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Garages And Service Stations

We used to go to Stockland Garage to catch a coach which took us to Cornwall for our holidays. I'd have been about 5 or 6 when we first started going there by coach. We used to arrive at Stockland Garage in the night, get on board and most people slept throughout the journey. One time we had a minor accident, but the coach could still complete its journey. (Consequently I can never sleep when travelling). When it was time to return from holiday, I used to cry my eyes out. Never wanted to come home. It was all such an adventure, the journey must have taken hours, but I never remember thinking 'when are we going to get there' Viv.
 
We used to go to Stockland Garage to catch a coach which took us to Cornwall for our holidays. I'd have been about 5 or 6 when we first started going there by coach. We used to arrive at Stockland Garage in the night, get on board and most people slept throughout the journey. One time we had a minor accident, but the coach could still complete its journey. (Consequently I can never sleep when travelling). When it was time to return from holiday, I used to cry my eyes out. Never wanted to come home. It was all such an adventure, the journey must have taken hours, but I never remember thinking 'when are we going to get there' Viv.
Hello Viv
We used to leave for Newquay at 11 pm after doing our local pickups, I usually did the South Devon run but occasionally covered for Newquay. A38 all the way to Exeter then left the Devon drivers and carried on down the A30 used to get into Newquay about 8 am then out again on the return at 9 am. First stop on the way down used to be at Tewksbury cafe at 1 am and second stop at cafe maidendown cafe wellington at 5 am, great times for a young part time driver.
 
Thanks Nick. I so remember those nights arriving at Stockland Garage and waiting in the garage to board the coach. It really was an adventure. I think the coaches were a bluey-green colour, maybe with a splash of cream colour too. The seat in front of you had a chrome cigarette ashtray. How times have changed; nowadays no smoking and seat belts. Viv.
 
Hello Viv. Blue and cream with the flags on the boot lid. When we arrived at our destination on the outward journey we had to fuel up, sweep out and empty the ash trays, a great job for a non smoker especially when some kind passenger had also filled them with apple cores, all this with an hour turnaround and also take your break, good job your relief driver was waiting at Bridgewater for you. Used to be great fun stuck in the traffic jams on the Exeter bypass with the only good thing being the kids that used to sell the passengers ice creams as they also used to give the driver a free one. Nick
 
The flags ring a bell Nick. I also remember some large advertising boards - maybe advertising the places you could go to? I think they used to stand the boards in front of the coaches. I suppose there would have been a captive audience - suggestions for your next trip with Stockland Green coaches. Now you mention it, I have a vague memory of setting off in a sort of convoy. We must have got off at Newquay as we stayed a little further down the north Cornwall coast. On the coach back home, between bouts of sobbing because I didn't want to come home, I'd play with the things I'd been lucky to get on holiday. A few things I remember were a plastic Yogi Bear money box (!) and a dolls house fireplace and armchairs. Viv.
 
Hello Viv

When I did the South Devon run (1967-1970) I always used to do the Kingstanding feeder service pickup where you picked up all the passengers and brought them into Stockland Green no matter what journey they were making, many passengers were unhappy with having to change coaches when they arrived especially at 1030pm. Nick
 
Hi Zambodini,I wonder if you have the wrong garage ,the young boy in the picture is the son of Harry Bonner who owned and ran with his brothers ,Slade Road Garage,Slade Road ,opposite the prefabs not Stockland garage at Stockland Green ,who ran a fleet of coaches .
Graham

Hi GT, no I meant Stockland Green school, The boy had a blazer with the school badge on and I asked for his name in case I remembered it from when I was there.
 
I can recall old two garages in fact i can recal l three ; old jack wigorn on harborne lane ; rovermans ; on pershore rd selly park ; and old mr clews
whom had a small garage selling petrol from two old fashioned pumps on kingedwards rd ladywood and he had a ajoining shop which was a walk through selling push bikes of all brands and he w3as a cycleing champion in is hey day he was a thin snowwy haired old man whom alway wore a bobby hat
meaning a pomppom ball on the top ; he was a true gentleman and a bussiness man and he employed a mr wade whom was of a geman orinin ;
he to was a real true guy ; worked hard for mr clews and honest with it is hands was always dirty ;mr clews had a big house up on the coner of city rd and
rotten park rd ; we would always see him in is garden at wek ends ;he knew where we all lived in kingedwards rd ladywood ;and he would come to his fence and chat ; and he would say ; ; i know where you lot are going ; ; we said where ; he said scrumping we lauged and he said be careful;
old jack wighorn and family are still in bussiness jack died some years back now john his only son took over the bussinees and now they are on pershore rd selly park and nowjacks grand son his working with his father old jack would be very proud to see them together working and still keeping is bussiness alive ;
best wishes astonian ;;
 
Hello Viv

When I did the South Devon run (1967-1970) I always used to do the Kingstanding feeder service pickup where you picked up all the passengers and brought them into Stockland Green no matter what journey they were making, many passengers were unhappy with having to change coaches when they arrived especially at 1030pm. Nick

Well we must have done that Nick as we lived in Kingstanding. I don't remember getting a coach from there, but we might well have done so. I was very young, but I vividly remember the excitement of preparing for the trip a long time in advance and setting off from Stockland Green. Do you remember where the pick up was in Kingsanding? Viv.
 
Well we must have done that Nick as we lived in Kingstanding. I don't remember getting a coach from there, but we might well have done so. I was very young, but I vividly remember the excitement of preparing for the trip a long time in advance and setting off from Stockland Green. Do you remember where the pick up was in Kingsanding? Viv.
At the Circle but can't remember where but usually either a pub or agent (shop) that sold the coach tickets. Nick
 
Thanks Nick. I have a sneaking suspicion that we might have picked up the coach at the Hawthorn Rad/ Kingstanding Road junction. There was a newsagents ' Kirtons' (I think) that might have sold Stockland Coaches tickets, although not 100% sure about that. Viv.
 
I worked at Ryland garage for a while after I left school until the Suez war and fuel rationing and the work fell off so I was made redundant. Ryland was a main agent for Atkinson and Seddon trucks. As regards the photo the Citroen I think was owned by Brian Crawford and the big old Humber army staff car was owned by a salesman Tony Lister. It was powered by a Perkins diesel engine.
 
Hello Claribell, I started at Rylands in 1960 and left in 64. George Reedman, the foreman, had a V8 pilot, Brian Cranky Crawford had the Citroen, Harry, the stores manager, had a Humber sceptre, Tony Griffin had the old westminster automatic which one of the lads drove into the car section wall, Griff had the new style Westminster 110 which I bumped whilst he was in the car, Little Bill Whale had the E type and Big Bill Whale had the Bently (which Sally on the pumps washed with Swarfega so it had to be re-sprayed) When I first started in the stores at 14 a crowd of us used to go swimming at Monument road baths, we always got longer for lunch as George the Foreman used to come with us :) Do you remember having to collect your wages from the cash office and having to brave Miss Archer or did the garage foreman collect them for you ? I also remember Brian Crawford fitting a P6 into a customers Humber, took him months to do as the kit from Perkins came with thousands (it seemed) of parts.
 
It seems as though our paths must have crossed at different times, I worked on the coaches for the original Claribel coaches in1966-68, not the oufit that is running under that name now. They bought the name off Ronnie Lees daughter after Ron passed away. Harry in the stores was his name Simpson? Was John Stamps still in the stores? As regards the wages George Reedman used to get them for me. Sir Frank Griffin was a good guy but his son was a bit of a ..... shall we say I didnt like him. I know that he went on to keep The Sack of Potatoes pub on Gosta Green. A few more names John Fell, Tommy Birch, Ron Milward, Hayes, Milner the son of the owner of Milners transport of Smethwick. Did the arm of the canal still come into the workshop? Was they still reconditioning Gardener engines for Wolverhampton and West Bromwich corporation buses?
 
I worked for Ronnie Lees for about 6 months in 1970 (took over from Bob Toovy) Ron was shocked when I asked for 10 gallons of cleaner for the outdoor pit and shed before I would start work. I left early 71 (couldn't stand working outside in all weathers) and started work for Jennens in Coleshill, left there and started back with Shell at Kingsbury, moved about the country and retired early in 96. Yes Harry Simpson and John Stamp (who knew everything about spares) were in the stores when I started there, Tony Pritchard and Roger Fields in the Car section, Ted the body builder, David Kite in the HGV reception, Frankie Woodward and Johnny can you straighten my collar for me Rogers in the Syndromic section (which I hated working in) John Coop Cooper in the garage. I used to love going out on breakdowns, usually with coop, and would miss going on day release if I was working with him the day before. Don't remember the canal but certainly remember reconditioning the ex WCT Gardners. Happy days. I also worked for Colin Mann, Classic Coaches Coleshill, for a short time until I became engaged and later married his Sister, still see Colin on his visits to Cornwall.
 
Its a wonder that we never met as we both seemed to be following each other about or you following me anyway. Yes I remember David Kite and John Rogers after you reminded me. Happy days. Best wishes Clive
 
Hello Clive Another couple from Rylands John Killer Kilburn who's well known saying (I don't want to buy it only want to borrow it) still lives on and George Newman the welder who's language was the same at home as it was at work.
All the best Nick
 
Sorry Nick I dont remember those two gents, they must have started after I left.
Best wishes Clive
Hello Clive Another couple from Rylands John Killer Kilburn who's well known saying (I don't want to buy it only want to borrow it) still lives on and George Newman the welder who's language was the same at home as it was at work.
All the best Nick
 
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