Any Routemaster fans/drivers/mechanics on here?

[SkipdiverJohn]

I've just become the happy owner of an Almex A ticket machine, as used by my Dad (and me, when he let me) in the 70s. I've been looking for a good example for a long time and finally this came up and at a decent price. To at least tie it in to the OP, I gather these were used by London Transport conductors in the 70s too.

If Almex machines were ever used by LT conductors, rather than just OMO drivers, it must have been an extremely rare occurrence. I have personally never seen a LT conductor issuing tickets using anything other than a LT-designed Gibson machine, apart from literally a couple of occasions when a bell punch type ticket was issued instead. That was an emergency measure and only ever happened if the conductor's Gibson machine malfunctioned or they ran out of ticket roll.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

If Almex machines were ever used by LT conductors, rather than just OMO drivers, it must have been an extremely rare occurrence. I have personally never seen a LT conductor issuing tickets using anything other than a LT-designed Gibson machine, apart from literally a couple of occasions when a bell punch type ticket was issued instead. That was an emergency measure and only ever happened if the conductor's Gibson machine malfunctioned or they ran out of ticket roll.

I stand corrected, I've seen LT "take your ticket" stickers on Almex machines so I assumed they must have been used on the LT network at some point. Possibly a rare occasion, possibly never happened and the stickers are an anomaly. You seem to know more about LT machines so I'll bow to that.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I'm not saying you're wrong, LT certainly did use Almex machines, and it's possible on occasion they might have also been used on crew buses. But if they did, it was not common practice, as the standard LT conductor issue was the Gibson A14 machine which was carried on a purpose-designed leather harness. I believe they are quite collectable now! Some I've seen on eBay have been silly money.

 

[fossyant]

That's wonderful! My dad worked out of Hyde Road depot, I remember the skid pan there and the dramatic demonstrations of what a double decker skid looked like!

We went on a skid pan driving evening with work at Hyde Road. It was ace. We got to spin some old busses, and newer ones (I'm talking 25 years ago) - we drove and were passengers, so we either piled to the back of the bus, or the back of the upstairs. I used to go to the Charles Street garage alot as a kid, usually on a saturday.