I start this blog thanking each and
everyone of you who very kindly posted a greeting for my birthday last
week. most unexpected along with a few other sites with members doing the same
also . I certainly had a very pleasant day meeting up with our opposition
representative in Government who has commissioned several pieces of work from
me. The following day the management from the Southwards Car Museum, largest in
NZ came a calling to talk about the next project planned for the Museum. This is
intended to be another large mural .
Well I was going to write about more
exploits on the buses but events took a turn on the 15th when news came through
of a friend of mine and many others who sadly passed on. Mr Ian Little owned and
operated the only known working Trolley Bus Museum in the Southern Hemisphere. A
collection built up over the years with his Museum based at Foxton, a small
township-originally an important port , 40 kilometres north of Otaki. Ian was a
true enthusiast whose kindness and dedication flowed over you when ever the
chance came to visit him. On one occasion my wife and I called in and he had two
managers from a bus company in Southern England visiting. As Ian also ran the
local radio station he wasted no time in recording an interview with them and
ourselves , so keen to promote the small township and pleased people showed that
interest. He took us all out on one of his Trolley buses an old British BUT
which had graced the streets of Wellington in the 1950and 60's and let each of
us drive it around, two of the party did not even have a licence but that did
not worry him. Foxton Council were most obliging to allow overhead wires to be
erected for a few kilometres so his collection of about 15 preserved buses could
get a regular spin.Ian also owned several preserved diesel buses and one London'
RT' which arrived in New Zealand some 40 years ago as a tourist attraction. His
son Wayne owns one of about four London' Routemasters' which have made it out
here and ironically runs that around the same streets the old Trolley buses
trundled , as a weekend event for visitors.
The funeral will be huge and truly a
one off for New Zealand .
Buses have been booked from
all around the lower North Island to attend and a cavalcade is planned either
before or after the service. Ian would not want people to be down with
grief, more happy and enjoy the heritage he has worked hard to save for this
country so families and enthusiast can enjoy a part of history which -with
thankfully the foresight of Wellington City to retain its trolley bus
system , has almost gone , but not quite.
I have attached an image of the
Wellington City Transport Montage painted in 2004 as a tribute to Ian
as some of Wellingtons fleet of the 50's , 60's and 70's were
saved by him.
The other images are all new works ,
the gentleman with the old car is on the top of the Rimutakas in the 1930's and
the old lorry is shown with the Tararura Mountains in the background circa
1930's also.
Both those are national commissions, plus with the latest LRU image
showing Accrington on a wet shopping day in the late 60's. (Now available from LANCASHIRE PRINTS area of this website
Each week as I visit the LRU forum it very nice to see the membership continuing to increase and am certain as more and more hear of the great site John has put together for us , it will just keep getting better and better.
Only today we went to our local library and the librarian spoke with a Lancashire accent , so guess what she will be doing next time on her computer!
Some weeks ago I mentioned a few more adventures of mine would be aired on the blog about my bus /coach driving days.
This week I take you on our Christmas Parade held in 1990 at Masterton .
Road Services Division of New Zealand Railways employed me on their daily service between Masterton and Wellington, a journey taking around 2hours .
We carried mail and freight, as many of the coaches were composites, that being half lorry half bus. The all up weight was around 16 tonnes , and most vehicles were manual 'crash'gear boxes , meaning no syncromesh for low gears. The journey over the Rimutakas slowed the journey time down taking 25 minutes to cross the mountains.
It was decided in late 1990 we would use the Wellington 'ferry' bus in the parade . The ferry bus was a Bedford YRT which had been painted in the Cook Strait ferry colours and all it did was take passengers from Wellington Rail to the terminal and back . a journey of about 2 kilometres.
A trip to Masterton and back in two days would be a good run for it. The Wellington Depot had fitted a large funnel to the roof of the bus, quite novel really, accept they forgot to check the headroom out of the depot and found it too high to drive out, so it went back in for lowering.
Came the day before the parade. I had completed the daily service so jumped in the company car and drove all the way back to Wellington to collect 'HMS Arahura" as pictured. Its along story why nobody else could drive the bus to Masterton but related to both staffing and log book hours.
I got a great deal of 'hoot's from cars and lorries as I drove up the Wellington Motorway and eventually into the backblocks and Rimutakas. Nobody had seen this bus out of Wellington before.
On arrival at Masterton I took the bus home and my family all helped in getting it ready for the parade. We made a cardboard anchor to go on the front and a great big rudder to sit on the back of it.
It looked ever so funny.
On the Saturday we all climbed aboard and meeting up with other Railway staff everyone got a great ride around the town in the procession.
Now one thing my employer had thoughtfully done was inform the council on the height of the bus with the funnel , so as to clear all power , telephone and Christmas bunting lines etc. Flags were often placed across the streets , so they were placed higher as we had the tallest vehicle.
After the parade my family joined me in the return trip to Wellington with the otherwise empty 'ship'.
We would return home in the company car left in Wellington. Travelling south , happy the day had worked out well and everyone was pleased ,.... we had overlooked one thing.
During the same day Masterton had its parade, the next town South -Carterton, had decided to place its Christmas tree, decorations and bunting up . Unaware we were heading through with HMS ARAHURA, and blissfully I never gave it a second thought as we entered the town and proudly drove through at full legal speed taking down every row of bunting along the high street ... PING..... PING..PING... it went.
On stopping safely and realising what had happened. all I could do was take all the bunting off the 'ship' and place it all in the boot. We carried onto Wellington and arrived back home afew hours later with the bunting in the cars boot.
It was delivered back to the Carterton Council on the Monday morning with an explanation that it had been engaged with a ship heading through the town around 4pm on the Saturday. I cannot write or repeat what their Street maintenance department said at the time but we did wish them a Merry Christmas .
Its a very busy month ahead for me so I may not be on the forum much for the next few weeks. should anyone wish to contact me about the paintings there is a email link on an earlier blog.
Thank you very much for all the kind remarks for both the painting images and the book story in the last blog.
I am humbled by the kindness shown and there is always a warm welcome here for anyone who is in this part of the world. Much as I miss Lancs , its just as nice to have lovely friends as everyone is here on the site as well as Southlake's and Talk and Chat.
Remember that hit tune 'Telstar' by the Tornados back in the 60's. Nothing ever seemed to surpass that instrumental did it, it gets played here quite a bit . I was playing a recent cd by 'Enigma' the other week called 'A POSTERIOI ', and one track called ' 'The Alchemist ' grows on you just like Telstar did 40 years ago. If you like that type of Gregorian music its worth a listen.
Until next time, a safe and happy week to you all.
NEW ---Wallace Tricketts BLOGG SPOT-16-- A feather in the Cap
Monday, 23 June 2008
BLOG SPOT 16 June
23rd 2008.
Another quickie report this week,
but quite a unique one at that!!
How many of LRU members and guests
have bought a Sunday roast from Dewhursts the butchers, or drank a cuppa of
Lipton's tea. As much of these products are imported into Britain from around
the world it was a real surprise when I was asked to contribute to the making of
a book on the British family who ran all these business's
.
A few months ago I was asked
if I would care to allow writer Simon Perry from London to use a few of my
images in his forthcoming book on the history of the Vestey
Family.
The Vesteys built up a world
foundation of companies from the 19th century many well known , buying land,
building farms, meat processing works , cool stores,shipping companies and
distribution networks .
The most well known here in New Zealand was Weddels, but
other brands included Lipton Teas, Fray Bentos, and Dewhursts Butchers. I met
the manager for their shipping company Sir Edmund Vestey in 1976 in
Auckland, I had drawn his cartoon and had to get into full uniform and meet him
in the Captains quarters on board the mv 'Townsville Star'. Little
realising that some 30 years later I would see my artwork in a beautiful book
all about one of Britains most well known families. In effect the Vesteys fed
the population of the UK with overseas meats and dairy produce from New Zealand,
and all other parts of the world for over 90 years. Allied troops were supplied
with food shipped with the Blue Star Line. The company took a heavy toil with
almost three quarters of the fleet being wiped out in World War Two, 646
personnel, including 11 captains, 47 navigating officers and 88 engineering
officers.
The photo shows one of two
paintings they have used in this book . The 'Doric Star' being sunk by the
German battleship 'Graf Spee'. All the crew were captured before the ship
was sunk, but the radio officer managed to send a signal out before being raided
in the South Atlantic. The ship was carrying frozen produce from New Zealand to
the UK. That signal was intercepted by the Royal Navy and alerted the H.M.S.
Exeter, Achilles and Ajax who gave pursuit and after a naval exchange which
became known as the Battle of the River Plate the Graf Spee put into Montevideo
in Uruguay for repairs. Unable to carry them out in time allowed , she was
scuttled and her captain took his own life.
Both the Archilles and Ajax were
Barrow built ships.
Its a real privilege to have my work
published in a book of this calibre.
Recently I learnt of how all the
ships in the Maersk fleet -the worlds largest merchant fleet, are carrying
prints on board each vessel of paintings completed last year for their Hamburg
main office.
The bus and commercial
paintings of Lancashire are slowly building up , with quite a few due out
over the coming months. If you have any old photos of transport companies long
gone that you would like to see painted please let me know. I am particulary
keen to see any photographs of Athersmith Brothers of Barrow or any of the
cleansing department vehicles, they are seldom photograhed yet without them the
streets would never have looked so nice back then.
Take care and trust you all have
good and safe week.
Busy week for many again so I will keep this weeks
entry pretty quick.
Now most of us at sometime have received one of
those mail order catalogues telling us how marvellous the products are. One
arrived this week unexpected that had all these gadgets in it which tended to
look like an amateur inventors club happening, as much as am sure all the
products work and are genuine, I could not help thinking who on Earth would be
so serious to want all these things.
For example , the one which made us laugh the most
was a 'motion sensor owl'. Putting him in your garden would scare away any
unwanted birds by emitting a HOO -OO-O everytime a bird or cat ran onto the
lawn.
Really............. can you imagine how you would
like that every 20 seconds, or your neighbours for that matter. It also has
'glow in the dark menacing eyes', not that the birds will be awake then and most
cats would find it a novelty anyway .
If you don't like the idea of an owl hooting
itself silly in your garden and being the most popular in your street at
$NZ16.60c why not try a 'tail wagging dog clock'. The large tail wags like a
pendulum -ideal for office , lounge or child's room it claims but I feel
it will more likely put you into a hypnotic state or send you to sleep . For
just $NZ16.90.
If you want to check out their website go to www.magnamail.co.nz There may
be some very good ideas and nice things to buy but on the whole we thought some
of them rated as the type of article you would buy as a joke gift or to someone
you really did not want to buy for but deserved
'it.'
This weeks pics are Lytham and Blackpool buses
circa early 1960's from a small black and white photo in daytime I have
changed it into the evening rush home just as the shops are about to
close. Always enjoyed that
time of evening in winter months in Barrow , something quite special and alive
feeling as everyone prepares to finish for the day , go home for tea and perhaps
an evening out somewhere, nightschool or home swatting or in front of
the TV.
I received a very pleasant surprise at the weekend
and will reveal this in blog 16 later this
week.
Have a lovely week in warm sunny Lancashire , from
us all here in less than warm Otaki.
kind regards,
Wallace
The above print has now been added to the growing list in the LRU SHOP and will be on sale at the TOTALLY TRANSPORT EVENT in BLACKPOOL on 22ND JUNE and TRAM SUNDAY in FLEETWOOD on JULY 20th ---There will also be another BLACKPOOL scene to come when the BLACKPOOL LIGHT season kicks off as well as those menition last week from ACCRINGTON,WIGAN, ROCHDALE & LANCASTER
A Busy week has seen several new
projects get underway whilst working hard to complete ones now running
overtime.It has not however prevented me visiting the site daily during tea
breaks to see whets new .
So a shortened write up this week
with a few photos of interest, not that I have run out of painting images to
show , there are literally hundreds filed over the past ten years and more with
stories behind them will follow in later weeks.
If you read the thread about the
'war games in my street'( in the FORUM ) the attached photo shows several 'Unimog' lorries of
the NZ Army arriving at the end of the driveway last Tuesday.. it appears they
have been around the district for a few weeks with other residents reporting odd
activity including large explosions in the foothills during
exercises.
On Sunday I travelled with my wife
who had an unexpected work call out to Waikanae the first town south of Otaki
ten miles away.
On the way home sitting in the
passenger seat I took quite a few shots of the area and the one shown is taken
just north of Waikanae showing how quiet the main highway was -normally on a
Sunday it would be packed with weekenders returning to Wellington . Meantime a
goods train heading north with no less than 5 locomotives attached and one 'dead
' one as part of its consist is overtaken by us.
Lastly I have included a photo
showing one small part of the mural commissioned at Southwards Car Museum
-largest in the Southern Hemisphere . This was 86 feet in total by 7 feet high
and showed 7 preserved racing cars most worth over one million dollars each on a
track representing Levin's racetrack ( next town 12 miles north of us)in
the early 1970's. It includes over 60 vehicles along the racetrack and over 1200
spectators are shown , plus an aeroplane and extra things to add to the
atmosphere. It is the largest road transport mural in a New Zealand Museum
taking six months to complete.
Another mural is now in early
construction and expect to commence work on this shortly.
Well its back to the brushes and I
wish you all a very happy and safe week ahead.
kind regards,
Wallace
To View any of Wallaces photos in FULL SIZE --Right Click on your mouse then click VIEW IMAGE
I thought instead of more coach
stories we would post some scenes from an interesting museum we visited a few
days ago . Tokomaru Steam Museum is situated between Palmerston North and
Shannon on Highway 57, a very beautiful drive north from Otaki taking about 40
minutes.
The collection has been put together by Mr and Mrs Colin Stevenson ,
Colin a retired -but still very active engineer has slowly built up an amazing
assembly of working steam apparatus which is put into action several times a
year.
The high cost of diesel means steam days are limited and on the day we
managed to visit they were busy preparing for the next one. Each boiler that
feds the plant consumes 150 litres of diesel per hour and it takes four hours
until steam pressure and temp at up to operating the rest of the machines. Most
are British with a few American built . Its really fascinating to see old names
proudly displayed and I was really absorbed with not only the quality of how
each had been lovingly restored but the way the whole area had been set up from
basically a farm barn. The collection included;
A 70 tonne Filer and Stowell 1916
steam engine originally from Milwaukee in USA
1929 Marshall Tandem Roller -the
only one of its type in the Southern Hemisphere
New Zealand's Oldest steam
engine a 1869 Appleby engine from Patent Slip . in
Wellington.
Daniel Adamson 27 horsepower boiler
-which powers the rest of the plant when in steam.
Outside Railway steam engines and
cranes with a working track and original station of Tokomaru when a line
connected the township to the main trunk line.
There is also a range of engines
that were leased to Film Director Peter Jackson for the making of King
Kong.
The photos posted show the main
Highway and entrance at Tokomaru, and several scenes of the plant
including a 1905 Peter Pilkington-Accrington built Steam Hammer used at
the Gear Meat Works at Petone near Wellington.
Tokomaru is a quiet township, the
Museum is the only 'working' place in town , and is set in lovely countryside
with the Tararua Mountain range to the east as a backdrop. For anyone interested
in old engines its worth a visit and you can read more about it by going to www.tokomarusteam.com
One point we were a little surprised
at , although the museum is advertised on television and has the website , they
do not at present have eftpos facilities , so the corner store 40 metres up the
road seems to act as a kind of bank for anyone wanting cash -like we had to, for
admission.
Its another busy month ahead and
next week I will take you to another museum that employed me to produce an 86
foot long mural , the longest of its kind in New Zealand.
Wallace Tricketts BLOGG SPOT 12 Lancashire Folk drop down menu
Monday, 26 May 2008
BLOGG SPOT 12 . May 27th
2008
We have had a few difficulties over
the past days with firstly the computer modem , now today its power cuts, likely
an accident somewhere as much of the lines are still overhead here, in keeping
with Broadband which is on the same speed as that in Mexico -I kid you
not.
Well this is the second attempt to
get this written . I have attached a cutting from the paper Kapiti Observer ,
which I have a feature in each week showing an artists impression -no not mine,
of the new look Wellington Airport. Those members and guests who visited the
forum and read about the Pumpkin Festival thread may have seen the post I placed
on it about the revamped airport. The gentleman mentioned here was a former
Mayor and talented artist, but I leave you to decide on your impression on the
new look, I have already added mine on the forum. Its costing $39million and
I can only say that the general feeling of most is embarrassment and a
complete waste making the city airport look like a joke. The
construction is copper, and as we all know copper fades , so I guess 38.5
million will be going into Brasso to keep it looking nice!!!! yeah
right.
The attached image of the train is a
Class 40 Type4 English Electric emerging from Lindal Tunnel -west side heading
for Barrow in the early 1960's. The Locomotive would bring in the ex London
service which left Euston early afternoon arriving Barrow around 7.05 pm . The
engine would be then placed on the overnight sleeper departing Barrow for Euston
at 9pm approximately. The train would be hauled by Electric traction at
this time from London to Crewe before changed to diesel traction . Sometimes a
Britannia class steam loco would haul the service instead.
This example is D212 one of 200 in
the fleet , most being built at Vulcan Foundry in the late 1950's . D212
is today one of few preserved of this class and here sports the small yellow
warning panels and overhead wires plates which I think looked the best on them
before the all over blue with large yellow ends were applied. They ran in
most corners of the UK and majority withdrawn by 1986. Its available soon
as a print from LRU shop.
Well what a week. Been so busy with
projects, I went to renew my driving licence last week and had my photo taken
smiling not realising I had my shirt on inside out, went to the supermarket for
milk with paint all over my face and made a young child giggle thinking the
circus was in town, and lost the phone whilst doing the bi- monthly clean up in
the studio.
Other than that have enjoyed
listening to Carole King this week with her 1970's albums , Tapestry and
Fantasy. Next week more about the antics on the coaches , meantime take care and
hope you all have a safe and happy week.
APOLOGIES TO WALLACE FOR THE DELAY IN POSTING THIS BLOGG
Blog 11 May 3rd
2008
Further to last weeks story about
what I mentioned on the Returned Services Association in New Zealand another
story emerged in our local paper on Thursday last about a Kapiti resident who
had written a song that was accepted by the RSA to be sung on Anzac Day at the
Gallipoli service with hundreds attending from all around the world . "Hymn for
Anzac Day " written by local resident Shirley Murray and took it as a great
honour as one would with it performed at The Battle of Chunak Bair
commemoration service..
That was until she discovered the
third verse had been axed. The third verse referred to the suffering meted out
to conscientious objectors who refused to be conscripted by the then New Zealand
Government. Amongst these included a medical orderly from Otaki called Ormond
Burton. At 21 he volunteered to serve in World War 1 refusing home leave and
wounded three times . He was decorated by both the British and French then
promoted to lieutenant. However just like in that famous film Paths of
Glory, he returned and became an outspoken proponent of non violence and
pacifism knowing war destroys.
When Burton stood up to speak he
would set off a wave of anti war sentiments making many ministers
including the Prime Minister of the day Peter Fraser most fearful of him. Hence
when World War 2 started and he refused to sign up, he was targeted not by
the enemy but his own government dishing out excessive punishment and
deprivation, but was not alone .
Its sadly another chapter the RSA
wishes would just go away and whilst I mentioned I have respect for those
who bear arms for freedom this was another type of hero who refused to take
lives and nor claim glory for it. I realise some may still see it
as an act of cowardice and where would the world gone if nobody had stood up to
the Third Reich of Emperor of Japan , but sadly even 60 years on some can not
accept there was just as much cruelty from a Government that stood for piece and
freedom as what men and women suffered on the front line.
Anyway, enough of the heavy stuff,
moving on I have two paintings on this blog and one is with our friend Phil(psb)
in mind. It shows a montage of some of the series painted for B.P. OIL in 2001-2
placed around the last in a series of 22 paintings showing an old commer ts3
operated by Europa fuels which eventually became part of Caltex. The
scenes represents a bunkering drop in the 1960's here. The small
images in-sert which may be too small to see on the image are of modern fleets
all over New Zealand .
The second painting shows a modern
scene at Paraparumu 20 kilometres south of us , a coach belonging to Newman's
coachlines is on its way to Napier having left Wellington an hour
previous. This scene appears in abook called 'Travelling with Newman's '
which covers the companies history , as they are New Zealand's most famous coach
operator.
Winter approaches here. We had the
full works here last night, thunder, lightning followed by heavy hail making the
outside deck completely white.
Trusting those in the Northern
Hemisphere are starting to see some enjoyable Spring weather . Until next week ,
take care.
BLOGG SPOT ISSUE 10 April 26th 2008. April 25th this week marks Anzac Day in New Zealand and Australia when we remember those who gave their lives in world encounters so we can enjoy the freedom we fortunately still enjoy today. Its a static holiday with many attending the dawn parades and services both old and young.
For several decades those who served in Vietnam have never received the recognition they should have nor compensation for exposure to agent orange , but finally it seems to be happening-at least for those still with us. The same was evident here with the RSA (Returned Services Association) when I first went to join several decades ago saying the Merchant Navy was not recognised by them .
I was upset, as it was the Merchant Navy that held it all together, both food and weapons supplies for the front and allied countries. Many souls both crew and passengers lost at the mercy of the U boats and wolf packs. Am sure most of us at LRU have some link with family to those who fought for the UK , and the brilliant seamanship of many skippers and crew who got their ships to safety after suffering terrible damage .
So I never joined the RSA on principle, and yet now as numbers dwindle from the serving ranks it seems anyone can join so the clubs can maintain their fiscal stability. Last year I was approached by one local RSA to consider a painting of the HMNZS Achilles , well known for its involvement at the Battle of the River Plate, and its link to Lancashire being Barrow built. It was also one of the earliest ships my father recalls when he started at VickersArmstrongs as an apprentice. So I was most excited. After supplying the costs to them and mentioning the link with home, I eventually got a reply to the effect that some members thought I may like to' donate' the work perhaps thinking I don't need to eat , drink or pay bills for four months and then when I replied and mentioned commissioned work means just that they eventually responded saying it has been abandoned as it would not suit the new wallpaper in the club-which is bright flowers, and I mean bright.
So regardless of this with a another commission in hand for Barrow built HMS Ajax , which was also at the Battle of the River plate, received from overseas, I will still be painting the Achilles but it won't be going to the RSA . I should add there's an ironic twist to this story, the club which did intend me to paint the ship have named their restaurant .................yes you guessed "ACHILLES."!!!!
ARTWORK NEWS Those members and guests who have read the notices by John regarding the artwork will have the opportunity -as members of LRU only , to buy copies of my paintings through the LRU SHOP. Work that is directly linked to Lancashire will be available. Most scenes will be transport but possibly a few landscapes also in time. Eventually the idea is to build up a comprehensive library of work which will be exclusive to Johns site on Lancashire places both prior and after the boundary changes.
As most of the first paintings will be either ones all ready produced or currently in production they will be spec work so can only be produced in between commissions which is my livelihood. However you are invited to commission a painting if you so wish and if linked to Lancashire I would be asking if you would allow it to be made into copies for others to have the opportunity to purchase via John.
I must also point out that I am not making any capital out of the copies , its all for LRU . The original paintings however are obtained through me and my email address is given in previous blogs. I will be most happy to give a free quote without obligation . Some of the work John will have for sale , I still have as originals. Costs from myself are not high but realistic based on materials ,research and time, but I do it also for the pleasure it gives which you can not place a price on.
I will explain in a later blog a bit more background on things, except to say over 1400 commissioned projects have been completed in the past 10 years including cartoons for newspapers, books and magazines , and over 300 paintings sold overseas. This should indicate I do take my work seriously even if much of it is poking fun at others.
This week am attaching a few cartoons for you to enjoy which have appeared in various publications. New work to be released over the coming months includes Fenwick's at Preston , Morecambe and Heyham on the prom, Ribble at Ulverston, Ribble at Blackburn, Lancashire United , Rochdale Corporation, Oldham , Blackpool , Holland's Pies, T.Brady and Sons , Barrow Corporation , Accrington and more. I wish you all a very happy and safe week, until next time.
Thinking back to our childhood days
most am sure have many happy memories . As a young boy at the village of Roose
south east Barrow, I soon found a real fascination with those large Double
Decker buses that took my family shopping on Saturday , or to Walney
beach or the Coast road overlooking Morecambe Bay, It was a social event, Mum
and Dad often met friends travelling into and back from the town centre.
It was perhaps little wonder that
two decades later during periods of leave from sea I would often spend time with
the newly formed Furness Transport Group , a collection of
dedicated enthusiasts who saw the potential in preserving some of the towns
buses before they were gone forever. This only brought more interest to
eventually obtain a licence and not only work but drive them. However after
leaving the sea for reasons I will come to in a later blog, and moving to
New Zealand I eventually found employment in the bus industry here on the
engineering side, and at that time was like stepping back 20 years. In issue 8 I
explained how I eventually took on a full time driving
job.
New Zealand Road Services operated
the countries largest fleet of coaches and buses in 1987. Deregulation had not
hit the industry hard as most services were just that-a service, not marketed
for tourism or backpackers . Much change was to come, but back then it was as
secure a job one could get. Here are some of those happy
days.
Lower Hutt near Wellington, had a
transport centre on smaller scale to that of Preston where all services
converged. One day the supervisor rushed into our canteen as I was enjoying my
break and asked me to go and cover a service that had failed to show. It was to
a place called NaeNae, I knew the place but it had two separate routes to get
there and I only knew one, and you guessed it was the other to be covered. I
loaded up -almost a full bus of shoppers and off we go, already 10 mins late and
trying to be confident with a brave face. About 5 minutes into the service I
noticed bus stops were not appearing and looking in the rear vision mirror could
see some passengers looking a little bemused , carry on for another few
minutes-still no bus stops and another look revealed a lot of smiling or amused
patrons. Nobody said a word until I made the next corner and drove into a cul de
sac at the back of Hutt Hospital. With that I calmly stopped, placed the
handbrake on and got out of my seat facing about 40 passengers and said "RIGHT,
WHO'S GOT THE MAP?" The whole bus erupted in laughter -they all knew I was
green on this run and one kind lady came forward to act as courier. Lesson?
never volunteer if not certain. The delayed service bus was caused by the driver
falling asleep at Petone the next town south of Lower
Hutt.
A few years later driving Inter City
services across the Rimutaka's. As I was descending towards Featherston the gear
box blew leaving me with a rather noisy coach stuck in 2nd gear. We crawled
slowly to the town, some two miles from the bottom of the hill and headed for
the railway station. Here I put my passengers onto the next train and awaited a
tow to Masterton thirty miles north.It was 2pm.
At 5.30pm help arrived , in the form
of a Bedford J flatdeck truck driven by the supervisor Ray. As the coach motor
could be run and had managed to disengage the transmission whilst I waited I had
air to feed the brakes so could be towed safely in neutral. A rope was
attached so I would be braking for both vehicles, this is quite safe for anyone
who has never driven large vehicles if no torsion bar is fitted providing speed
is kept down. Off we go and about thirty minutes later and getting
dark we reached the outskirts of Masterton. Now a few months earlier the
Waingawa River had flooded and caused the main bridge across it to the town to
drop , so the Army had come in and built a 'Bailey Bridge' -a temporary steel
structure to allow all traffic to cross on a one way system controlled by
traffic lights. As we approached the bridge the lights were on red , so I
was braking then they turned green and Ray driving the truck put his foot down
whilst I was still braking , this caused the rope to snap.
Ray carried on over the bridge
unaware we had parted company, I had no choice but to aim for the narrow bridge
and hope the momentum would keep me going across it and then pull in. It was
Friday night and traditionally at that time Friday nights were late night
shopping here. Traffic was very heavy coming out of Masterton and also a queue
behind me. Well I ran out of steam half way across. This blocked both lines of
traffic and the bridge so narrow I could not even get out of the door!!
All I could see was Ray disappearing into the distance. About
five minutes later with long queues either side, drivers blowing car horns,
waving fists and fingers at me, the tail lights of Rays truck were
seen reversing back to me. It was only then that other drivers realised what had
occurred and I was not taking a tea break or ran out of logbook hours. .
The rope firmly attached we headed for the workshops and home for tea.
Another story similar to this
follows soon where upon I was able to bring Wellington City traffic to a
complete standstill .
Instead of paintings, this week I
have placed a favourite photo of my father ,Walter Trickett on his visit
to New Zealand in 1988 with me at Masterton Road Service Depot. It was a special
time and the photo means alot to me.
I wish you all a very good week ,
until next time, take care.
Lancashire Re-United offers for sale and exclusive to this website prints of original artwork of LANCASHIRE BUSES and other Transport modes by WALLACE TRICKETT who has VERY KINDLY given me the selling rights to these prints.
Simply click on LANCASHIRE PRINTS to purchase these stunning memories of Lancashire's municipal transport heritage the list of which just keeps growing and growing
