Chatham Traction

[CAT]

Whilst working in Strood recently, I managed to save this from being discarded with other debris. Thought members would be interested in seeing a piece of long gone travel memorabilia?

[Smiffy]

This photo is not quite as nice to look at as Keith's, it's Gillingham Depot after a bombing raid during the war.

[Invicta Alec]

Fabulous line up of buses at Luton Depot Keith.


Great photo.


Alec.

[KeithG]

Of course all Chatham Traction buses were the three colours but i just can`t remember that and i do remember almost anything even less trivial?


Nice picture of Luton Depot Traction Company during the war years.

[KeithG]

Alec... I do remember Maidstone Corporation buses and some trolley buses were blue as well as some brown cream ones but the Sunbeam trolley buses to Barming with the different shaped Roe body were brown/cream as I went to Teston fishing when I was 15yrs.
My Mum&Dad were on the buses at Gillingham Station so my interest in buses was great and have many books with so many photos in B&W of Chatham Traction with only a few green brown /cream.
Travelling twice a day across the Towns for school I am surprised I don't remember the green part??

[Invicta Alec]

There is only one thing that never fits and that is I don't remember green brown and cream just simply brown and cream on Chatham Traction

Keith,


Not getting mixed up with memories of Maidstone Corporation buses are you? They were just brown and cream for a period of time.


Alec.

[KeithG]

We moved from Copenhagen Road in Gillingham to Frindsbury in October 1956 when I was 8yrs.
Maidstone & District as you know bought out Chatham Traction in 1955 they took quite a few months to change the colour of the buses to green and cream so I do remember using the old brown buses to get to school in Wainscot and back for a few months.
There is only one thing that never fits and that is I don't remember green brown and cream just simply brown and cream livery on Chatham Traction

[Smiffy]

Chatham & District buses parked up along Barrier Road.

[castle261]

Thank you for the interesting input, Smiffy. I vaguely remember travelling on a tram or bus. (1930)
The top deck seats were reversable at the terminal, a whole row at the time. (on the bus- later )
No centre gangway on the top deck, the gangway was on the right. People had to get up
to let you out, if you sat next to the left windows, as the seats were 4/5 deep.


The latest Chatham & District Traction Bus is not the one -- restored by Smiffy`post below.

[Smiffy]

There is a website dedicated to Chatham Traction for those that are interested.
 
http://www.chathamtraction.org.uk
 
Unfortunately I can't remember them as I was still a baby when Maidstone and District took over.

[castle261]

For those who may not live in the area, One of the local bus company`s have a replica of the
Chatham Traction bus, in service in the Medway Towns. If they had used a old `routemaster `
for the conversion, it would have had a pole -- ( not from Poland ) -- on the back step.
The company intends to  introduce other old buses, in due course. --  ( read previous story )

[castle261]

We kids that lived near the top of Castle Road Chatham, used to wait for a bus, that had an engine repair, to be driven up Castle Road. It arrived driven by a mechanic. About 5/ 6 of us used to try to jump on the back of it, using the handrail. Some of us got on for a short ride. The crafty mechanic
saw us, reved up the engine, Then we could not get off. we were taken to Huntsmans Corner
before we could get off. We had a long walk back. elf/safety was not around then, in 1938..

                                                                    Good fun though