Re: Block cars
rosterclerk1971
Wednesday, August 21, 2002 10:29 AM
I have vivid memories of Chapel St when I was a driver at Glenhuntly
from 1968 to 1971.
Back then the two notorious days of the year were "Black Thursday"
(Easter Eve) and Christmas Eve, particularly if Christmas Day was a
Thursday and Boxing Day on the Friday. Easter was far worse as most
of the shops were closed until Easter Tuesday, and the Banks until
the next day.
I was unfortunate to work Chapel Street during the PM peak on both
Black Thurdays whilst at Glenhuntly. Incidently back in those days
Glenhuntly ran route 77, and Kew 78/79.
What happened on both occasions was a Block car operated from Prahran
from about 1100am until whenever. The Inspector on duty in the signal
box at Batman Avenue when things started to deteriorate would pull a
service car off the road and operate it as Block Car, usually until
the time of the crews last trip about 600pm or after.
On the first occasion this was me, and I distinctly remember on one
trip I got as far as Toorak Road, (about a 15 minute trip) before
seeing the first City bound car. I then had a proccssion behind me
all the way back to Batman Avenue. It took six trams to run the PM
peak service, and I think on that occasion it really required more
than one Block car.
When I returned to the Depot I found that on that trip in particular
all 12 77's and 78's were between Toorak Road and Dandenong Road.
The second time I was doing the usual 3 round trips, and apart from
the first and last trips to and from Prahran I never saw Batman
Avenue or Prahran at all.
Happy good old days.
Barry George
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from 1968 to 1971.
Back then the two notorious days of the year were "Black Thursday"
(Easter Eve) and Christmas Eve, particularly if Christmas Day was a
Thursday and Boxing Day on the Friday. Easter was far worse as most
of the shops were closed until Easter Tuesday, and the Banks until
the next day.
I was unfortunate to work Chapel Street during the PM peak on both
Black Thurdays whilst at Glenhuntly. Incidently back in those days
Glenhuntly ran route 77, and Kew 78/79.
What happened on both occasions was a Block car operated from Prahran
from about 1100am until whenever. The Inspector on duty in the signal
box at Batman Avenue when things started to deteriorate would pull a
service car off the road and operate it as Block Car, usually until
the time of the crews last trip about 600pm or after.
On the first occasion this was me, and I distinctly remember on one
trip I got as far as Toorak Road, (about a 15 minute trip) before
seeing the first City bound car. I then had a proccssion behind me
all the way back to Batman Avenue. It took six trams to run the PM
peak service, and I think on that occasion it really required more
than one Block car.
When I returned to the Depot I found that on that trip in particular
all 12 77's and 78's were between Toorak Road and Dandenong Road.
The second time I was doing the usual 3 round trips, and apart from
the first and last trips to and from Prahran I never saw Batman
Avenue or Prahran at all.
Happy good old days.
Barry George
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Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/