carry on doing my job, this they did after I told them I had got the bus under my control much to the joy of the crowd who gave me a big cheer.
The rest of the run to Ilkeston went without incidence, the bell ringer continued with hts symphony and my diarrhoea sensation went.
Monday morning started well in the paint shop, but after a while someone from the Chief Inspectors office requested my presence. Off I went to the office opening the door sat the resident Gestapo also present was the T.G.W.U. shop steward.
"Take a seat Pestell" they said,"Dont look worried you are not in any trouble". Thank god I thought, the diarrhoea was coming back.
"Please explain to us" asked the Chief Inspector "how come you issued 122 tickets from Watnall Corner when the average is about 40 on the last run on Saturdays". "Just doing what I am paid to do to the best of my ability", was my reply". They looked at the union man and one of them commented " Ther'es alot of fiddling taking place on that run we will be watching it", "I don't think so" I butted in "I think that there was some special do at the Log Cabin thats why the bus was busy" "You may go Pestell and be more respectful to the police in the future" The police had reported me to the management the sneaky b*****ds.
All this event proved to me that the all the passengers are not all that bad even if they give the impression that they are.
PUBLISHED ON WEDNESDAY JULY 4TH 2012.
My driver for the day was a very nice chap who had a stutter that he could not help but I hope that what happened on the last run did'nt make him lost for words. The last run on that day was from Watnall corner en route for Ilkeston.
The run early on was the usual Saturday shopping expedition for most of the passengers and the latter part was for the boozers. Ilkeston bound from Watnall Corner was a pub called The Royal Oak, attached tom the pub was a building that was known as "The Log Cabin" that had a bit of a reputation, my driver informed me that sometimes there could be a bit of trouble on the last run and he asked me to keep my gob shut as he did not want any trouble he then had bad stuttering bout, as I had had trouble on last runs on previous occasions I did not want one on this run.
The bus we had on this day was a Bristol K type with an open platform, a photo of this type of bus is shown in part one.
As time approached to the running of the last run I was begining to have the sensation of a bad dose of diarrhoea but told myself "Keep your gob shut" wishing to obey my drivers request.
As we approached the log cabin on our way to Watnall Corner a large crowd was gathering opposite the pub "S**t" I thought we will never get that lot on the bus and they looked the meanest B*****ds I have ever seen.
Turning round at Watnall Corner I set the destination for Ilkeston and the diarrhoea sensation was coming back :Kkeep your ggob shsshut" said the driver we are about to go. Ding ding I rang the bell and we set off.
When we got tom the bus stop Woosh! they all tried to get on in one lump, terrified I tried to hide under the stairs but was trapped with the sheer numbers that where getting on the bus.
We had more than the legal amount of passengers that the bus should have and the diarrhoea was getting worse, but I was not going to object, they were sitting three abreast down stairs and standing upstairs. I did not have to ring the bell for the driver to go as a passenger was playing a bell symphony on the upstairs bell.
Before I attempted to get any fares in I found out that Nottingham Forest had lost a cup match on their home ground and as most of them were supporters that made their drunken mood worse. As I barged into the crowd shouting "fares please" "Eff off" came the reply from the crowd, "I dunna blame you for not paying I chuntered "The bus is a poxed thing to travel on", then something happend "I like you" said the nearest passenger "'eres my fare" handing me his money he yawped to the rest of the crowd "this ones a good un don't give him any agro". If you can't beat them join them became my motto match language for language.
Collecting the fares on the lower deck became easy because of my new found friend and my diarrhoea subsided. I got to the front of the bus to get the fares off a couple that sat on the front seat when I noticed he had his hand inside her blouse, it seemed a shame to disturb them but at my request he paid their fares.On the opposite side of the dirty duo three people sat on the seat two civvies and a soldier, the two civvies where knocking three bells out of him,"Sorry to disturb you I pleaded but could I have your fares" One of the gorillas handed me a two bob piece " take the Generals fare as well he said and carried on knocking the poor sod about.
Phew all the downstairs fares where in and I was begining to like this if you can't beat them join them attitude, meanwhile the bell symphony continued.
Upstairs the same attitude continued with me and I was getting the fares in, it was then I first saw the bell ringer he was a dead ringer for the Neanderthal man, he was happy with the bell he paid his fare so I let him carry on. Near the front of the bus two girls were sitting whilst behind them three lads were pushing their seat hand rail forward trapping them in the seat I got the fares in and left them to it. Meanwhile a a drunken choir was giving the bus a treat by singing the filthiest song that they could blurt out, and as I knew some of them I joined in much to the joy of my new friends. When we got to Larkfields Estate some of the passengers got off, the driver had stopped at every stop because of the bell ringer. A few people got on at the Larks nest pub they were a different breed to the previous lot, those that got off bid me goodnight.
At the Stag inn in Kimberley the bus stopped and three policemen got on and thats when a load of mouthing started with them and the Log Cabin lot, the police started to throw some of them off "what do you think you are doing" I shouted at the police "throwing the trouble makers off" they replied, "there are no trouble makers on my bus" I informed them and told those that had been chucked off to get back on, and I politely told the police to get off the bus and let me carry on doing my job, this they did after I told them I had got the bus under my control much to the joy of the crowd who gave me a big cheer.
The rest of the run to Ilkeston went without incidence, the bell ringer continued with hts symphony and my diarrhoea sensation went.
Monday morning started well in the paint shop, but after a while someone from the Chief Inspectors office requested my presence. Off I went to the office opening the door sat the resident Gestapo also present was the T.G.W.U. shop steward.
"Take a seat Pestell" they said,"Dont look worried you are not in any trouble". Thank god I thought, the diarrhoea was coming back.
"Please explain to us" asked the Chief Inspector "how come you issued 122 tickets from Watnall Corner when the average is about 40 on the last run on Saturdays". "Just doing what I am paid to do to the best of my ability", was my reply". They looked at the union man and one of them commented " Ther'es alot of fiddling taking place on that run we will be watching it", "I don't think so" I butted in "I think that there was some special do at the Log Cabin thats why the bus was busy" "You may go Pestell and be more respectful to the police in the future" The police had reported me to the management the sneaky b*****ds.
All this event proved to me that the all the passengers are not all that bad even if they give the impression that they are.
PUBLISHED ON WEDNESDAY JULY 4TH 2012.