« Buses | Main | Dunston Ferries »
The Blue Bus (Frazers) Founded 1937
Watergate - Whickham - Winlaton
This was a wooden seated Bedford bus, which ran every hour. It was owned by a father and daughter called Sarah.
Sarah was the conductress and was a very, very large lady who had difficulty passing down the aisle even when nobody was standing.
This bus was the only way to get to Blaydon, very few people having cars in those days. Blaydon was a very busy shopping area, with three cinemas, the Plaza, the Pavilion and the Empire and a Dance Hall, which was very popular.
On Saturday evenings the Blue Bus had more passengers standing in the aisles than sitting, there were even people sitting on each other's knees. Nobody was ever left behind at a stop. With the bus so full Sarah could not collect the fares. When the bus stopped at the bottom of Shibdon Bank, the nearest stop to Blaydon, Sarah stood at the front of the bus to collect the fares. However, many people alighted by the rear door, saving their 3p fare which they used to buy a bag of chips on the long walk home if they had missed the last bus at 10.30 p.m.
In winter weather the bus had great difficulty getting up Whickham Bank. The men had to get off and push it.
Sarah was awarded the M.B.E. by the Queen.
The Bus Company eventually became Derwent Coaches.