Reminiscences Charlie Wyatt

FINCHLEY TROLLEYBUS DRIVER

My name is Charlie Wyatt and I worked on trolleybuses at Finchley depot between 1951 and 1962. I spent four years as a conductor and had six years driving experience.  I would like to make contact with former Finchley staff, whether they be conductors or drivers.

Names that spring to mind are:
Mrs Jean Westbrook, Miss Bridie Morrin, Mary Finn, Johnny Waite, Michael Norris, Ron Cook, Eric Cannon and Dennis Childs [my first driver].

I am in touch with Ken Norman who is now 92, and I know where Peter Crisp is.
Please contact me at charlie.wyatt@trolleybus.net.

Possibly some of you who see this have relatives who used to work at Finchley depot; if so please feel free to communicate with me. I would also invite any other London trolleybus staff to get in touch with me as I don't think that there are still that many of us around.

One question which I would like answered is as follows:  Fairy lights were positioned at strategic places to guide us round curves on the overhead wires in foggy weather. On my routes, we had them on the 5/621 at New Southgate and on the 609 at Moorgate. What I would like to know is who switched them on and who switched them off and how this was done.

Charlie Wyatt

From: "Ron Plunkett" <ronpaul@plunkett.fslife.co.uk>

Just had another look at your great and was amazed at your "blind" presentation. As a Service Controller at Fulwell garage I have to change a lot of blinds when we take a bus off one route to put on another. I wish our blinds were as easy to change as your one. I also re-read some of the comments from ex Fulwell Drivers of the trolleybuses. They would find things little changed. Our 267's still wait for a 237 to come along at Busch Corner so that they can have an easy time. Much of the 601 route [Now 281] has changed little. It is still a route where you can be very busy.

For your information when we celebrated our centenary in 2002 we had a Q1 and the Diddler from the London Transport exhibition as our main exhibit

My claim to fame, I have been upstairs on a Diddler