You got on board with your Sunderland bus conductor memories

You certainly were on board when we asked for your memories of the days of the bus conductor.
We had a huge response to our appeal for memories of bus conductors.We had a huge response to our appeal for memories of bus conductors.
We had a huge response to our appeal for memories of bus conductors.

Dozens of you responded when we posted a plea for recollections on our Wearside Echoes social media page.

And what a great set of responses they were.

All aboard with your  conductor memories.All aboard with your  conductor memories.
All aboard with your conductor memories.

Irene Anne Franciosi was a conductress herself and said: “I worked on the Economic.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But it wasn’t all fun and games as early morning duties meant walking to work at 4.30am “because no buses were there”.

Thanks also go to Linda Barella who said: “Me auntie Maggie was a clippy on the buses. Used to wait at the terminus for the bus at Hylton Lane and she would give us threepence for a cornet.”

Joanne Mulholland said: “My grandad was a conductor on United” while Christina Johnston told us: “My mam was a clippy. Had fun with her ticket roll.”

Allwyn Foster’s dad was “a bus driver and worked with clippies” and she added: “My Dad was a bus driver, then a ticket inspector and he used to take me into the canteen at the Wheatsheaf.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

David Griffiths said: “My mam was a conductress with Northern for about 11 years.”

Andy Cook said: “My dad was one” and so was Linda Johnson’s mum.

Our question asked “Who remembers ... when buses had conductors.”

Bobby Adamson replied: “Yes and every one of them was a character.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Isabel Cummins said: “Yes I do,the 74 bus from Park Lane to Pennywell.”

The conversation brought back special memories for Patricia Crowe who said: “I always wanted a ticket machine for Christmas, never got one...I should’ve been a clippy.”

Thanks also to Pauline Averre who told us: “Was one guy who used to work on the number 18 from Grindon to Seaburn Camp. Always talking as if he was a bingo caller.”

Does anyone remember him and can you tell us more? Get in touch and email [email protected].

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Elizabeth Stobbart Mason said: “My sister was a clippy” while Cher Daley remembered the days of conductors “when the bus fare was 5p”.

David Forster told us: “Living in South Hylton. We had the Jolly. We had conductors.”

“Everyone one knew their names. Great times, shame we can’t get them back.”

Lynne Bostock said: “I remember. My late brother Colin Turley was a conductor for what is now Stagecoach.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Alan Fairbairn told us: “My dad was a driver and my mam a clippy when they met working for the corporation at the Wheatsheaf.” Pauline Johnson also responded and said: “My late uncle speedy was a conductor x”.

Margaret Rolfe was another to respond and said: “My brother and his wife were both conductors !”

So was Jean Nesbitt who said: “My dad Thomas Fletcher snr was one, I think was mid sixties.”

Pauline Turnock Jukes had another memory to share and said: “I remember when they didn’t have doors on the back.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

More than 80 people liked the post on social media and they included Valerie Souter, Amanda Halley, Michelle Lundy, Marie Mckenzie, Freda Fairley, Olwen Rudd, Steven Gilly Gilroy, Louise Rutter and Lilian Anderson.

Thanks also to Isabel Armstrong, Patsi Riley, Kath Russell, Alison Burnell, Margaret Taylor, Ann Storey, Christina Johnston, Mary Pinder, Dougie Carmichael and Elizabeth Burgin for their backing.

The list of likes just kept on coming and also included Joanne Armstrong, Elizabeth Mills, Christine Heatlie, Hilda Dickinson, Keith Henry and Paul Davis.

We would love to hear from more people with memories of the days of the conductor.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Or is there another aspect of Sunderland and County Durham nostalgia that you would like to share with us?

It could be anything from a favourite former store or shop, to an old pub or restaurant you loved.

Or perhaps even a favourite sporting moment from times gone by.

Get in touch and tell us more by emailing [email protected].