Transport lecture: 30 April 2002
pn1.rm
Wednesday, April 17, 2002 10:16 PM
The earlier reference to the "scruffie" appearance of many of our
tram enthusiast brethren reminded me of a humourous episode that
happened to me when I was a conductor in late 1974 or perhaps early
1975.
Keith Kings (who's delivering the lecuture on 30 April) used to catch
the route 70 tram to work. He would board at Through Road and travel
to the city (Batman Avenue). Keith always had a "dapper" appearance
and wore a suit and tie most of the time. He wore the traditional
dark grey suit, white shirt and light grey tie and looked every bit
one of the "men from Head Office". He also used to write notes using
his brief case as a "desk" much the same as people often use personal
computers today.
In fact Keith worked in private enterprise nothing to do with trams.
One morning he got on at Through Road as usual. The tram wasn't too
crowded (Keith would often pick a car that started at Warrigal Road
two stops up the road) so we spent time chatting after the fares were
collected.
At the Hawthorn Depot "bundy clock" the driver beckoned me to come
outside while he was punching the clock.
Obviously he had something to tell me.
He questioned why I was talking to the bloke in the grey suit.
I was told "You can't talk to him. He's from Head Office. He's spying
on us!".
Such was the "us and them" attitude on the trams in the 1970s.
Nothing I could say could satify the driver (who was active in the
Union at the time) of the "innocence" of my conversation so I quietly
retreated to the back saloon (where I should have been after the
fares were collected, admittedly) for the remainder of the trip.
Conductor Nicholson, 817, Camberwell Depot 1975-1974.
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tram enthusiast brethren reminded me of a humourous episode that
happened to me when I was a conductor in late 1974 or perhaps early
1975.
Keith Kings (who's delivering the lecuture on 30 April) used to catch
the route 70 tram to work. He would board at Through Road and travel
to the city (Batman Avenue). Keith always had a "dapper" appearance
and wore a suit and tie most of the time. He wore the traditional
dark grey suit, white shirt and light grey tie and looked every bit
one of the "men from Head Office". He also used to write notes using
his brief case as a "desk" much the same as people often use personal
computers today.
In fact Keith worked in private enterprise nothing to do with trams.
One morning he got on at Through Road as usual. The tram wasn't too
crowded (Keith would often pick a car that started at Warrigal Road
two stops up the road) so we spent time chatting after the fares were
collected.
At the Hawthorn Depot "bundy clock" the driver beckoned me to come
outside while he was punching the clock.
Obviously he had something to tell me.
He questioned why I was talking to the bloke in the grey suit.
I was told "You can't talk to him. He's from Head Office. He's spying
on us!".
Such was the "us and them" attitude on the trams in the 1970s.
Nothing I could say could satify the driver (who was active in the
Union at the time) of the "innocence" of my conversation so I quietly
retreated to the back saloon (where I should have been after the
fares were collected, admittedly) for the remainder of the trip.
Conductor Nicholson, 817, Camberwell Depot 1975-1974.
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
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and no minimums.
FREE Money 2002.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/orkH0C/n97DAA/ySSFAA/DiTxlB/TM
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Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/