Bus routes

Not sure what other people found in their youth and going into town on the bus. Born in 1944, in Sewall Highway, Wyken. First bus trips to town, would have probably been to go to Saturday morning pictures at the Gaumont. About 1953/54 time I would guess. In town, one would see all these buses with the destinations on. At that time they could have all been foreign places, as they meant nothing to us at that age, maybe 7/8 ish. Would have only known Wyken, where we lived, Stoke Heath, where we went to school, that would have been about it.

Slash you pre-date me by 4 years but living between the Ansty and Belgrave Roads gave a choice of the No. 6 or 4. I don't recall the No. 4, Wyken stopping in Belgrave Road when I started school at Richard Lee on 30 April 1953. I left before the summer because of polio and could not walk far at first. I don't think the No 4 was available then?? I remember the No. 6 was marked as "Bell Green", "Lenton's Lane" or "Walsgrave" but I never ventured beyond the "Pippin" or Arch Road on a bus. I can't recall ever taking a bus other than the 4 or 6 with or without my parents. Occasionally, I would visit some friends of my mother by catching the Midland Red to Ansty at the "Pippin". I would venture briefly into your territory on occasions when accompanied by friends from Briton Road School by walking the length of Avon Street and Torcross Avenue. Visits to the City Centre took place most Saturdays and I can remember some features of Smithford Street, Rex and Barracks markets before the Upper Precinct etc.. But as you say, the remainder of Coventry districts were foreign countries where I feared the natives might be unfriendly.

I suspect that the Number 4 started at about the time that Caludon Castle School opened. About 1954, I think. We used to often catch our No.7 on Ball Hill, and all of those buses would go by us, certainly I. The early days I do not recall a Number 4. Interesting, what happened to bus numbers? Why had there never been a Number 4 previously? I cannot recall a Number 5, either? Any answers or suggestions as to where that was?

Wasn't No 5 Canley ?

Is that the case, currently, or has the bus numbering system changed completely?

In my youth, the mid 1950's, the numbers went up to Number 21. The Number 22, which originally went from The Wheel pub on Sewall Highway to Willenhall, started about 1956/57 time, I think. Any better ideas? After a short while it got extended to Old Church Road. Was that the last new bus number?

The 5 and the 5A used to go to Coundon.

The 18 & 18A went to Canley. I can't remember which way round, whether it was the 18 or 18A, but one went via Prior Deram Walk and the other via Canley Road and crematorium.

The 18A was via Prior Deram Walk and the 18 was Canley Road and the Crem. Both buses had to cross the A45 at that time!

Indeed they did Mick, a somewhat precarious manoeuvre even in those days.

The 23 used to go to Allesley Park, that must have been in the 60s. I know I used to have the option of the 7, 10, 1 and 23 to get home from school (Barr'sHill 1965 onwards) and the 11 and 5 at a pinch if I could be bothered to walk a bit further.

There's a complete list of the bus routes that were operated by the Corporation up to 1974 here incuding the changes over the years

The 21 used to go to Dodge City terminus, aka the Live and Let Live pub in Wood End. Long gone are the days when the conductors used to shout out the next stop just before it got there, not like these days when you barely get a grunt out of the Driver/Conductor.

We lived in a council house on Beake Avenue and my aunt's family lived in a flat in Wood End. My mum and dad were waiting for our house to be finished in Coundon so for 6 months, after we officially swapped homes, I rode the bus every day to Christ the King school, changing buses in the city. I was a very independent kid and roved around on foot a lot but if parents let a 10/11 year old do that today they'd be in trouble. Different world.

Correct. My bus from school was the 18, near the Phantom Coach. One day, the destination plate said 18, but it went the 18A route by the shops, quite a long walk back home for a little lad.