Trolleybus services disrupted in Victoria Street

'Barry Edwards remembers a previous time when bus services in Derby were disrupted

Looking at the excellent photo recently added to the site of Victoria Street in the 1950’s, I was reminded of a previous time when Derby’s bus services were disrupted back in 1952. Though arguably less dramatic and extensive than the chaotic scenes that can be found near to the old bus station in 2007, where frustration amongst passengers at busy times has spilt over in to anger, especially amongst Chaddesden residents, there are, nevertheless some notable similarities.

Victoria Street disruption 1952-57

A decision had been taken to close the Post Office side of Victoria Street to through traffic in order to strengthen the culvert that ran beneath the road surface, whilst allowing two way traffic to operate on the Ranby’s side. Consequently services 30,31 and 33 to New Normanton, the Cavendish and Osmaston Park Road were to be diverted. As a child of eight years of age I had no idea that this was to happen until my mother and I turned up in Victoria Street one Wednesday afternoon after school in order to catch a trolleybus to the Normanton Hotel, in order to visit my grandmother, May Clay, who lived in Cummings Street where I was born. Instead of the ubiquitous green and cream trolleys and scores of people waiting for their buses home, there was a rather desolate scene with wooden barriers, (cones had not been invented) and a notice from the Derby Corporation Omnibus Department explaining that for the ‘time being’ the said services were to operate from the Market Place.

Service 31 diverted to Market Place 1952

So we trundled off down St.James’s Street to a Market Place that on its northern side was full of people trying to make sense of the new arrangements and find the queue for their bus. I remember quite a bit of pushing and moaning, and as it was now rush hour quite a few frayed tempers and heated exchanges.

Sinfin Lane services were moved away from the trolley wires

The Sinfin Lane service had been ousted to the Barlow and Taylor’s side of the square, and Osmaston Road and Alvaston services were now in juxtaposition to the Normanton ones that we were interested in.

Derby Corporation trolleybus 199 in Victoria Street

Of course after the initial period of uncertainty things settled down, though because trolleybuses could not overtake each other because of their poles, there was much frustration for the waiting crowds as each vehicle inched towards its stand. Sometimes certain conductors were reluctant to take the poles down and buses had to wait before their passage was clear, resulting in late running and passenger annoyance.

On a recent visit to Derby I was surprised just how restricted some of the waiting areas are near the site of the old bus station as passengers mingle with each other waiting for their Chaddesden services. Passers-by have a difficult job getting past, especially at rush hour and the relative chaos reminds me so much of those March days in 1952. Posters displayed in the old Central Bus Station in October 2005 promised a new facility by 2007. If it takes as long to restore normality as it did in the 1950’s, when ‘for the time being’ meant five years (until November 1957), then we should not anticipate a resolution to the problem until 2009 or 2010 at the earliest.

Temporary bus station

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