Keith on the buses ...

Keith Kitching, a Scarborough transport enthusiast, has published a bookabout his life “on the buses” and how it was during a trip to Scarborough that he found himself taking a job as a conductor.

A Scarborough transport enthusiast has published a book packed with nostalgic photographs and anecdotes about his life “on the buses”. Keith Kitching’s book, titled “My Life in Transport”, is a collection of memories, stories and pictures relating to his time as a bus conductor, driver and transport office worker in Scarborough and Darlington.

Born in Darlington in 1950, Keith started off working in offices and it was during a trip to Scarborough that he found himself taking a job as a conductor.

After five enjoyable years by the sea, Keith, along with his wife Christine and young daughters Jaqueline and Jeanette, moved back to Darlington where he became a coach driver and later a local bus driver for Darlington Corporation Transport.

Sadly, Keith was involved in an accident in 1984 which left him with a neck injury and unable to return to work. Aged just 34, his much-loved career on the buses came to a sudden end.

However, his passion for buses remains to this day and in 2005, Keith came across a small 1952 Austin/Plaxton coach which changed his life, the story of which is detailed in the book.

Keith and Christine came back to Scarborough for good in 1988, and Keith has been able to concentrate on his writing, also penning a book called “Glorious Runs and Safe Returns” about the history of Scott’s Greys of Darlington.

He has also had articles published in Vintage Roadscene Magazine.

One of the amusing tales featured in the book concerns a dog and happened on a United bus in Scarborough in the early 1970s.

Keith wrote: “I heard the woman shouting about her dog. What dog? I raced down the stairs to see her holding a lead which disappeared through the join between the doors. and when I looked through them I could see there was a small Yorkshire Terrier running like the clappers on the other end of the lead. I pushed the ‘doors open’ button and hauled the dog in by its lead no worse for the adventure.”

Keith said: “I hope you have as much enjoyment reading all about my exploits and the companies I worked for as I have had writing them.”

“My Life in Transport” is published by McRay Press, Scarborough.

To find out more, or to buy a copy, email scottsgreys@tiscali.co.uk or call Keith on 07949 408472.

Passengers boarding a Bristol RE on the 109 Seafront service in the early 1970s.

Keith and driver Jim Sweeting at the Corner Cafe in the spring of 1969.

A mid-1960s photo of LD Lodekka bus 103 on the Seafront service.

Bristol FLF Lodekka at Falsgrave roundabout, where the traffic lights are now.

Keith’s parents took this picture of him after he passed his PSV test.

The United Vernon Road bus depot main entrance. The entrance for single decker buses was down the hill on the right.