Bus Escapades En Route to Trafalgar – 1950s (circa 1990)
A young ‘gentleman’ called John, whose surname shall remain a secret, was walking with his sister to catch a school bus when he and his sister had a disagreement. It must have been quite a disagreement because his sister ‘hitched’ him to the overhead bridge by his braces (braces were a common method of keeping ones trousers up in the 1950 era).
When he disentangled himself, he found he had missed the school bus so went home and told mum what had happened. She said “walk to school”. So, off he went walking along the road when this ‘night cart’ came along. The driver said “Hello John. No school today?” He then offered John a ride to school, not mentioning that it would not be by a direct route. John clambered up and sat next to the driver. They did the ‘rounds’ of Moe, had lunch on the cart and John arrived at school just in time to catch the bus home. What a surprise for his sister to see him already sitting in the ‘cattle truck’ when she came out of school. It is not known whether she knows how her brother John got to school on that fateful day. This may end a well-kept secret!
On another occasion, things went with quite a “BANG!!” on one trip home from the Yallourn High School to Trafalgar. One of the students lit some fire crackers and threw them into the bus – they unfortunately landed down the front of one of the well-endowed female student’s jumper before they exploded. Who remembers this scenario? The protagonist will for sure if she reads this!!
Reference Photo
Relationship
One of these buses crashed
One of these buses crashed just on the hospital side of the Briquette Factory turn off opposite #1 Oval in the 50's. For years we used its bonnet (upside down) as a sled to slide down the railway embankment.
Im pretty sure that looks
Im pretty sure that looks like the old semi that used to pick me and my brothers up from theMarried Quarters and drop us off at the Catholic school each day. Very noisey and so slow but great fun
A similar bus was used to
A similar bus was used to bring students from the Yinnar region during the mid 1950's. It also brought tech students , not so good for a skinny 5ft high school student! Coincidentally Yallourn Tech student , Brian Reiter was also a passenger. One of natures gentlemen-unfortunately he passed away recently after a long and courageous battle with cancer
I was hoping my comment about
I was hoping my comment about Brian Reiter ( who worked in a Yallourn bank) would jog someones memory as he married Sheila Ellis a member of a family well known to the older people of Yallourn.
Hi Bill, I remember Brian,
Hi Bill, I remember Brian, although it wasn't for a few years after he came to Yallourn that I realised he was originally from Yinnar. Brian was part of the very well known Reiter Golfing family from Melbourne. There was at least 3 brothers{Don, Alan and Brian- (plus the father)} who were top golfers at the prestigious Yarra Yarra Golf Club, between Alan and Don they won the Club Championship at Yarra Yarra on multiple occasions. Brian came to Yallourn to work in the National Bank (I think), he played Golf at Yallourn and represented Yallourn in Pennant Golf, he was a very good Golfer and played off a handicap of 3 or 4, although he wasn't quite as good a Don or Alan, but, none the less was an extremely good golfer. Alan was a Civil Engineer and also came back to the Latrobe Valley to work, he either worked for the Shire or Vic Roads, I am not sure. During his time in the Latrobe Valley he also played Golf at Yallourn and also represented the Club in Pennant Golf, although I don't believe that Brain and Alan played at the same time. I am sorry to hear that Brian has passed away.
By the way the Bus used to transport the Yallourn Tech kids from Newborough to Yallourn on Sport days, I travelled on it on many occasions
Kevin, Thanks for your info,
Kevin, Thanks for your info, about Brian - If you need another Yallourn archive project, you might be interested in recording the history of the Yallourn Golf Club. By the Humphrey connection , I think your Mum was a fair golfer as well as Maxine's neighbour Nell Huxtable. Nell is 93? and is in an aged care facility at San Remo , she is still as sharp as a tack l I hope you keep your input up into the YOGGA. Maxine is a girl you can get out of Yallourn, but not the Yallourn out of the girl. Our Grandchildren have learnt a lot about Yallourn. from this site
reagrds,
Bill
Bill...that's an excellent
Bill...that's an excellent suggestion. Kevin, would you ask your mum, Marj, to write something about the Yallourn Golf Club...and the invitation goes to anyone out there who can contribute to the history of Yallourn please. Julie