Working On The Buses | Books about working life

Working on the buses

Creating an archive of stories of life working in the bus and coach industry

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Books wholly about working life

Listings arranged alphabetically by author

Cover	Title		Author	Publisher & ISBN	Comments	Review?
	Characters of the Bus Industry		various authors, edited by Gavin Booth	Omnibus Society, 2004 ISBN 0 946265 37 2	A collection of short profiles of key industry figures, published to mark the 75^th anniversary of the founding of the OS. Managers who are profiled comprise: Lord Ashfield, Charles W Baroth, R Edgley Cox, Sidney Garcke, Werner Heubeck, Geoffrey Hilditch, Brian King, Charles F Klapper, Arthur Lainson, Charles E Lee, William mOrison Little, Moir Lockhead, Norman Morton, Frank Pick, Robert Stuart Pilcher, George John Rackham, Donald Sinclair, Brian Souter and W J Crosland Taylor.
	North Western - A Driver's Reminiscences		Peter Caunt	Oxford Publishing Co., 1984 ISBN 0 86093 275 3	Reminiscences of time spent as a driver at North Western's Manchester depot between 1963 and 1967
	Any more fares please		Kenneth Clayton	Low Moor Local History Group 13 St Abbs Fold, Odsal, Bradford BD6 1EL £6 incl. P&P www.ngfl.ac.uk/lmlhg	Memoirs of a Bradford bus conductor, 1946 onwards
(no pic)	Fares Please		Edith Courtney	Hutchinson Press, 1957 Futura 1976 (ISBNs not known)	Experiences as a conductress in Swansea around the time of the Second World War
	My Fifty Years in Transport		Anthony George Grundy	Manchester Transport Museum Society & Adam Gordon, 1997 (originally published in 1944 by Tramway & Railway World).	Mr Grundy's reminiscences of working for the North Staffordshire Steam Tramways, Blackburn Corporation the Potteries Electric Traction, Wrexham & District Electric Traction Co., and the Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley & Dukinfield Transport & Electricity Board , where he was latterly Manager (1929-1944)
	A Country Busman		John Hibbs	DTS Publishing, 2003 ISBN 1 900515 30 X	The ups and downs of buying and running a small bus company in rural Suffolk - Corona Coaches
	Looking At Buses		Geoffrey Hilditch	Ian Allan Publishing, 1979 ISBN 0 7110 0870 1	Part 1 of GGH's fascinating account of his rise through the ranks to reach the heights of General Manager
	A Further Look At Buses		Geoffrey Hilditch	Ian Allan Publishing, 1981 ISBN 0 7110 1148 6	Part 2 of GGH's fascinating account of his rise through the ranks to reach the heights of General Manager
	Steel Wheels and Rubber Tyres, Volumes 1 & 2		Geoffrey Hilditch	Oakwood Press, 2003 ISBN 0 85361 614 0	Following on from the long out-of-print books above, GGH has written two new volumes published by Oakwood Press. They cover his experiences in: Vol 1: Early days living in Oldham, Gorton loco works, Leeds Trams
	Steel Wheels and Rubber Tyres, Volumes 1 & 2		Geoffrey Hilditch	Oakwood Press, 2004 ISBN 0 85361 616 7	Vol 2: Manchester, Plymouth, Gt Yarmouth and Halifax
	Clippie - The Autobiography of a War Time Conductress		Zelma Katin	Adam Gordon, 1995 (reprinted from 1944 edition) ISBN 978-1-874422-12-9	An autobiographical account of what it was like to be a clippie on the Sheffield trams and buses during the Second World War. Also available as an 185 minute 3-CD set (publisher: Poppy Records).
	Adventures of a Bus Driver		Harry & Kay Jordan	Pentland Press, 1992 ISBN 1 85821 008 9	Memories of working for South Yorkshire Motors of Castleford, as a conductor, then driver, from 1923 until 1954
	Working Days - Midland Red		Malcolm Keeley	Ian Allan Publishing, 2008 ISBN 978 0 7110 3316 0	A series of chapters about aspects of the mighty Midland Red, including various staff memories
	Southdown Memories		Glyn Kraemer-Johnson and John Bishop	Ian Allan Publishing, 2009 ISBN 978 0 7110 3255 2	NOT YET PUBLISHED - due March 2009. Described thus: " The authors have worked hard to track down a number of ex-Southdown drivers, conductors and other staff who relate a range of fascinating and unique stories. They have skilfully built these entertaining anecdotes into a broader narrative on the operations of the bus company"
	5 titles: Showing Up; Early Turn; Late Turn; Split Turn; Nannying		S Ledgard	Author	A series of 5 booklets covering working for Bradford Corporation on trolleybuses, 1960-1972
	Shades of Green & Red		Rod Lucas	Capital Transport Publishing, 2006 ISBN 185414 301 8	Work as a driver with London Country Bus Services and then as an engineering manager with LT and Bus Engineering Ltd at Chiswick Works. 1970s and 1980s
	Works Driver - a view of Southdown from the inside		Bruce Macphee	Self published, available from Dinnages Transport Publishing - to order, contact them here	Bruce Macphee describes his days as a works driver for Southdown; he also drove buses in service for them and, later, for Brighton Hove & District. 1960s and 1970s
	Working with Routemasters		Edited by Andrew Morgan	Capital Transport, 2004 ISBN 185414 282 8	A collection of short stories covering aspects of working with the RM, including design, driving, conducting, mechanical and operational management
	Busman		Bill Peters	DTS Publishing, 2002 ISBN 1 900515 55 5	Experiences as a conductor and driver with Liverpool Corporation Passenger Transport, 1950s & 1960s
	Wheels to the West		Clem Preece	Travel & Transport, 1974 ISBN 0 901698 03 2	An account of the author's time at Royal Blue as Superintendent, Assistant to the General Manager, and Commercial Manager. Contains good background on Traffic Commissioners' hearings and licensing issues.
	Fifty Years a Busman		D Randall	Town & Country Press, 1970	Memories of working for Crosville (from 1914) and North Western, and of briefly running his own bus company
	On the Buses		Harry Rees	Kithead Ltd, 1995 ISBN 1 872863 08 6	Recollections of a West Bromwich CTD busman, 1928-1976; with plenty of details about the fleet, services, and other operational matters.
(no pic)	Women at Work on London Transport 1905-1978		Anna Rotondaro	Tempus Publishing, 2004 ISBN 0 7524326 5 6	Mainly pictorial book charting the history of women at work on London's transport (operating buses, trams, trolleybuses, tube trains, in the offices, canteens, works etc.).
	The World's Most Famous Bus Driver Also some content on-line at the On The Buses Fan Club site: Here and here		Tommy Steele	Self published? Tommy Steele 77 Homelake House Station Road Parkstone Poole, BH14 8UD £6.50 incl post - mention On the Buses Fan Club	Encompassing 21 years experience, this fascinating book is dedicated to bus crews and their passengers everywhere. The book describes what it was like to work and travel by bus, before one-man operation took away the camaraderie which existed between the bus crews themselves and sometimes even their passengers!
	Wrexham Trams & Buses 1903-33 - A Personal Memoir		Gerald Steen	GS Publications, 1978 ISBN 0 9532803 0 6	Memories of the author and his father's time working for Wrexham & District, and later Crosville.
		The Wearing of the Green	William M Tollan	Adam Gordon, 2000 ISBN 1 874422 27 3	Reminiscences of working on the Glasgow Trams
	An Ephemeral Flash		K L Turns	TVS Publications, 1994 ISBN 1 898969 00 0	The author's experiences of running a small bus company in Northumberland (Batty's, later Tower Transit).
	Bus Crew - London 1924-1970		J. S. Wagstaff	Sheaf Publishing, 1979 ISBN 0 9505458 1 3	Jim and May Cooke talk with J. S. Wagstaff about their days on the buses from London's Bromley Garage.
	Weekend Bus Driver		David Wayman	Sheaf Publishing, 1987 ISBN 1 85048 001 X	David worked as a part time driver with Ribble at Manchester in the 1970s and 1980s
	H Webb Recollects Part 1		H Webb	The Omnibus Society, 1964	The author's recollections of working as a horse bus conductor for Thomas Tilling in London
	Stan "The Tram" Croasdale		Martin Wilson	Lancastrian Transport Publications, 1994 ISBN 0 9509405 8 5	Experiences of a driver and conductor with Blackpool Corporation, 1942 to 1985
(no pic)	Turning Points - A Lifetime in Transport		Walter Womar	Autobus Review Publications, 1995 ISBN 978-1-898432-54-8	Autobiographical account of the author's time at North Western Road Car, Gateshead & District, PMT, Midland Red, (where he was General Manager), and finally at National Bus Company headquarters
	Wylde's Adventures in Busland and Wylde's Reflections on Public Transport		John Wylde	Author, 1998 ISBN 0 9533502 0 7 Author, 1998 ISBN 0 9533502 1 5	Recollections of working for London Transport in the bus schedules department, then as Secretary/organiser - Orpington Rural Transport Association, proprietor - North Downs Transport Services, Taxibus, Cross Country Connexions (Berwick-upon-Tweed).