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Read more about the article Motor buses in Newcastle, by Ken Magor
Buses of Emelin Bros, Swansea

Motor buses in Newcastle, by Ken Magor

This article was written by the late Ken Magor, probably in the 1960s, as part of a larger piece he titled "Destination Newcastle". Ken had a deep fascination for buses (and trams, trains and fire engines!) and a love of obscure detail. I've edited the article as lightly as possible. First motor bus records show that a Mr Gee commenced a service from the old Hamilton Council Chambers, Beaumont Street, via Tudor Street and Hunter Street to a spot near the Newcastle Hospital in 1918. George King operated the first motor bus to Tighes Hill and…

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Read more about the article Hello hansom! Cabs in old Newcastle
Hansom cab on the corner of King and Perkins Streets, Newcastle. Photo by Ralph Snowball.

Hello hansom! Cabs in old Newcastle

At first hearing, in the 21st Century, you might imagine that "hansom cab" is a name for a pleasant-looking taxi. In fact, hansom cabs were the horse-drawn forerunners of more modern motorised taxis, and in the mid to late 1800s and early 1900s, the presence of hansom cabs in your city or town was a good sign of civilisation. Where did the name come from? Well, "cab" just meant "cabrioloet", which was a type of carriage designed to be pulled by a single horse. It usually had a retractable roof, making it a convertible. Some modern…

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Read more about the article Velocipedia: some ancestors of the bicycle

Velocipedia: some ancestors of the bicycle

It was 1868, and the pages of the monthly publication The English Mechanic were about to be deluged with correspondence from inventors keen to create a perfect personal transport machine. The rise of the middle classes, the spread of technical education and the increase in literacy created a large pool of would-be inventors who shared their ideas – good, bad and indifferent – in cheap specialized journals and through “mechanics’ institutes”. An 1869 issue of The English Mechanic, featuring a velocipede. Author's collection. Up until then, horses and horse-drawn vehicles had been the main form of…

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