Glasgow Memories

Inebriation Reputation

The image of the red-nosed inebriated Scotsman seems unjustly ingrained in UK culture. Above is a postcard drawn by Isle of Wight resident artist Rupert Besley and printed by Dixons locally on the Island. Much of the "credit" for this image must go to Scottish actor Will Fyffe and a recording issued in 1929.

The record (they did not have "discs" then!) includes a monologue which would be regarded as very non-PC today, by virtue of being offensive to the Scots!

In his early interaction with the wee Scots lassie who became Mrs fbb; and has remained so for 52 years and counting, fbb did meet a slightly unsteady gentleman whilst investigating the crane on Finnieston Quay ...

... and the Clyde foot tunnel.

For some mysterious reason, the future Mrs fbb did not accompany her beloved (???) on this expedition.

Anyway, it was on Finnieston Quay where fbb met said gentleman who was at pains to adulate the local bar (long since demolished) in a slightly slurred voice whilst swaying gently in the breeze,

fbb demurred and was waved on his way by his potential drinking pal without further incident!

Decoration Fascination

On spasmodic visits, bravely crossing Hadrian's Wall, fbb took a great interest in the buses and trains of greater Glasgow.

It  seemed complicated!

Apart from Glasgow Corporation Transport ...

... which changed its colours whilst in the early days of the cosy couple's coming and staying together ...

... there were buses marked Midland, Eastern, Western and, bafflingly, Central, the latter travelling westbound passing Mrs fbb's father's shop on the Great Western Road.

What was even more strange was that some of these red "Central" buses were Bristol  Lodekka's, which fbb knew very well from ex Tilling Group member United Counties which plied the roads of his home area, Northamptonshire.

And here is a picture of one such in red (NOT Tilling red) and labelled "Central", probably going west of Glasgow.

"What", thought a curious blogger-to-be, "is it all about"?

Organisation Complication

Two names dominated "country" bus operation in Scotland. They were Walter Alexander of Falkirk and Scottish Motor Traction (SMT) of Edinburgh. Despite their different origins they were jointly owned and managed from 1929!

Here is a summary of what Wikipedia  says about Alexander.

Alexanders' Motor Services began running 'omnibus' services in the Falkirk area from a base in Camelon in 1913, and by 1924 the company was registered as W. Alexander & Sons Ltd. It was run by father and son, Walter Alexander (1879–1959) and Walter Alexander (1902–1979).

From 1929 the company was controlled by the Scottish Motor Traction Company (SMT), which had itself come under control of the LMS and LNE Railway companies the previous year. Expansion was rapid, partly achieved by acquisition. An early gain was the Scottish General Omnibus Group, which, through a northern subsidiary, took the growing Alexanders empire as far away as Aberdeen and Inverness by 1930. Expansion continued rapidly.

Although under common ownership, Alexanders and SMT maintained separate identities.

SMT grew partly through the acquisition of smaller companies. Operations were decentralised to local areas, such as Central SMT in Lanarkshire, and Western SMT in south-west Scotland (both with red buses). The east of Scotland services operated as SMT (with green buses), only later carrying the name Eastern Scottish.

The Alexander company also had regional branding, and the Glasgow area buses were blue and bore the name Midland.

We have already met a Central bus above, so herewith we have vehicles labelled Western ...

... Midland ...

... and Eastern!

Information Anticipation 

One key factor excited the youthful and as yet not too chubby one, back in those halcyon days. The four operators each produced a splendid timetable book ...

... appropriately colour coded ...

... readily available in Glasgow ** ... 

... and only four pence each!

And that's four of these pennies.

** Never found an Eastern Scottish edition in Glasgow. And the timetable books did go up to sixpence!

 

Identification Alteration

Then it all got very complicated!

But fbb will save that tale for  Monday's  blog.

  Next Variety blog : Sat 1st March 

L A, P S,+ O T (mini blog) the as far

From Dismal Grey To Delightful Yellow

Readers may remember that Los Angeles Metro metro lines B and G were "real" trains, whereas the other rapid transit routes were "super" trams largely running on reserved track.

But the trains on lines B and G were the ubiquitous unpainted aluminium stock and thus  very dull and uninviting grey.

As the lines are all under the ground, the overall look is gloomy!

But new trains are on the way/have arrived. This short video shows trains on test and, later, trains in service.

They look so much better.

The new trains now match the new trams.

L A by O T

Most UK readers will be familiar with the Big Bus open top tour brand. Likewise City Sightseeing.

These brands are on offer in LA, providing "Hop On Hop Off" circular tours of the sights of the City of Angels.

As in London, these tours are not cheap ...

... but two-day passes are also on offer.

But "Hollywood" is a big, big draw and there would appear to be many operators offering to take you to see where "The Stars" live. How these have been affected by the fires is not clear but they all keep advertising.

Many are operated by open top minibus type vehicles all painted in lurid designs.

Here the company is trying to make you think they are offering a "Star Trek through the front gate" tour.

One company provides tours in Spanish, thus dealing with the ethnicity of the city.

Some of the names and claims are very much USA-style OTT!

The chances of meeting a "celebrity" must be very small. Were fbb a "celebrity", he wound keep his head low and his gates firmly locked as the buses passed by. 

Of course the old man is something of a blogger celebrity (?) but he has yet to see open toppers slowing down as they pass fbb mansion in sunny Seaton!

Other slightly more intriguing tours will take you to the famous Hollywood sign ...

... by helicopter! Bet that's expensive.

Something slightly more out of the ordinary by bus is a "Ranch Tour" ...

... in a rugged ranch vehicle!

The company Star Line seems to be a major player, with sone weird and highly decorated motors.

This company has another fascination for fbb. It used to operate ex UK VRs! (maybe still does?)

As you can see, the buses retain right hand drive but have a door added to what was once the off side.

One of the VTs that fbb operated on the Isle of  Wight ...

... was reported as being exported to the USA. Did it make it to LA? It happened after fbb sold he company on, so he has no details.

One thing is clear if you visit LA, AND if you seek some tour bus "enjoyment", make sure you have a big bank balance!

Or you could plan your own tours on service buses and metro trains for next to nothing!

Terraforming Project

When fbb's Peterville layout was in the outside rear appurtenances of fbb mansions, the old boy created a bit of a backscene with retaining wall, trees and rolling hillside, a k a painted plywood.

This scene did not fare well outside so here is the retaining wall as installed inside.

It is a grotty mess half hidden at the back of the new loco shed section.

The rolling hills have been fettles inadequately and look awful as well.

fbb needs a proper job!

More to follow in due course!

 Next First Bus blog : Friday 28 Feb 

South Harrow - A Gaseous P.S. (mini blog)

Thanks, They're Big Tanks!

If you were flying in to Heathrow in the good old days, you would not want to collide with a huge gas holder (often erroneously called a gasometer). Because the gas holder at Southall was huge, it carried an LH label; plus an arrow - Heathrow this way.

The similarly huger gas holder at South Harrow was provided with a guide to finding NOrtholt RAF Airfield.

It was useful for the plane's driver to know which was which! The signs appeared in 1964 after a couple of embarrassing incidents when jets landed at the wrong airport!

The site at South Harrow is now a Waitrose supermarket!

But when it was making gas it needed lots and lots of coal. In some places this might arrive by canal ...

... but at South Harrow it came by rail courtesy of the Metropolitan Railway.

Trains were steam hauled, of course, and after a reverse at Rayners Lane, all the wagons had to do was to get to the works itself.

Only a small remnant of the sidings infrastructure remains ...

... with the route now blocked and, indeed, obliterated by new buildings.

The relay room, which controlled access to the sidings and its associated signals still stands alongside the viaduct north of the station.

The track plan was quite extensive ..,.

... although the above shows a simplified later layout. Obviously, the junction arrangements had to be compatible with passenger train signalling.

Sadly, there are no photographs on-line showing any of the operation within the  gas works site itself.

But we do have a timetable allowing for a possible daily service of two  round-trip trains.

Trains originated in the LNER North East ...

... and came, via the Great Central Railway to Neasden, where Met locos took over to get the black gold  across to Rayners Lane and so to South Harrow.

A Query Solved - Possibly

fbb was unable to identify this train with a caption telling us it was at South Harrow. Correspondent Alan (yet another Alan!!) offers this ...

I do not have a definite answer to your two conundrums about South Harrow so these are just my theories. The line to Rayners Lane did not open until 1910 but was built and electrified before that. It was used by the Metropolitan Railway to test some of their own trains which would have had open end platforms until they were rebuilt about 1907, Can you imagine open end  platforms and manual sliding doors today? It may be one of these trains as the District trains were painted all scarlet when new ...

... and later all dark green.

This picture is of a "gate" train showing the driving coach from 1907.

The gate on the front vehicle is at the rear. Could the original "puzzle" picture be on a one coach test train, not in passenger service?

And The Cake!

Plus the cheese from No 3 Son ...

... the pork pie from Fortnum & Mason (No 1 son) ...

.. PLUS the choccies from Mrs fbb.

There is little chance of bb becoming less f in the near future.

Tomorrow we cross back to the USA.

 Next LA PS blog : Thur 27 Feb