Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request HORRIFIC ACCIDENT ON BUS

The recent post about the Lloyd's Corner bus accident reminded me of an earlier one. My mother remembered it and was quite young when it happened so probably about 1927/8 or there abouts. A man was travelling on the bus with his wife around the junction of Seabank Road and King Street when standing on the rear platform he observed some clothing in the road and turned to tell his wife about it but she wasn't there. What he had seen was his wife's mangled remains lying int he road. She had fallen through an open hatch inside the bus and got mangled up by the drive shaft and other mechanical bits. Her remains were picked up and put in a sack and taken to a local cake shop. My mother said for years afterwards people in Wallasey sat with their feet up on the bus. Anyone else know about this?

That sounds a horror show - and some! Must admit, I haven't heard of that before. The only hatches on the older (proper) buses I can recall was the one over the gearbox/bell housing. It was at the front end. Usually had the bodywork maker's name cast on it. Massey Bros. Wigan, Leyland Motors etc. She would have had to be of slender build to get through that though ! Interesting.

I have read an account of it somewhere. From my mother's account (and she witnessed the bits being picked up) I always imagined it was a bus coming from New Brighton but I think the book stated heading for New Brighton. I think the book may have been the same one that has the acount of the Lloyd's Corner accident. What struck me as rather odd was that the people present at the scene should have taken her remians to the cake shop!

'Can we leave the remains of this lady here please?'
'Yes of course, what's that love? Sausage roll and two pasties'

The mind boggles.

The remains were distributed on the road from about number 12 Seabank up to the Gaumont.

Mmmmmm. I was just about to have my tea ! Thanks.

Oops sorry!

lol well i was eating cake

Page 12 in T.B Maund's Wallasey Buses has some details on the incident

"{the Karrier DD6]...were withdrawn suddenly in August 1931 following a dreadful accident in King Street when the trap over the rear bogie of a double-decker gave way and a passenger fell through with fatal consequences".

Thanks Paul. All good stuff.

Taxi!

How sad! How old was the lass?

No, This was a Karrier and a different design to the one that you are describing.

They had a double rear axle, so twin sets of wheels on the rear end of the bus.

Awesome machine! I remember the Atlanteans coming into service. I remember a gang of us kids (what would be 'hoodies' today) calling into the little bus office in Virginia Road and asking the inspector how many buses there were in Wallasey. Can't remember his name - think it was Lenny someone - he drank in the Clarence years later. Really nice fella and years ahead of his time in PR because other inspectors would have said P... o... to a gang of kids. But he reeled off all the buses, Atlanteans, old Leyland open back ones, Single deckers and then added....'and of course the little Bunny Bus!' That was the little 13 seater they had.

From the Birkenhead Advertiser, Saturday 22nd August 1931...

A verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned, it was obviously someones fault (design fault, poor maint, whatever), if it happened today the lawyers would have a field day.

Dave