• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Washwood Heath bus garage

B

bode5997

knowlegable brummie
:thumbsdown:Reading thru the threads about the buses,how many Ex-washwood heath bus drivers are out there.Come on,own up,I was there in the 80's before moning across the city to another garage.Used to be a great company to work for,now totally ruined.
 
I knew someone called Tony Cole who worked there, he was a driver then became an inspector. He lived by me one time. Lost touch with him when I moved house.

Terry
 
I remember Don,i thought the bloke was hilarious at times,Ken McCormack ran the social,Phil Bird was the union guy,his brother Colin was on the road 94 service,Pat Loveday was also union rep when the union had clout.
 
It's been 20 years now, i can't remember many names. Bob Julius with his scarf, John Montgomery and his Fiat 500 come to mind.
 
You will never see the likes of these people again.The days of fun on the job have loooooong gone now.
 
My ex worked there from 1961( 56 and 26 route) until he suffered a heart attack in 1988 and was forced to retire,(John Altimas),I know of all the names mentioned here,Ken Mc Cormack was a friend from the 60s.
We lived opposite the garage.
 
Last edited:
terryb18 said:
I knew someone called Tony Cole who worked there, he was a driver then became an inspector. He lived by me one time. Lost touch with him when I moved house.

Terry
Click to expand...

I have just read your post out to Michael. He laughed so much as he also knew Tony well but had no idea he became an inspector. He had moved to pastures new by then.
 
Wendy said:
I have just read your post out to Michael. He laughed so much as he also knew Tony well but had no idea he became an inspector. He had moved to pastures new by then.
Click to expand...

I dont know if Michael knew Tony's wife Shirley, but she died while still in her 40's. I knew Shirley almost since school days. Sad loss.

Terry
 
Yes Terry Michael did meet Shirley but he left the garage in the around 1968 so only knew her in their youth. Very sad indeed.
 
Sadly Tony died a couple of years ago.

He was a great guy and I can remember him teaching me to drive when we first met in the 1960's when we were both bus conductors at Washwood Heath. I also met Shirley several times and can remember them being very fond of each other. It was a great shock when I heard that she had died so young.
 
Michael remebers there was another driver by the surname of Cole and he and Tony were often referred to as the Cole brothers although they were not related. He was sad to hear Tony had passed away.
 
He is probably thinking of Ricky and Colin Cole. I don't think that they were related to Tony.
 
Maybe when Michael gets home from work I will ask him as you say he may have got them mixed up.......it was a long time ago:)!
 
I did'nt know Tony had died, I am gobsmacked. How sad. The picture I have attached is of Tony and Shirley with my ex father in law ( in the white shirt )

Terry
 

Attachments

  • frank-tony-shirley.JPG
    frank-tony-shirley.JPG
    101.7 KB · Views: 61
Last edited:
Nice picture.

Tony became the Traffic Manager at Washwood Heath in the 1990's but, after a management restructure, he went back as a bus driver at Lea Hall Bus Garage until he finished on the job.
 
When I first started at Washwood Heath in the early sixties we had quite a few conductresses.
I can remember Kitty Walker, Mabel Smith and Dolly Hammond.

One of the driving instructors was Sid Johnson and others later included Bill Jones and Eric Howell.

Inspectors in those days included Charlie Peel, Alf Reid, Vic Fletcher, Larry Monahan, Tommy Bench, George Phillpots, Jimmy Rawbone, George Yardley, Vic Martin, Des Orr, Tony Cole, Brian Morrisey, Dave Thomas and a few more.

If I remember right, Bob Ong was the union chairman or secretary.
 
As a matter of interest Les, how did he die? I am still quite gobsmacked to learn that he died. Shirley was my first wifes friend and I knew Tony as well. I can't quite remember but we must have gone to their wedding or at least the reception. By coincidence when I got married we bought a house on Chelmsley Wood and Tony and Shirley had already bought one right opposite us. However my marriage did'nt last long so we sold the house and that is when I lost contact with them.

Terry
 
Les ,those names conjure up some good times not only did my ex work at the garage we lived across the road by St Marks,so I knew most of the people you named.
Many of them came to my sister Normas wedding at the Cross Guns.
One of the other checkers was Eric Cadwallader.
There we three Cole brothers Ricky,Colin and another,they lived in Shard End. Ricky was the good looking one that all the girls fancied.Tony was not related to them.
Bob Ong was union rep and my ex husband was secretary and later it was Chris Kearney.
 
Last edited:
Alberta said:
There we three Cole brothers Ricky,Colin and another,they lived in Shard End. Ricky was the good looking one that all the girls fancied.Tony was not related to them.
.
Click to expand...

Alberta, correct me if I am wrong, but was the third brother called Roderick?

Terry
 
There were 5 brothers in all. Rick and Colin were there when I started in the 60's. Rod, Paul and Dave started later.

Ricky and Colin and Paul had left the job when I went back to Washwood in the early nineties but Rod and Dave were still there and remained so until I left there in about 1994.

Ref Tony Cole.
I wasn't sure how Tony had died so I contacted one of the several people that had informed me and this is what she told me -

' I heard, apparently he was working for North Birmingham Busways and he kept having bumps so they sacked him, but never investigated the problem. Then he died not long afterwards and apparently he had senile dementia. He used to send me Christmas cards and so we vaguely kept in touch, I don't know much more than that'
 
Last edited:
Morning Les. What a sad tale. Tony could only have been 1 or 2 years older than me and he had dementia. Certainly makes you think. Thanks for taking the time and trouble to find out, much appreciated.

Terry
 
I was an inspector at Washwood Heath in the early 1990's

Other inspectors that I can remember at that time are George Painting, Ray Allsop (if anyone knows of his whereabouts please let me know as I would love to get in contact with him again), Tony Haywood, Roger Banks and Cheryl Murtagh. In the office were Brian Morrisey, Frank, Des Orr, Mark Pollack,Pat Heney and Ron Daley.
 
Last edited:
I remember Ray Allsop from when he was a driver at Lea Hall. If I remember correctly he came to Lea Hall from Sheepcote Street. He was also a good drummer if I remember rightly.
 
jfc said:
I remember Ray Allsop from when he was a driver at Lea Hall. If I remember correctly he came to Lea Hall from Sheepcote Street. He was also a good drummer if I remember rightly.
Click to expand...

Yes. That's right. He transferred to Washwood Heath and became an inspector.

He was a mate of mine, so if anyone knows where he is now perhaps you could let me know.
 
Les said:
I was an inspector at Washwood Heath in the early 1990's

Other inspectors that I can remember at that time are George Painting, Ray Allsop (if anyone knows of his whereabouts please let me know as I would love to get in contact with him again), Tony Haywood, Roger Banks and Cheryl Murtagh. In the office were Brian Morrisey, Frank, Des Orr, Mark Pollack,Pat Heney and Ron Daley.
Click to expand...

Hi
I worked at washwood heath for a very short while and was moved to Lea Hall I started there in 1993 and was finished off in 2008 on medical grounds. if it helps I think Rod Cole retired due to medical grounds Ron Daley retired in 2003 Tony haywood is a General manager @ Perry barr i think roger banks has finished too pat Loveday finsihed on medical grounds too (would love to get in contact with Pat again) Don turner finished soon after Washwood heath closed on medical grounds again, Frank i think went to AG and retired soon after. There is a group on facebook ex lea hall drivers there is some old faces on there too. Unfortunately i live in Bradford in West Yorkshire now so have lost contact with a lot of people from Brum but i hope this info helps. Cheers Ash
 
Thanks for that Ash.

It's always nice to know how your old workmates are getting on and what they have been up to since you last saw them.

Les
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top