Coventry Buses - past and present

I never knew much about girls where ever they were from. I was a bit backwards in that department too!

We went to Brum too - my grandparents came from there. We went on the Midland Red, X68 route. We got off at the Greenway, and when I was very young, got on the tram to the Bordesley Green terminus. The only time/place I ever travelled on trams for real.. Incidentally, my mother had long used this route. My mother told a story that when my brother was a babe-in-arms, in 1928, she went for the bus, and missed it, with quite a long wait for the next one. A car going towards Birmingham pulled up, and the driver offered her a lift. She sort of thought she recognised him, and accepted the lift. It turned out to be Malcolm Campbell, the record breaker. He told her how glad he was to help, because he got very lonely with always driving around the country on his own. An interesting insight into the life of such a person.

Are you certain? I ask because my memory is slightly at odds with yours. When a bus was full, the conductor would sound four bells and put the strap across the platform. The driver would then only stop if signalled that people were getting off. Otherwise he would drive past the next stop. I recall the three bells signal being used if the bus was reversing. We used to get the 22 to Purcell Road, which was the terminus between the start of the route in 1955 and its extension to Old Church Road (Little Heath) in 1963. The bus had to reverse into Purcell Road to turn round and the conductor would ring three bells to tell the driver it was clear to do so. The bus would then set off from outside the Wheel pub.

Yep! I particularly remember one day, one of my contemporaries tried to ring the stop bell (1 ring), and the driver - presumably having looked in the mirror - ignored it, and carried on. The lad rang three rings, the bus did an emergency stop (depositing a lot of people off their seats,and then he came round the back, grabbed the boy, and had to be restrained by the conductor from hitting the lad. I saw the conductor/ess ring two bells before a next stop WHILST MOVING. It may be that 4 bells was as people got on, as you say. Never heard three bells for reversing, but I wouldn't argue, because I was only once or twice on a bus when it had to reverse - due to the driver taking a wrong turn, and the conductor got off, and manually waved the driver to reverse. Maybe some crews had their own system!!

If you ever go out with Ashley Wakelin (Midland Red Coaches) on one of his double deckers you will find that Chad his conductor always uses a Midland Red issue whistle for reversing duties. He positions himself behind the bus and guides the driver as to when to start and stop. A very safe system.

Hi. Like this one? Playing for weddings has its advantages other than organ pipes! Hope you like.

Love it Philip... would have loved to travel in that to my wedding reception! Getting back to your number 16 Green Lane bus I agree with my friend Tricia you can't beat a bit of retail therapy on a dull November day, so would love to hop on to our reserved seats on your bus and hit the shops. The Green Lane bus is now number 15 as I live in the area and use it most days. Planning on going to Nuneaton Market on Wednesday so let's hope I can find some Xmas bargains. Keep up the good work Philip love your pictures and also Morganas'.

I like Nuneaton street market. Always have. Pam & I were thinking of going to Telford, Christmas shopping on Wednesday, but another event may mean that plan has hit the buffers. (pardon the pun). I hope to be at your local for my old office Christmas get to gether in December. I will go on bus so I do not have to worry about the odd tipple. I think that it is fab' that you & Tricia enjoy old times like you do. Hope you have a good day on Wednesday. PS. If you travel on the 48, for the last few weeks it has used the Bedworth town ring road & picks up opposite the Savoy, not the town market stops.

Hi Philip yes I did know that about the 48 bus, ta any way. Do you mean the Burnt Post? I am having a Christmas meal up there on Friday 16th December and going there for my tea on Tuesday with a friend...very popular place !

And a maroon beret Tricia, how could you forget the beret? That was in winter. In summer it was a pink frock (actually small red and white cheques but from a distance it looked pink) and a straw boater, if I remember correctly. And if you had a Holy Day off school it was useless because your best friend didn't so you had no one to play with No comment!

I do have some school children figures, Dutchman. When we get straight & I am back into model railway work, (new year I think now) I will see what we can do with some paints. My Kirsty might like to make up the Ullathorne uniform. The entrance to the school (infants & juniors) is the far side of the bus in my pic

Apparently Philip (via Stonebridge and Meriden). There was also a 159 (via Solihull and Hampton-in Arden) and several express services with fewer stops. Midland Red Routes I never visited Birmingham by bus myself.