Owld Buses
Owld Buses
Talking about old buses in another topic, I remembered the maroon, single deckers called 'Economic'. They ran from the Pier Head, along Ocean Road, up Fowler Street, then all the way up to the Old Ship at Harton, turned left along Marsden Road, then on to the coast, turned right, through Whitburn and, I think, on through Seaburn to Sunderland. Why were they called 'Economic'? They had the same fares as the other buses. 3d from the bottom of Fowler Street to Cauldwell.
Sandy
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Economic were based in the garage at Whitburn opposite to the colliery, they had 2 routes to Sunderland the coast road and the top road via i think the nook and Sunderland road , used to get the tickets not from a machine but from a holder with all different value tickets, really low tech.
By the way we should nominate jake as the keeper of bus nostalgia, think he would accept the responsibility to keep us oldies amused
By the way we should nominate jake as the keeper of bus nostalgia, think he would accept the responsibility to keep us oldies amused
The Economic Bus Co. started as a partnership but a rift between the two partners split the company in two. As has already been stated half of the company was based across the road from Whitburn Colliery, the other half was based across the road from the Bents Cottages just before Seaburn. The names on the rear of the buses told you whether it was owned by Anderson or Wilson the two former partners. I had two close relatives worked for Anderson for many years and I used to travel on the Economic buses daily when I lived in Whitburn Village. The two routes were knowm locally as The Coast Road or The High Road.
- village cat
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Interesting stuff that baldy. Especially as I dont live far from the garage you are talking about. From my distant memory I can just about remember catching that bus as a bairn outside the Readhead Park. So they were maroon ? In my minds eye I thought they were brown. I was only about 6 likebaldy.smith wrote:The Economic Bus Co. started as a partnership but a rift between the two partners split the company in two. As has already been stated half of the company was based across the road from Whitburn Colliery, the other half was based across the road from the Bents Cottages just before Seaburn. The names on the rear of the buses told you whether it was owned by Anderson or Wilson the two former partners. I had two close relatives worked for Anderson for many years and I used to travel on the Economic buses daily when I lived in Whitburn Village. The two routes were knowm locally as The Coast Road or The High Road.
reply to village cat.
The buses were maroon but as they were never polished or repainted they always looked like a dirty brown. At the time I used them I lived just behind the Grey Horse pub in the prefabs which were demolished quite a few years back. My stepfather and an uncle used to work on the Economic buses from the Bents garage. I have good reason to remember the economic buses as I and a friend were run over by one on the Coast Road in 1960. I was lucky enough to survive my friend was not
The buses were maroon but as they were never polished or repainted they always looked like a dirty brown. At the time I used them I lived just behind the Grey Horse pub in the prefabs which were demolished quite a few years back. My stepfather and an uncle used to work on the Economic buses from the Bents garage. I have good reason to remember the economic buses as I and a friend were run over by one on the Coast Road in 1960. I was lucky enough to survive my friend was not
- village cat
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Sorry to hear that. Not all good memories of the Economic then.baldy.smith wrote:reply to village cat.
The buses were maroon but as they were never polished or repainted they always looked like a dirty brown. At the time I used them I lived just behind the Grey Horse pub in the prefabs which were demolished quite a few years back. My stepfather and an uncle used to work on the Economic buses from the Bents garage. I have good reason to remember the economic buses as I and a friend were run over by one on the Coast Road in 1960. I was lucky enough to survive my friend was not
You could say I have a family history of buses. My dad was a driver for PTE for many years, and my mams father was a driver then inspector.
The prefabs ? Is that where the newish houses are now ?
My father, who's photo is posted in the old photos section of the members gallery worked on the Shields buses from the end of the war after he was discharged from the army until about 1977. He started working on the points(pulling the switches for the trolly buses)at Laygate, Fowler Street junction and the Chi, he then started as a conductor, then trolly bus driver and finally motor bus driver until his retirement due to ill health
- village cat
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