Mike Wormall, Edward Simpson & Maurice Cullum
Palmers Green bus garage in north London is more than just a storage depot for London’s iconic red double decker buses. For almost 100 years it has been home to the men, women and machines that have not only carried us all around the capital, but also served society faithfully through two world wars.
Local residents probably recognise the garage on Regents Avenue, and some will know that it started out life as the Rosalie Skating Rink in 1910. But few will know that when tops were first put on double deckers in the 1920 and 30s (yes, they were all open-topped until then!), rather than look for a new home the garage’s 300-ton roof was simply raised on jacks to accommodate the new, tall fleet.
If you wondered why London’s bus drivers take part in the annual Remembrance Day parade at the Cenotaph, then this book has the answer. During World War One, buses and their drivers joined the war effort carrying rations in their vehicles to the front (including the hay and oats for the horses). During World War Two the drivers delivered coffee and doughnuts to the American Troops.
There are also funny stories which bring vivid colour to London life through the 20th century. Like the time when in 1916 one of the first female conductors was suspended for three days after she and her driver took an unscheduled stop with all their passengers to pick up a sack of fresh potatoes from a friendly farmer on route. Or when a bus driver had to stop a man carrying his new ladder home on the bus by sticking his arm out of a top deck window to hang on to it.
Locals, historians and bus enthusiasts alike will all find something to love in this book.
Three bus drivers have spent the past four years turning a scrapbook about the imposing building where they work into a published, historical tome. After hundreds of emails from all over the world, many hours and days lost in the basements of north London libraries and also enlisting the help of work colleagues they have produced their first book.
Mike Wormall, Maurice Cullum and Ted Simpson, who are in their late 50’s and early 60s, combined their skills and mutual interest in their workplace to fit together all the pieces of the Palmers Green garage jigsaw - all while still juggling the various roles of Garage Rep, Company Convenor and Branch Chairman between them for their local branch of the Transport & General Workers Union, now part of Unite.
Between them they have more than 80 years of driving buses between them, and now they have charted 100 years of local history through the eyes of the bus industry.
THE RECORDER February 1st 1912
The Motor ‘Bus
What our Horse bus Driver thinks about it
One very obliging horse ‘bus driver is very sad.
That was the impression a Recorder representative had from a conversation with him on the top of the ‘bus one day last week.
“These ‘ere motor ‘buses wont pay on this route,” he told the Recorder passenger. “Why even this ‘ere ‘orse ‘bus is never full, and many old lady passengers of mine say they won’t never ride in a motor ‘bus. They think them a jolly sight too dangerous”.
“But perhaps the motor ‘bus company won’t charge such high prices”. I queried.
“That’s just it” was the quick retort. ”If we don’t gain on it extra much by charging 4d from Palmers Green Station to Old Southgate, the motor ‘buses will be sure to lose by only charging 2d.And my word! Won’t they cut the roads up! Look at this ‘ere Cannon ‘ill. It’s soft now. What will ‘appen when the motor ‘buses come?”
