Sixty-seven year old Derek Riggs is known as a Wallywock because he was born and lived in Wallisdown. He has fond memories from when he used to travel by trolleybus. “The main depot was in Moordown where I used to get on the bus for a penny and it would take us all to school.”
The electric buses were a big part in how many children used to travel around Bournemouth in the post-war years before they were phased out in favour of more mobile petrol buses.
“On frosty winter mornings myself and schoolmates used to see the sparks coming from the rails and in the summer the number 26 would take us to the beach.”
“When they wanted to change line the conductor would have to get off and use a pole to move the bus from one track to the other, occasionally he would have dropped a clanger!”
Derek believes that the 1930s were “certainly the best time for childhood. Cars were rare so children could play cricket and football in the streets.”
“You simply can’t wander about like you used to. You can’t leave your door open.”
“Since the building of the university the town has changed and I no longer go to the centre during nighttimes due to rising crime.”
Family is something Derek feels has helped rising crime levels during his lifetime with nowadays both mother and father out working children don’t have such a strong relationship with their parents as he remembers how his mother used to stay at home looking after him and the house whilst his father went out to work.
4 comments:
There were some other interesting things about this guy but I had to get it into 250 words so I had to concentrate on what he spoke most about, the trolleybuses.
Pretty interesting. Well structured, and typical old man comments - "Things aren't what they used to be like!"
Scarlett Smith says: Love the headline! v amusing. lots of good information within the piece too.
James says: very good like the introduction! very well written as well
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