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In the early 1950s the couple of 'private' buses that ran between my village Muthukur and our town Nellore didn't have the 'self-starter' battery rig.
Whenever the bus had to be started from rest, the driver would sit down on his throne and the cleaner would come and pull out a 4' long metal rod with a square wrench slot on one side and a crank handle on the other. And would walk to the front of the bonnet and insert the rod into its groove and turn the crank handle violently. Nothing happens in the first attempt. But after a few more tries the engine would growl and the driver would press the throttle till the dub-dub becomes a roar and we were off.
It was a fail-proof mechanism.
But within a couple of years, the new buses came with the 'self' and it was a great delight to watch the driver simply press a button on the dashboard and make the engine race.
But every such innovation came with a glitch...once in while the driver would press and press and press but nothing happens. And there was no crank rod and a cleaner to crank it standing on it. Then the driver would ask every able-bodied man to get down and go back and push the bus. And there would be oaths muttered by passengers.
Once we were off on the highway the bus had to stop every milestone and the driver would try and keep the engine race in the idling. And ask the passengers to be quick before the engine stalls again and the process of pushing repeats.
And once in a while when he was going strong, the driver would sight the oncoming 'return bus' flash her headlights madly in broad daylight. And would stop on the kerb and the conductor would wake up into his hustle and bustle and issue tickets to everyone in the bus from whom he had already pocketed the fare without issuing any ticket. And after the drill was gone through, the driver would try and restart the engine...and would ask the paying passengers (including newly married bridegrooms if any) to get down and push again.
The flashing headlights were a warning that the TCO (Ticket Checking Officer) was on the prowl in his Jeep...he had caught the earlier bus with her panties down and threatened the driver and the conductor with 'action' till they pleased him after a hard bargain.
I am told nowadays all the buses here are government-owned and the driver and the conductor are as much 'public servants' as I was at IIT KGP. So they do issue tickets promptly as soon as they get the fare into their bags...but of course they never have any 'change' and so...
My India!
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In the early 1950s the couple of 'private' buses that ran between my village Muthukur and our town Nellore didn't have the 'self-starter' battery rig.
Whenever the bus had to be started from rest, the driver would sit down on his throne and the cleaner would come and pull out a 4' long metal rod with a square wrench slot on one side and a crank handle on the other. And would walk to the front of the bonnet and insert the rod into its groove and turn the crank handle violently. Nothing happens in the first attempt. But after a few more tries the engine would growl and the driver would press the throttle till the dub-dub becomes a roar and we were off.
It was a fail-proof mechanism.
But within a couple of years, the new buses came with the 'self' and it was a great delight to watch the driver simply press a button on the dashboard and make the engine race.
But every such innovation came with a glitch...once in while the driver would press and press and press but nothing happens. And there was no crank rod and a cleaner to crank it standing on it. Then the driver would ask every able-bodied man to get down and go back and push the bus. And there would be oaths muttered by passengers.
Once we were off on the highway the bus had to stop every milestone and the driver would try and keep the engine race in the idling. And ask the passengers to be quick before the engine stalls again and the process of pushing repeats.
And once in a while when he was going strong, the driver would sight the oncoming 'return bus' flash her headlights madly in broad daylight. And would stop on the kerb and the conductor would wake up into his hustle and bustle and issue tickets to everyone in the bus from whom he had already pocketed the fare without issuing any ticket. And after the drill was gone through, the driver would try and restart the engine...and would ask the paying passengers (including newly married bridegrooms if any) to get down and push again.
The flashing headlights were a warning that the TCO (Ticket Checking Officer) was on the prowl in his Jeep...he had caught the earlier bus with her panties down and threatened the driver and the conductor with 'action' till they pleased him after a hard bargain.
I am told nowadays all the buses here are government-owned and the driver and the conductor are as much 'public servants' as I was at IIT KGP. So they do issue tickets promptly as soon as they get the fare into their bags...but of course they never have any 'change' and so...
My India!
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2 comments:
In late forties,when i was about 7 or 8, I travelled by a bus from Podalakur Bus Stand to Narasimhula konda. This bus had, yes, along nose in front, but it also has a small cabin/cubicle inside towards the rear end.This enclosed portion housed coal furnce and a boiler to generate steam that was used to drive the bus. At the rear end on the outside of the bus, there was a small crankshaft which used to be revved by hand to supply air and start the fire inside.
Did you ever travel by this "Boggu Bassu !" ?
Yes I did!
When I was 6, my Father was transferred to Kurichedu, a hamlet in the drought-prone outliers of the then Nellore District.
The bus from Nellore to Kurichedu was a Coal-Steam Bus...I recall describing it in one my earlier posts...
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