Picture(s) of the day....

[white exec]

That was quite some local history page, Derek.
The 1912 school class photo I found quite moving - social history written all over the faces of the kids - and the staff.

Yes, the Trolleybuses were amazingly fast, and could out-accelerate the RMs iirc - and certainly without the dreadful lurch from 1st to 2nd on the auto 'boxes. Drivers eventually took to doing the 1-2 change manually, and then letting the 'box do its auto stuff after that. Electric traction was always clean, fast and quiet, as we are now re-discovering.

[Stonehopper]

Social history. That was Dad's class. He told me the story of him arriving home one day with 'homework'. Granddad said: "What you got there boy?" "Homework" Dad said. "No you haven't!" said Grandad. "You do such work at school. At home you do domestic chores and help Mum". He never came home with 'homework' again.

I never got to drive the auto boxed RM's, but rode in many. The changes were awful. Generally, drivers were instructed to pull away in second gear, only using first for hill starts or when fully loaded. This was true for the pre-selected RT, RF, RLH as well as the semi auto boxes on the RMC, AN, and Leyland National. Similarly on the Guy Special with its 'Chinese' gear pattern and crash box. I got to drive one when in private ownership around 20yrs ago, great fun, not much in the way of brakes though! First was a bit of a 'crawler' gear. Mind you - with a fully loaded RT leaving Apsley Mills at lunchtime for Highfield, The climb up Adeyfield Road was all in first! Eight minute stand at Highfield, and then the return journey, picking up all the same passengers returning to the Mills for the afternoon stint.

Ready for duty on the 706 out of Tring garage, early seventies. Up to Aylesbury, turn, back down through Tring, Watford, Edgware, London Victoria, Streatham, Croydon to Chelsham and meal break. Return to Tring, pay-in and sign off.

[mickthemaverick]

Every possibility you chauffered me on the 706 Derek. I used to bowl in a league at Edgware Bowl and used the 706 from Watford Junction to Edgware every Saturday from 1971 to 1976 when I changed Saturday routine to playing snooker in Watford in the morning and playing football for the works team after lunch, bowling went to Thursday evenings at Hemel Hempstead. Great memories from those days including table tennis on Wednesdays, fishing matches on Sundays at Kings Langley Anglers and football training on Tuesdays, which all gradually diminished after I married in 73 and started our family in 75.!!

[Stonehopper]

Pleased to hear it. Had some good times on the buses.

One of our favourite passengers was 'The Ice Cream Man'. The late turn which was the 'last Aylesbury' would see the proprietor of the Ice Cream Parlour opposite Paddington 'Nick', hail the coach from between stops. We'd pick him up with his several carrier bags and from one would produce a huge block of multi flavoured ice cream wrapped up in many layers of newspaper and hand it to us. This we would slowly consume en route as conditions would allow - it was delicious!

He lived in Little Bushey where we would drop him off near the Police Station there.

The 'office':

[NewcastleFalcon]

Nice scenery at along the River Tweed, and a nice crop of Bricks

Regards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

I'm getting a bit jealous of these lovely places you keep going to Neil!! You really need to stay in more!!!

[Gibbo2286]

Your mention of pre-select box reminded me of one of our mechanics, Jeff, the company took over another business together with its staff, Jeff was a really good mechanic but he liked a drink

He only lived a few hundred yards from the workshop and used to go home for lunch stopping on the way at two pubs.

Our boss who was a strict Methodist strolled into the workshop one afternoon stood a bit close and said "Have you been drinking? " Jeff said "Yes, had a couple at lunchtime."

Boss said, "Go home and come back on Friday for your cards and your pay, cars and alcohol do not mix."

Jeff wandered over to his bench where he had a Wilson box out of a Daimler in a thousand bits and swept it off the bench into a disused pit which contained all the accumulated scrap metal.

"Sort that f-in lot then." said Jeff.

We never did.

[NewcastleFalcon]

I'm getting a bit jealous of these lovely places you keep going to Neil!! You really need to stay in more!!!

We got chauffered and lunch paid for too Mick...didnt even have to use any electricity Great day

Regards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

There's a bare patch on my back if you want to rub it in a bit more!!!

[NewcastleFalcon]

How's your Chestnuts?



REgards Neil

Well they have progressed now into little conkers

Regards Neil

[Peter.N.]

My uncle had a car with a Wilson pre selector box in the '50's, Riley RME I think.

Peter

[mickthemaverick]

I had a mate at College who owned a Daimler Lanchester with the registration number DRV 1. It was fitted with a pre-select gearbox which I believe was a Wilson too!!

[Gibbo2286]

That's right Daimler and Lanchester both used the Wilson pre-select box, don't recall any of the Riley cars with one but I don't know everything.

Bus drivers would be well acquainted with them as would some army drivers, the Daimler Scout cars, horrid things to drive, had them,

[Stonehopper]

Summer 2016, a classic car meet. The saloon has a preselect gearbox, but the make of car eludes me. Anyone recognise it?

Pity about the reflection in the side window.





And a severe case of Bugitis. Note the tow ball cover . . . .

[NewcastleFalcon]

Well the black one will be on this chart somewhere Armstrong Siddeley 1935

regards Neil