Blake - British Buses 1967

First published in Great Britain in 2015 by
Pen & Sword Transport

An imprint of Pen & Sword Books Ltd
47 Church Street, Barnsley South Yorkshire S70 2AS

Copyright James Blake 2015

The right of James Blake to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him
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ISBN: 978 1 47382 717 2
EPUB ISBN: 978 1 47384 278 6
PRC ISBN: 978 1 47384 277 9

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CONTENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J im Blake was born at the end of 1947, just five days before the Big Four railway companies, and many bus companies including London Transport were nationalised by Clement Attlees Labour government.

Like most young lads born in the early postwar years, he soon developed a passionate interest in railways, in particular the steam locomotives still running on Britains railways in those days. However, because his home in Canonbury Avenue, Islington was just a few minutes walk from North Londons last two tram routes, the 33 in Essex Road and the 35 in Holloway Road and Upper Street, Jims parents often took him on these for outings to the South Bank, particularly to the Festival of Britain which was held there in the last summer they ran, in 1951. Moreover, Jims father worked at the GPOs West Central District Office in Holborn and often travelled to and from work on the 35 tram. As a result, he knew many of the tram crews, who would let Jim stand by the driver at the front of the trams as they travelled through the Kingsway Tram Subway. This was an unforgettable experience for a 4 year old. In addition, Jims home was in the heart of North Londons trolleybus system, with route 611 actually passing his home, and one of the busiest and complicated trolleybus junctions in the world, at Holloway, Nags Head, a short ride away along Holloway Road. Here, the trolleybuses overhead almost blotted out the sky. Thus from a very early age, Jim developed an equal interest in buses and trolleybuses to that in railways, and has retained both until the present day.

Jim was educated at his local Highbury County Grammar School, and later at Kingsway College, by coincidence a stones throw from the old tram subway. He was first given a camera for his fourteenth birthday at the end of 1961, which was immediately put to good use photographing the last London trolleybuses in north-west London on their very snowy last day a week later. Three years later, he started work as an administrator for the then London County Council (LCC) at County Hall, by coincidence adjacent to the former Festival of Britain site, and travelled to and from work on bus routes 171 or 172, which had replaced the 33 and 35 trams mentioned above.

By now, Jims interest in buses and trolleybuses had expanded to include those of other operators, and he travelled throughout England and Wales between 1961 and 1968 in pursuit of them, being able to afford to travel further afield after starting work. He also purchased a colour cine-camera in 1965, with which he was able to capture what is now very rare footage of long-lost buses, trolleybuses and steam locomotives. Where the latter are concerned, he was one of the initial purchasers of the unique British Railways Standard Class 8 Pacific No 71000 Duke of Gloucester, which was the last ever passenger-express locomotive built for use in Britain.

Other preservationists laughed at the group which purchased, what in effect was, a cannibalised hulk from Barry scrapyard at the end of 1973: but they laughed on the other side of their faces when, after extensive and innovative rebuilding, it steamed again in 1986. It has since become one of the best-known and loved preserved British steam locomotives, often returning to the main lines.

Although Jim spent thirty-five years in local government administration, with the LCCs successor, the Greater London Council (GLC), then Haringey Council and finally, literally back on his old doorstep, with Islington Council, Jim also took a break from office drudgery in 1974/75 and actually worked on the buses as a conductor at London Transports Clapton Garage, on local routes 22, 38 and 253. Working on the latter, a former tram and trolleybus route, in particular was an unforgettable experience. He was recommended for promotion as an inspector, but rightly thought that taking such a job with the surname Blake was unwise in view of the then-current character of the same name and occupation in the On the Buses TV series and films, and so declined the offer and returned to County Hall.

By this time, Jim had begun to have his transport photographs published in various books and magazines featuring buses and railways, and also started off the North London Transport Society, which catered for enthusiasts interested in both subjects. In conjunction with this group, he has also compiled and published a number of books on the subject since 1977, featuring many of the 100,000 or so transport photographs he has taken over the years.

Also through the North London Transport Society, Jim became involved in setting up and organising various events for transport enthusiasts in 1980, notably the North Weald Bus Rally which the group took over in 1984, and has raised thousands of pounds for charity ever since. These events are still going strong today.

In addition to his interest in public transport, Jim also has an interest in the popular music of the late 1950s and early 1960s, in particular that of the eccentric independent record producer, songwriter and manager Joe Meek, in whose tiny studio above a shop in Holloway Road (not far from the famous trolleybus junction) he wrote and produced Telstar by The Tornados, which became the first British pop record to make No.1 in the USA at the end of 1962, long before The Beatles had even been heard of over there. When Joe died in February 1967, Jim set up an appreciation society for his music, which has a very distinctive sound.

The society is also still going strong today.

Jim also enjoys a pint or two (and usually more) of real ale, and has two grown-up daughters and three grandchildren at the time of writing. He still lives in North London, having moved to his present home in Palmers Green in 1982.

INTRODUCTION

O ver the past thirty-five years, I have written several books on Londons buses and railways, featuring selections from the 100,000 or so transport photographs I took between 1961 and 2014. In recent times, several people have asked me if I have photographs of buses outside London. Indeed I have, since until 1968 my interest in provincial bus, coach and trolleybus fleets equalled that in London Transport (LT), and I travelled widely throughout England and Wales photographing them.