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The PFM Bus Stop

This was my favourite:

Old_Trolley_Bus_-_geograph.org.uk_-_351325.jpg


Part of the treat to visit my aunt in Glengormley was the trolleybus ride. Normal bus to Carlisle Circus and then the trolleybus up the Antrim Road.
 
I’ve just remembered for no particular reason that, in addition to the ‘Corporation buses’, there were green Crosville buses (or ‘Croggers’ as we called them) and red Ribble buses ( which we just called Ribble buses).
 
I've posted this before, but fits here too:

My father (now 82) when I was very small, responded to local advert for (Corporation) Bus Drivers wanted; applied, and got invited to the interview & test day.

A tour around the depot, the detailed anatomy of a Bus, the rights & responsibilities. A number of laps, to get the hang of it; a chat; those successful then moved straight to initial test drive under instruction in a single-decker around the town for an hour or two - and at conclusion - he received an offer of employment subject to completing training.

Dad averred; actually he was already a City accountant. He'd just always fancied a go in a bus...
 
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gintonic said:
here is a bus in Islamabad when i was working in Pakistan in Jan-Feb 1996

photo399 by uh_simon, on Flickr
Click to expand...
I spent several weeks travelling around the mountains in northern Pakistan (Islamabad to Mansehra, Kaghan, Skardu, Gilgit, etc.) on buses like that in 1984. They were usually based on a Bedford chassis with a good old fashioned 6-cyl in line that needed quite a bit periodic attention from the driver. One of the twins wheels on the back sometimes seemed a bit over the edge, but the drivers knew what they were doing. The coloured windows and knickknacks hanging everywhere made photography from the main cabin almost impossible, plus the goats and hens could get a bit invasive, so we usually travelled on the roof, with the luggage and hay. The two most exciting trips were up to Naran from Rawalpindi, and from Skardu to Gilgit along the Karakoram highway. Amazing scenery and fascinating people. The conductor knew the road by heart and would helpfully tell us about upcoming obstacles (rocky overhangs, electric wires) so we could duck into the luggage in good time. The scariest trip was the drive back to Islamabad by night: not a good idea, but we all got lucky.
 
PsB said:
I spent several weeks travelling around the mountains in northern Pakistan (Islamabad to Mansehra, Kaghan, Skardu, Gilgit, etc.) on buses like that in 1984. They were usually based on a Bedford chassis with a good old fashioned 6-cyl in line that needed quite a bit periodic attention from the driver. One of the twins wheels on the back sometimes seemed a bit over the edge, but the drivers knew what they were doing. The coloured windows and knickknacks hanging everywhere made photography from the main cabin almost impossible, plus the goats and hens could get a bit invasive, so we usually travelled on the roof, with the luggage and hay. The two most exciting trips were up to Naran from Rawalpindi, and from Skardu to Gilgit along the Karakoram highway. Amazing scenery and fascinating people. The conductor knew the road by heart and would helpfully tell us about upcoming obstacles (rocky overhangs, electric wires) so we could duck into the luggage in good time. The scariest trip was the drive back to Islamabad by night: not a good idea, but we all got lucky.
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Wish I could give this more than one like! I've read numerous accounts of travel in that part of the world and it's somewhere that really fires my imagination - the landscape, the people, the history, all of it. Sadly I suspect I'm too old and soft these days for that kind of adventure.
 
paulfromcamden said:
Wish I could give this more than one like! I've read numerous accounts of travel in that part of the world and it's somewhere that really fires my imagination - the landscape, the people, the history, all of it. Sadly I suspect I'm too old and soft these days for that kind of adventure.
Click to expand...
The landscape is a bit like a semi-desertic version of the Alps, but with everything XL. The bottom of the Indus valley is at 1500-2500m, the peaks around you are mostly 5 to 7000 m, with the odd 8000 tucked in there. Flying in a turboprop to Skardu, we had to look up to see the mountain tops. Pilots and bus drivers alike seemed very skillful (the incompetent ones must get weeded out pretty quickly). It's certainly one the best holidays I've ever had, but I wouldn't do it now. Pakistan has changed, and so have I.
 
My father's first job was as a driver on trams, and later buses in Glasgow. Told me amongst other things about the early traction control system on the trams, a bucket of sand by the drivers seat which you fed into a funnel down a chute directly onto the tracks to improve traction in icy conditions.

At his funeral some years back I met a former colleague of his who made the trip over from Glasgow to our home place in Donegal lovely man. He related a story - possibly apocryphal - about the old fellow but I'd love to believe it was true. My dad's bus got wagged down by one particularly fussy and not very popular Inspector at one of the bus stops, and got berated in front of the almost full lower deck of passengers for being at least 4 minutes ahead of schedule (as was the Inspectors style). My father - never the most docile of creatures at the best of times - listened quietly before turning to the inspector and asking "Well Inspector XXX ..tell me this now , can you drive one of these things ?" On being told no, he took off the driver's cap they had to wear in those days, leaned over and said "Well you've got about 2 minutes to learn.." handed him the cap, got out of the bus, and left.
 
martin clark said:
I've posted this before, but fits here too:

My father (now 82) when I was very small, responded to local advert for (Corporation) Bus Drivers wanted; applied, and got invited to the interview & test day.

A tour around the depot, the detailed anatomy of a Bus, the rights & responsibilities. A number of laps, to get the hang of it; a chat; those successful then moved straight to initial test drive under instruction in a single-decker around the town for an hour or two - and at conclusion - he received an offer of employment subject to completing training.

Dad averred; actually he was already a City accountant. He'd just always fancied a go in a bus...
Click to expand...

Very irresponsible. But I did the same thing when I wondered what you would need to do the join the police. Interview at home by a sergeant and a test at the police station. I needed a couple of months on the dole to do some home improvements and having an appointment to join the police kept the DHSS off my back for the required period. Needs must at times….
 
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