To return to the number 8 busroute I used this service between 1960 to 1968 when I got married and moved from Sparkbrook, I was working at Tubes Ltd in Rocky Lane, Aston. Initially I worked on contract on hire from Dowding and Mills, Elecrirical Contractors, I then transferred to fulltime employment at Tubes. While on contract I used to catch the No8 outside the Highgate which was usually waiting to clock at 7-15am and returning at the finish of work at 5-00pm from the stop outside the old billiard hall at Aston Cross almost opposite opposite Jelfs fish and chip shop which I frequented most lunchtimes. There used to be a bus conductor sold you a ticket on the pavement before boarding as there were always about a hundred people from Ansells and HP the HP sauce factory all waiting for the same bus. When it ( or occasionally two of them ) arrived there was usually a free for all which the conductors(s) always lost. When I worked full time at Tubes I was transferred to eight hour shifts so I missed the evening scrum.
The journey to work was always an adventure such as trying to get the bus up the hill at the canal bridge by the BSA, seeing the bikes outside that the night shift had made or the day the Morris Commercial works burned down, the onto the Gate at Saltley and another Bundy Clock, the driver got out for a fag then clocked and on to Nechells Place passing the Metropolitan Camel Carriage and Wagon Company and Nechells Gas Works ( Mr Scargill permitting ). On then up the hill to Nechells Green and into Rocky Lane, down the dip, past the forging dept and the Hen and Chickens ( Johnny Prescotts Local ) the alighting at the main gate at 5-55am.
I always enjoyed travelling on the top deck on the early morning trip as there was always a thick fug of cigarette smoke and no one ever spoke so I would start coughing as we turned into Walford road, by the time we reached Golden Hillock Rd the entire top deck was a cocophony of chesty wheezes and loud phlemmy coughs then when it died down you did it again, worked every time ! What about jumping off the bus, I used to do this when the 13a slowed down for the lights at the bottom of Stoney Lane and the No8 was in, this practice ended one frosty morning when I slid across the pavement straight into the public lavatory wall at the junction with Highgate Rd.
To be continued.