Local Transport

[Archivist]

From: Sandra Glover
To: threetowners@topica.com
Sent: Friday, September 22, 2000

Hi all, many years ago when my cousin was working on the Arran ferry as a summer job, I used to go down to the harbour to watch the boat come in and catch a quick chat with my cousin. On one particular day the ferry came in through the break water and was approaching the dock when a loud voice was heard over the tannoy saying " Are there any scones left, I asked for one and jam to go with my tea when we were leaving Arran ". Everyone on the boat were in fits of laughter. The vessel was the ' Isle of Arran '
I also met Billy Connoly on that boat and he was a very nice man, very funny.
Regard to all
Sandra


From: "J.F-Smith" <jferg@xx.co.nz>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2000

My Father was a Signalman on the Railway and we lived for a time half way up the Beattock Summit incline at a place named " The Greskine" We were moved there by loading all our goods & chattels by a small shunting engine and a wagon.. I gues I was about 8,9 years old at the time.
Every Saturday an engine with one passenger coach used to stop at all the small places like this and bring in the " Railway Families from up and down the line to Beattock Station where we would then get the small train to Moffat town. And of course reverse the process later on that day. We Children thought of it as a great adventure.
However this was relatively short lived as the good Doctor Beecham cut/ closed all the so- called non profit Branch lines and eventually the B " Beattock for Moffat" Train ceased operations. I still have my ticket for the very last trip on the Beattock for Moffat train. Cost-4 pence! It used to be a very popular wee one coach train with tourist Holiday-makers) going to Moffat to take the Waters. Horrible smelling sulphur tasting from a well just above the Town of Moffat. Which incidentally was used in Roman times as a health cure. My guess was that if you could swallow it you had to be healthy or on your last legs!!!

Mind you our greatest adventure my sister and I had was getting the wee train to Beattock and then the Express to Glasgow Central walking across to St. Enoch station and - Oh the pleasure of anticipation- a train to Stevenston to stay with our favourite Aunt and Uncle up Kerelaw road. We had marvellous times going tae Salcoats beach and open seawater pool, picnics on the Stevenston beach and doo tae Ardrossan harbour tae watch the boats. A trip on the highly varnished boat out of Saltcoats harbour it's name never forgotten it was called the " Spindrift" does anyone recall this boat?
John


From: "Margaret Lyons" <lyons@xx.com>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 23, 2000

John,
I remember saving my pocket money to go for a 4penny boat ride round the bay from the quay in Saltcoats. We did not tell our mothers!

I also remember one time , when I was about 14 or 15 , coming back from a week-end on Arran with my sister, getting on the wrong train at Ardrossan. Instead of South Beach, first stop was Paisley Canal. I wanted to pull the cord but my sister had more sense! At Canal st. Station the porter wrote "overcarried" on our tickets and sent us back to Saltcoats. I ended up "standing under the clock" in the school corridor for being late.

I think the Arran boat at that time was either the "Marchioness of Graham" or the "Glen Sannox". There used to be an early crossing on Mondays for week-enders. Those were the days! I think Arran is one of the most perfect places on Earth.

Margaret


From: "Betty Woodland" <bettywood@xx.net.au>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 23, 2000

Yes John, I remember the Spindrift, I often took a sixpenny sail on it. I was always "doon the watter"

I used to take the Clyde Coast bus to Largs to meet up with John, they were probably the oldest buses in the area, they were so slow.

I loved going to Glasgow and getting off at St Enoch's Station, which always smelled very smokey, it always seemed to be a special occasion because it was usually for a special reason like buying a "rig out" or going to the circus or a pantomime. I can remember the double decker trams in Glasgow, and the underground.
regards Betty


From: "Hugh McCallum" <hewmac@xx.com.au>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2000

I'm pretty sure that the A1 Bus Service started going round the Ardrossan housing scheme in 1953 when that big truck fell through the Cabin Brae's Ardrossan to Largs Railway line Bridge. The A1's Kilmarnock bus service had no option but to turn right from Parkhouse Road up McDowall Avenue then via Beggs Terr. Stanley, Dalry and Eglinton Roads was able to continue the normal route from the top of Glasgow Street. Don't recall what the SMT Bus Service did at that time. They might have commenced their Kilmarnock route from Sorbie Road or was it from Montfode Drive? Not sure on that.

After the bridge was repaired the A1 Kilmarnock route reverted to normal while another service continued round the scheme and the route was listed as Via Beggs Terrace to Shore Road (Stevenston).

Hugh McCallum


From: "David Young" <david@presto1.xx.co.uk>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2000

Hi folks,
On a recent visit to Saltcoats I was disgusted to find that they still allow smoking on the buses. This is a habit that has long since been outlawed in London, and all over the world in fact, with a fine of £100 to £1000 for offenders. Although an ex smoker
myself, I was still able to go on the buses in London and endure the journey till I got to my destination before having a fag. I remember the old green AA buses that went to Largs. and the red Western buses that went to Glasgow. Have they disappeared now or what?
David Young.


From: "Hugh McCallum" <hewmac@xx.com.au>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2000

It was an awesome white knuckled experience for our children on our first visit to sit in the front seat upstairs in a double decker and head to Stevenston. Specially that hilly winding section of road from Saltcoats Railway Station to Canal Street. We don't have double deckers here on the public transport - too many low bridges.

Hugh McCallum


From: "mildred grant" <mildred73@xx.net>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2000

Hello folks,
my biggest memory of public transport is going on the new england and springvale buses, especially when we got to the war memorial and the bus went up over the hill towards the old public school, i was always afraid of the bus being over weighted at my side and tipping over onto the railway.i will also never forget some of the conductresses on the A1 buses they were so made up with make up that they resembled barbie dolls. A scottish author called Andrew O'Hagan has written a few books about the local area and described a conductress so well that you knew exactly who he was talking about. As my father has an irish accent we used to plead with him to get the bus from canal st, to the station, not because we didn't want to walk, but we wnt into fits of laughter when he asked the conductress for a six and two trees.


From: "Anthony McGuire" <mcguire@xx.tele.dk>
To: "ThreeTowners" <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2000

Mildreds comments about her father's accent reminds me of the story about the two unemployed Irishmen who wher walking through a forrest one day. They came to a saw mill and noticed a sign outside with the following advert 'TREE FELLERS WANTED, apply within'. Pitty there's only two of us said the one to the other otherwise we could have applied for the jobs....... anyway about the public transport the only vivid memory I have of busses was the time in the mid fifties when Pringles garage at the bottom of Raise St/Kyleshill went on fire. I remember vividly the black smoke and stench and watching as two A1 busses in for repair or garaging were being burnt to a cinder. A1 Busses weren't my favourite as they were the ones that freighted us back and forth to school in Irvine. Ugh!

regards from Denmark
Tony


From: "Hugh McCallum" <hewmac@xx.com.au>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2000

I think I'd be right in saying the "Clyde Coast" buses were the ones that did the tours including the mystery tours. How often have you heard of someone going on holiday to Saltcoats booking a mystery tour and ending up back where they came from - did it every really happen?

Anyway I think you could make your bookings for the tours at A.T. Mays in Hamilton Street and I seem to recall this company has a very distinguished past going back to the late 1800s think they might have brought trippers by the boatload from England back then as road transport at that time was poor. That came from a dark corner of my mind but can't remember where I read it!

Hugh McCallum


From: "TLHanlon" <tommy_h_mentor@xx.net>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2000

Hugh,
You are correct in saying that Clyde Coast did the mystery tours. I did quite a few of them myself although I don't remember anyone mentioning that they were back where they belong but it could very likely have happened. I think that Clyde Coast started only about 50 Years ago as I recall. I spent 16 happy years working for them from 1977 until 1993 and I can tell you that I have been to places that I never thought I would ever see ie. America, France Germany .Holland, Italy Belgium, Austria Yugoslavia and of course all of the U.K. I could probably write a book on the people that I have met in my travels but that's another story.
Regards
Tommy Hanlon
Cleveland Ohio
U S A


From: "Sandy Cowans" <sixcowans@sixcowans.xx.co.uk>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2000

I remember being on one of the buses that were open at the back (like the London ones) . I was with my mum I must have been about 3 yrs old . We were getting ready to get off on Eglinton Rd. Mum asked an elderly lady sitting on the high seats at the back of the lower deck , to hold my hand . Mum was trying to get my push - chair out of the luggage compartment . The lady did hold my hand but just as the bus stopped .She let go of me and I fell right off and landed on the road . I must have been all right , don't remember any injuries . Gave mum a scare though.

Karen.


From: "J.F-Smith" <jferg@xx.co.nz>
To:<threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2000

Dear all...
I well remember trying to stay up front tae keep warm on the single decker A1 Buses where the driver was in a wee sorta cabin space as there was a big round chrome heater with mesh on the front of it. Wasn't easy as there was always a rush tae get roon'it.Anyone ken what ah mean/ recall this?

John


From: "Anthony McGuire" <mcguire@xx.tele.dk>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2000

If things had improved by the time I started at St Michael's then they must have been pure h... while you were there. Then maybe you weren't under the guiding light and supervision of the late Sister Pauline, or her henchman Sister Gabriel (Gabby as she was more affectionately known by us inmates) not to mention Mary Celeste and many more. Yeh I was there between 54-56.They were probably the same buses as you travelled on a bit earlier on. You're right the best thing that ever came out of Irvine was the road home to Saltcoats or any other of the 'Three towns.

Regards
Tony


From: "TLHanlon" <tommy_h_mentor@xx.net>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2000

Tony ,
I wish that I could put a face to your name as we were at St Michael's at the same time. Actually it was not really that bad the only teacher that I had a problem with was Mr. Mullen (history) other than that it was okay (easy to say now)
Regards
Tommy Hanlon


From: Bernard Walsh
To: threetowners@topica.com
Sent: Friday, September 29, 2000

Hello there

Having eavesdropped on the correspondence for a few months now, I've decided it's time to put 'finger to keyboard'
My childhood memories of local transport are of the buses leaving ICI after the day shift. When the station gates closed the buses queued all along Shore Road, Caledonia Road and up Lundholm Road almost to the 'White Gates' (there's a phrase that might bring back memories), a distance of nearly 0.8 miles (I've just come back from measuring it). Usually the reason for the delay was the train, which had just left the ICI station, had arrived at Stevenston Station. Rumour had it that the buses raced to beat the train to the station!
Talking about the 'White Gates', what about the bus destination "Stevenston Pillar Box", that always amused school friends from Saltcoats and Ardrossan.

Another memory was of the bus to Ayr. We always prayed that when we got to Prestwick there would be an aeroplane coming in. Then the bus would have to stop at the runway junction and we could see the plane close up. Unfortunately, I only remember this happening once.

Bernard Walsh