(28 Feb 2014, 4:29 am)ADLEnviro wrote Bit of history behind this Dan, I'm not showing my age here mind.

This is historical for Sunderland, goes back to the 70s when the point inspector in the Central Bus Station would blow his whistle spot on 11pm and every last bus would shut its doors and race to the outer estates and back to either Hylton Road or Fulwell depots and in later years the Wheatshef. This practice today operates from Fawcett Street, not sure if you still have the inspector with the whistle mind.

I remember this, the buses would sit on their respective stands with the drivers revving up their engines. As soon as the Inspector blew the whistle, it looked like the drivers were competing to be the first the reach the narrow exits - I'm surprised there weren't any pile-ups!

I'm not old enough to remember anything further back (honestly!) but I've been told by elderly relatives that this tradition actually had it roots back in the days of the tram when there would be a line-up of trams in Fawcett Street waiting for the whistle to send some northwards towards Southwick, Fulwell and Seaburn and some southwards towards Villette Road, Grangetown, Durham Road or Kayll Road.

Regards
David P