supplied by Matt Thomas
John Wilde… Many coach tickets purchased in there.
Graham Sherrington… Bring back the 1970’s let me make less mistakes and nearly start again. But then its that Time travel paradox is it not.
Michael Wilson… Maidstone and District coach trips in the summer holiday. Windsor Safari Park, Dover Castle
Ralph Town… Remember times we sat in there waiting for a coach to Tonbridge to see my Nan
Paul Coleman… A tour to Brighton- 8 bob! Those were the days!
Peter Ellingworth… Remember it well…..former single deck Hastings Tramways Co. trolleybus no. 45 ? re-utilised as a ticket booth/office.I believe it is under restoration for putting back to working order somewhere….will check out when time allows. Along with the Guy open top t/buses ( ‘ Happy Harold ‘ – the sole survivor- and this only because it was kept back as a maintenance vehicle until being decked out for the 1953 Coronation and used subsequently ). These were used until the early part of WW2 when the first batch of Weyman t/buses were delivered followed by the Sunbeams in 1946, of which there is a superbly restored working one at The East Anglia Transport Museum.
Tracy Birrell… Gosh, yes, this brings back memories.
Peter Ellingworth… Further to my earlier comment : The former trolleybus no. 45, currently being restored I believe , and used for this M&D ticket office, was one of a batch of 50 single deckers and 8 open top double deckers of which ‘Happy Harold’ is the sole survivor, delivered to Hastings Tramways Co. at the start of trolleybus operation from trams in 1928.
They lasted until the first batch of new all enclosed double deckers, AEC/ English Electric with the first 10 having Weyman bodywork and the remainder Park Royal were delivered in May 1940. Two single deckers were kept in running reserve, of which one 45, was eventually utilised as the above ticket office staying thus until 1972. The Hastings Observer (no doubt written by either by “an Observer reporter” or ‘Round the Memorial’ by “Vigilant” himself), almost wet itself waxing lyrical with praise at the time of the 1940 delivery : “The new enclosed double deck trolley vehicles are a delight to travel in, being the last word in passenger comfort…..and purr through our streets in almost ghostly quiet….the general atmosphere of hush appears to be infectious ” etc. etc.etc. Of the original single deckers, which I remember my Mother saying were apt to brake very sharply, most were scrapped at Silverhill depot. 18 were transferred to other operators to make up for those destroyed during bombing raids. The remainder were kept in store until the end of hostilities in 1945. And double decker ‘Happy Harold’ formerly no 3., was kept back for use as an overhead equipment maintenance and running wire de -icing vehicle before being decked out for the 1953 Coronation, and subsequent use as a novelty on the likes of summer Sunday nights between the Bathing Pool and Fishmarket. Anybody remember this ? Date of the photo? Around 1964-66 I would say.
Peter Ellingworth… Simply Google in ‘Hastings Trolleybus no. 45″ – this gives a wealth of information about this vehicle, its history and what’s happening to it with a photo taken early in WW2 ? almost opposite along Queen’s Rd. of one of the single deckers still in public service outside the old Timothy Whites. Also photos of no.45 being used as a ticket office .
