Re: Hawthorn Depot.

IS Edit
Sunday, March 3, 2002 9:24 PM

Nice one, Peter.

Even I watched my Ps and Qs when those guys were aboard. Matter of professional pride. heheheheheheheh

I guess they had developed more of a sense of humour by the time I did my tram driver course. On the final morning at about noon they read off a list of names, I think the ones they announced had passed the course, so far, and would come back after lunch for the final bit. The others had to return to their depots on the bag. As soon as they said the first name, I got up and walked out. The guy said, don't you want to know if you passed? I said, if I didn't pass you're going to have to go out in the street and fire 80% of your drivers. And kept walking. Had a good time with those guys that afternoon. The tram trainers were good

Once I got to buses, though, I didn't give a shit whether a trainer got on my bus or not. I could run rings around them, and with buses, and trolley buses and trucks and road-trains etc etc. They had no grounds for criticism.

More discipline is required for trams, and there are more things which can really screw up like rear-enders. No room at all for complacency. Oh, and more management brains are required as well.

Bob Murphy

----- Original Message -----

From: demondriver44

To: [email protected]

Sent: Monday, March 04, 2002 3:33 AM

Subject: [TramsDownUnder] Hawthorn Depot.

When you signed up with the M&MTB you first of all had an interview and a cursory medical at 616 Little Collins Street and you were issued with a Conductors Manual,a duster and a ticket to take you to the Hawthorn Clothing Store where you were fitted out with three shirts[with detachable collars in my first issue],a cap with badge,a cap number[767 which I still have],a tie,a belt,a tunic coat,a pair of uniform trousers and a greatcoat.The jacket and trousers were blue serge and the greatcoat was woolen,the trousers had the red piping stripe down the side,it was a nice looking uniform.The connies school was at Hawthorn Depot in those days too,it was no longer a Running Shed,so you came back there on the next working day for two days training and then went to your allotted depot for five days with a trainer and then you were out on your own,for me this all happened in December 1966 and I was back there in April 1967 to train as a driver in the classroom and on the skeleton of 316,it had spur gears and as Murph said it made a racket.Mal,I love the coat and hat rack on the wall alongside 316,those old fellas who ran the school had the cushiest jobs going on the old M&MTB,two names I remember Clarrie Inman and Wilbur Wright,those blokes wouldn't go out the door without the hat.After you went out as a driver they'd follow you up periodically,you'd be all a-tremble if you spotted one of them waiting at a stop for you,it was worse if you only spotted them in the mirror,getting off.If everything was OK,he'd walk past the front with a nod and a"Morning driver"and you'd breathe a great big sigh of relief,only in later years did you realise what a raw young bugger you were then,and how those old timers could see right through you.Mal,more tram tickets please.Regards to all,Peter Bruce.

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