February 25, 2015

Magic Bus



 As a five-year-old I had never been on a bus let alone seen a bus conductor. The chap who worked the Green Line between Chatham and London wore a disc-shaped machine at his waist that dispensed crisp cardboard tickets. An instrument of valves and keys borne bandolier-fashion over his uniform doled out correct change.  “It’s impolite to stare” my mother corrected, but I hadn’t even noticed the conductor’s hunched back and his extra big boot. For Christmas 1967 I received my own bus conductor’s kit, replete with flat cap, cheap plastic belt, a roll of tickets and a coin dispenser.





Other "on the buses"  stories can be seen at the Exquisite Corpse  - found here. http://drinkthenewwine.blogspot.ca/
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3 comments:

  1. HelsFebruary 25, 2015 at 5:56 PM

    Melbourne trams had conductors until 1990, an essential part of public transport in my opinion. Pregnant women, families with pushers, elderly travellers ... everyone valued their role.

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  2. Jenny WoolfFebruary 25, 2015 at 6:45 PM

    I saw a clip of film somewhere, maybe London transport museum, of people learning to be bus conductors, all practising turning the handle of their ticket machines. It was both hilarious and nostalgic. :)

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  3. GiuliaFebruary 27, 2015 at 11:50 AM

    I can see you now. :)

    xo/Susan

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