That Reading Trolleybus ...
... may have mystified our loyal readers because it is only
one third of normal size.
Here it appears in an internet piece about the "Maypine" Trolleybus system ...
... together with an explanation.
Also on-line is this photo ...
... which may show the owner and builder of this splendid ride-in reduction.
Fortunately the interwebnet provides a fuller video explanation.
Glorious! Does it still exist?
Caversham Heights History Mystery
There are lots of places in Reading which carry the name Caversham which lies due north if the centre, accessed by crossing the river Thames.
A full and fearless expose of the estate and its current No 22 bus will form the basis of tomorrow's posting.
Today we have an infill blog as fbb has been hard at work preparing for the usual Fellowship meeting, August style.
It concerns this picture ...
... which is captioned "civilians boarding a bus in Caversham Heights in 1945". fbb cannot verify the location, but it looks about right compared with parts of the estate today.
Above we see posh 1930s style villas similar to those in 1945, but now with extra tree growth.
The 1945 caption also reveals that the bus is going to "Three Maidens" which most definitely us NOT at Caversham Heights.
The "Three Maidens" refers to a public house which adorned the highway at either Whitley or Shinfield according to on-line informants.
That is very much SOUTH of the bustling centre of Reading.
The given address of the pub, at 232 Shinfield Road, puts it well north of the M4 and thus in Whitley or Whitley Wood.
And there it is ...
... complete with appropriate sign. Below we see it in vintage gloaming; just look at the parked cars and even a bicycle left simply propped up on the kerb.
Safer happier days?
The business was rebranded as "Maidens" ...
... but closed in 2013. It became a Sainsbury's 'Local', seen from a similar angle as the pub sign picture above.
The ever omniscient internet tells fbb that this purveyor of comestibles ...
... is closed utterly ...
... and completely.
So it is not just bus companies that withdraw useful but non profitable services,
But it looks as if a replacement operator has been found ...
... requiring no subsidy from the local authority!
One bus service passes the store, route 3 branded 'Leopard".
Route 600 serves Shinfield, south of the M4. It seems a bit complicated to just pass by in a rambling blog.
At first glance it looks like a portmanteau route combining a 'normal' route to Riseley or Shinfield with a Park and Ride.
fbb is intrigued!
But fbb has been unable to confirm or refute whether Reading Corporation Transport was running cross-town between Caversham Heights and The Three Maidens in 1945.
But tomorrow we will return to today's Caversham Heights.
Next Reading Re Reading blog : Sat 1st Aug
