Burton, Dorset

Turntable

I remember as a small lad being taken by Dad to the back of the (I think) Dolphin pub to watch the trolly buses being put onto to the turntable. First one of the men would get a long pole and disconnect the overhead poles, then the two would turn the trolly bus round using two push bars at 180, then... [more]

High Street

I was born and lived in Christchurch for 10 years (1952-1962) but still count  it as my home. Iremember walking down the High Street with Mum and my sister, when she stopped to talk to someone I looked around and saw them knocking down some building at the top of the street ready for the by-pass.

Christchurch Trolleybus Turntable

Where's the turntable?

Rail Station name plate machine

Recall using a machine on the platform at Christchurch Railway Station. It punched letters onto a aluminium nameplate strip of metal for 6d. I still have one of them.
Film of the Trolley Bus circular turning table can be seen on the youtube site, plus black & white footage of trolley buses' final parade journey round Bournemouth.

The trolley bus turntable at Christchurch

I moved to Boscombe near Christchurch in 1954 when my father's job with Williams Deacons Bank took him to their newly opened Bournemouth Branch. I was amazed! I was just eight years old and all I had ever really known in the way of public transport were the London Transport red or green buses, plus some red trams and trolleybuses.... [more]

Part of my childhood

I spent many enjoyable school holidays in this town.  My Uncle had a store called Staggs the Drapery and clothing store.  Back then we used to spend many an hour wondering over to the Quay & the Priory.  We also used to take the ferry over the Avon into Southbourne where my Aunt lived. Then we would walk to Hengisbury Head.... [more]

The Cliff steps, Southbourne

Year 1955 because it's central to the time we lived just a few doors down in a new bungalow (Khandala), from the Thorpe's café (it was west towards the roundabout, north side of the road) and one of my cherished memories as a child, is of walking down to the dliff steps (steep then) and standing halfway down in very thick... [more]

The red squirrels in Fisherman's Walk

As a young schoolboy in Southbourne from 1954 to 1956 I loved to walk to and fro in Fisherman's Walk. There were red squirrels which were fairly tame and would take food from my hand if there were not too many people about. This was only a mile from my home in Petersfield Road and even nearer to Southbourne Junior School.... [more]