Dorothy Williamson

It is strange how seeing a photograph can bring back a memory tucked away in the mind, of the garage that my father had, adjacent to the Headingly Tram depot on Otley road. I was browsing through Leodis and came across an old photo of the tram sheds as we used to call them. Seeing the building brought back a long forgotten memory of mine, standing in the garage, watching my father and his mechanics repairing one of the cars. He and his fellow workers were in the pit the car being raised up for them to get underneath to do the necessary repair. My father started the Leeds School of Motoring before the 1939 war. It was the first in the city. His office was in The Queens Square Chambers, across the road from the top of Cookridge Street. I think the building was demolished some time ago.

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Dave Johnson

The original caption is slightly misleading, as the depot was converted to bus operation on or after the closure of the Lawnswood tram route (1956) & not after the closure of the remnants of the Leeds tramway system in November 1959.

davidwjohnson@tiscali.co.uk

colin sutcliffe

I drove buses from Headingley Depot as it was called by Leeds City Transport Department, in the 1950s.The routes I covered were the 57-58 and 59-60 Hyde Park Circulars,49 Old Farnley,50 Horsforth,44 Halton Moor,30 Cookridge,33 Tinshill,and 9 Ring Road.The bus makes were Leyland PD2 and AEC Regent double deckers.Guy single deckers were used on the Meanwood -Wortley route,these buses I drove only occasionally and I cannot remember the route number.I have happy memories of staff there and the arrival of drivers from Hungary following the 1956 revolution.Overtime at weekends on football specials to Elland Road Ground.and in summer on Roundhay Park Specials.The money was needed by this then newly demmobed and married man.I used to cycle there from my home on Broadgate Lane.Horsforth safely on roads that were very lightly used !

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rayd

The bus route Colin cannot remember was No 45. Originally ran from the top of Oldfield Lane/Upper Wortley Road to Meanwood (Capitol cinema). This route was extended in the late 40s. Westwards to the Ring Road/Whitehall Road, and Eastward first to Harehills (Clock cinema) and later to Seacroft (North Parkway).

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Colin Sutcliffe

Thanks for the reminder Rayd re.route no 45,Meanwood to Wortley.My main memory of that route is that the old Guy Motors single decker buses lacking in the engine power department and were always full of passengers from Kirkstall onwards to Wortley,and that steep pull up from Amen Corner was made with a certain amount of trepidation.On one occasion a driver stalled and lost control and the bus ran back a short way and overturned,resulting in slight injuries to a few passengers only and care was taken that only drivers with experience of that route were used after that.At the Wortley end we reversed into Kellet Crescent to stand for the return journey,not an easy manouvre I can tell you.Happy memories of an age when the roads were quiet and the pace of life was more gentle and people were still happy to have survived the war years.

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Ann

My grandfather, Bertie Aves, was an inspector on the trams based at this depot until he retired. He died in 1953, in his mid 70s.

13-Mar-2009

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