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2 minutes ago, Deepdene Boy said:

Ian, yes that's the one. I couldn't get hold of an NCT one as they were all hired from Bell Punch, London and were returned as services were converted to OMO. However, in later years I manged to purchase an ex Liverpool machine.

Strange you say that DDB, a mate of mine lets say he is an avid collector of anything bus related , has a couple of those, both exNCT !

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I should imagine that when they were finally taken out of use on the Clifton routes, in I think 1985, Bell Punch had been taken over by Control Systems and they would have no need for these now obsolete machines. Some would therefore have found there way on to the enthusiasts market. I had already obtained my ex Liverpool example by this time.

 

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The secret with any vehicle is to drive it accordingly, Nationals were notoriously light on the front end & I remember 727 climbing that lamp post,I drove past a couple of minutes after it happened.on Smeinton Hermitage one Saturday afternoon, I mad sure the fitter could see me laughing hysterically ! smile2

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I've done it with a Trent National 1. Only the back end went first. Only one passenger on the bus - an old dear sat on the back seat. I did what you should do. The back end went across the road so I steered into the skid (too much) so I steered into the skid (too much) so I steered into the skid.  Ahhh!   When the old dear got off she said "thank you very much driver". must have been the best ride she'd had in years!!

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11 hours ago, Deepdene Boy said:

Dad's all time favourites were the AN68 Atlanteans 540-571 which were allocated from new to Trent Bridge. Dad was on the rota that transferred there from Parliament Street when Trent Bridge re-opened in 1973

 

I was the night fitter at Trent Bridge depot throughout the 70's - I wonder who your dad is ? - I may well remember him .

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Roger, my Dad is Clive Johnson. He was the depot chairman for the TGWU at Trent Bridge from when it re-opened in 1973 until the end of 1975, when he was elected as TGWU branch secretary (5/92 branch) and moved to Parliament Street to work alongside Harry Ball. Dad left NCT in December 1976 to take  a full time role with the TGWU in their Burton on Trent office.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Talking o fthe "Ultimate" ticket machines, saw one the other day in a museum. The curator let me pick it up & examine it. When I opened it up he couldn't believe how easy it was. All the years he had worked in the museum & had never saw that machine open revealing the innards. A quick demo to show him how the ticket roll was laced up & he had a smile on his face saying he had learned something that day !

 

P1070488.jpg

 

 

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In the early '70s all new drivers joining NCT had to undergo conductor training due to conductor shortages with the proposed one man operation planned. Many of the Bulwell buses had 2 drivers on board & unofficially would sway duties all shift !! I was once collecting fares upstairs & the "Driver" swerved to avoid a cyclist & my machine swung about & smacked a passenger on the side of the head. He wasn't all that happy but a " Don't worry about it youth" ended the conversation.

Nowadays it would be on the NEP front page with an accompanying sad looking photo & a claim for compo.

So much for progress.

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Bartons had a black conductor on the Ruddington route who had a cowboy fixation. He wore the ticket machine down on his hip like a holster and did a 'quick draw' on the keys to give you your ticket.

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