Here is another in the series of posts I'm repubishing from the early days of the blog, which very few people have seen - in this case just 34 views. This post looks at some of my favourite vehicles from my boyhood in Kent. I do have an apology to make - in those days I had no idea about Creative Commons Licence and so none of the photos I took from Flickr have been credited. If any of the owners of the pics involved gets in touch I'll happily add credits. Enjoy.
Here are some more of my personal memories from my boyhood in Kent. I
mentioned in my previous post that the day the bus seed was sown was
when I noticed a difference in the bus. Well I thought I'd show you what
I was used to.
|
Daimler
Fleetline 6096 on my home route 20 which ran from Gillingham to
maidstone via West Malling. Note the conductor at the front. |
The double deckers on route 20 had to be low height
to get under the railway bridge at East Malling. This is still the case
at that location. It was the introduction of the newer Atlanteans that
saw the route number changed to 150/152 and termination at West Malling
although through journeys to Maidstone continued to operate on Sundays.
We still had plenty of the old Atlanteans on the route though.
|
Now driver only, Atlantean 5613 approaches Chatham bus station. |
No one can fail to note the extremely visible fleet
numbers on the roof. A bus enthusiasts dream, but there was a reason for
that. The bus station at Chatham had a camera mounted on the roof that
was so powerful it could read destination blinds 5 miles away.
Eventually it had to be taken down due to privacy issues, but I spent
many pleasant hours when on late cover as a driver playing with that
camera and could write a book on what I saw with it on Friday and
Saturday nights!
I have found some more pics of those newer Atlanteans and one in particular caught my eye.
|
5716 in Tunbridge Wells - to my knowledge the only time one of those Atlanteans was ever based there. |
That Wanderbus ticket was quite simply my life. I
remember Mum taking my brother and I out for days down to Hastings and
Brighton using that ticket. It cost £1 for the three of us which is
apparently the equivilent to £10.25 at today's value. That ticket was
valid on any bus by any operator except National Express in Kent, Sussex
and Hampshire. It later changed it's name to the Explorer ticket and is
still available today - I bought one last year which cost me £6.30,
less than an all day ticket on First or Anglian and still valid in 5
counties. It's about time the companies in East Anglia put the passenger
first for once and introduced a combined ticket so those without a free
pass can really enjoy unlimited bus travel. I feel really sorry for
enthusiasts like Cameron and Sam who can't travel around the country
like I did at their age.
It was even valid up to London
and so I could travel on these as much as I wanted, although on this
occasion it is on the Gillingham/Maidstone route which is now Arriva's
flagship route.
|
5719 at Chatham Station |
|
Here they are at Victoria Coach Station,note 5717 has the roof fleet numbers. |
|
|
Incidentally all 3 Atlanteans had higher ratio
gearboxes fitted for their London route lives which meant their top
speeds were admirably high. 70 was no problem for them in those days.
That's all for this look back - plenty more to come over the coming weeks and months.
Always very interested to read your blog, one thing I will note is that the explorer ticket actually changed to the discovery ticket after some well needed south downs national park advertisement. http://www.buses.co.uk/tickets/discovery.aspx
ReplyDeleteIt would appear the Kent/East Sussex Explorer ticket still exists, but sadly it seems that the huge area it was valid in has been discected by the Discovery Ticket. I'll have to get onto my friend at Arriva and find out exactly where you can or can't go with the Explorer ticket these days. Certainly all Stagecoach services in Kent and East Sussex, and all services contracted by Kent County Council. I'll report back.
DeleteExcellent post ! Am jealous a bit as I never had those options where I grew up it was Beccles Loddon(wednesdays only) or Yarmouth by bus or if I fancied the walk Norwich by train Will admit now it's easier as there are more services than I ever saw as a kid!
ReplyDeleteTim