ALAN Valentine's photographs of trolley buses have brought memories.

David Kindred

ALAN Valentine's photographs of trolley buses have brought memories. Janet Knights of Dunlin Road, Ipswich said: “My father was conductor and later driver on the trolley buses until he went into the Army during the Second World War. He told us of the times in the black out when passengers covered farthings with silver paper to pass off as sixpences!

“He was a bit of a wag and one day a lady got on his bus and told him that he had one number on the front and a different one on the back. "Madam" he replied "We have Bisto on the side but we don't sell it!" He was docked a day's pay for that.

“When I was a child and travelled on the 'trollies' sometimes you would hear a thud on the top of the bus and one of the arms would have become dislodged, the conductor would pull a long pole out of the side of the bus and re-attach it to the lines.

“When it was frosty sparks would fly from the lines, which was quite a sight. Happy memories!”

“I was working at Eastern Counties Farmers when the 'New' silo was built which was in one of Alan's photographs. When it was completed all the staff was invited to an open day there.

“I remember going to the top floor and looking out, what a wonderful sight of Ipswich. It wasn't the most beautiful building but in my opinion much better than the monstrosity that is now being built on the same site.”