Coventry Buses - past and present

Who would have thought that a simple picture of buses in line in Broadgate could bring back so many memories, thank you Anne, we might have rubbed shoulders at some stage.

Thank you Anne for the photo of the buses in Broadgate. I agree with Dreamtime, it is a picture that evokes many memories. There is a lot in that photo, the buses, the Tudor (I think) buildings in Trinity Street, am I correct in noticing the top of the Hippodrome in the background, the Broadgate signpost, Lyons, Holy Trinity Church. Had it been a wider lens shot I think the 'New' Owen Owen store would be on the left. I left Coventry in 1958 to join the Royal Navy and I have only returned, not often enough, to visit family, so I hope I am not completely wrong in my take on the photograph. Seeing the line of buses though rings the memory bell.

The person laying the stones is the late Tom Rattigan who retired from Coventry Transport in the early 1980's

Thanks for posting this one, as you mention the juxtaposition of the nostalgic view of the buses and the equally nostalgic visit to the Locarno in the 1960`s is equally relevant to me. A visit to the Locarno in the early 60`s, resulted in my dancing with a young lady who agreed to meet me for a date a few nights later. The future Mrs Turner stepped off the No.2 bus from Radford, just about in the foreground of your picture. If I remember correctly we went for a second bash at the Locarno too. If I`m allowed a bye the bye. I was around when the new fleet of buses was introduced after the war, why I don`t know, but it always fascinated me that the fleet number of the bus was the same as the vehicle registration number.

They didn't all have the downstairs bench seat. I remember my bitter disappointment when I couldn't sit behind the driver

Hi Dutchman I agree, Dutchman. All ***"new"*** Coventry rear exit buses supplied after 1947 had the front bench seat. It made economic sense, not only providing extra seats by the bench, but also the cab bulkhead was positioned slightly further forward, as most of the bus electrical switchgear, battery & so on was housed inside the bench seat. *** The exceptions were the single deckers & No 99, the London layout bus. Many older buses that were rebuilt or overhauled during the fifties did not have the bench seat & had a loss of four seats in consequence.

Spotted this picture of a Maudslay omnbus outside the Council House in a book "The wonder book of inventions" early 1930's that we bought at the weekend. One of those books full of lovely old pictures and also some Heath Robinson cartoons called "Terrestial inventions A.D. 2002. I have googled this bus and found a site that would date it between 1929 and 1931.

There was a few of these when we went through my dads things, from when he drove for Coventry Corporation Transport to later when he drove for Suttons Bakeries.Did any one else have one ? I seem to remember that he used to get a pair of diving gloves or something similar with them.

Mr M House. I am not entirely sure where those pics were taken. Is that the junction, Alderman's Green Rd, Hall Green and Windmill Rds?

Now I search www.showmystreet.com I think picture is Honeysuckle Drive/Almond Tree Ave. Am I correct for once?

Thank you M H.

On the subject of ex-terminii, this is the now disused terminus for the 16 Green Lane service.

Last time I caught a bus there was 1963. Used to love to listen to the easy tickover of the Gardners and always left it to the last minute to get on the bus, a lifetime ago.

The old Ernesford Grange terminus at Langbank Avenue (near to Corpus Christi School) is no longer used by buses. In fact, that fell out of regular use at the same time as the nearby Stoke Aldermoor terminus became redundant - 21st April 1985. That is (or was) located at the junction of Acorn Street and Whitworth Avenue, both being replaced by an extension to services 3 & 4 to Binley [the terminal for the 3/4 at the time - subsequently altered several times since]. There are probably a few more abandoned ones across the city - Fenside Avenue springs to mind, the circle around Falkland Close & Curriers Close in Canley (not really a proper terminus). The Belgrave Road & Exminster Road terminal points have been built over.