The Clever Pup: Magic Bus

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/

3 comments:

Hels said...: 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.; February 25, 2015 at 5:56 PM
Jenny Woolf said...: 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. :); February 25, 2015 at 6:45 PM
Giulia said...: I can see you now. :)

xo/Susan; February 27, 2015 at 11:50 AM