From the Evening News, February 12, 1992

A VINTAGE bus bought almost 24 years ago by a Bolton schoolboy was just the ticket in its day . . . but it is now driving him to tears. The chirpy teenager perched on board his bus on the front page of the Evening News in 1968 has now decided it's time to let the public appreciate a part of its heritage - but nobody wants it.

Geoffrey Lister was just 14 when he was featured with his first 53-seater bus he got for £75. Since then he increased his fleet to three and restored all to mint condition. But a lack of space is threatening his hard work, and Geoffrey has offered the three Bolton Corporation buses, dating back to the 1940s, to the town - but the Corporation has said it does not want them.

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, February 12, 1977

ANTIQUE dealer Tom Kelsall is sitting pretty. He is heading an export drive to the United States in Victorian lavatory seats.

Tom, who runs a business in Chorley Old Road, Bolton, has been exporting "tippler" lavatories for 12 months. The Americans buy them to use as flower pots. Tipplers, the forerunners of the wc, were encased in wood and connected with the drainage system by a pivoting bucket. "There's no such thing as rubbish," says Tom. "Someone, somewhere, always wants to buy it."

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, February 13, 1952

A SURVEY of cars parked in the centre of Bolton on one day towards the end of last year showed that out of 556 cars, 345 were in unauthorized places. Mr D M McKellen, the Borough Engineer and surveyor, gives these figures in the Development Plan for Bolton, when he says there is a need for additional parking facilities for cars in the centre of the town. Altogether there is a shortage of accommodation for 600 cars, and to provide this would take two and three-quarter acres of land.

Mr McKellen points out that it is difficult to assess the parking needs for 1971, but he feels that it is safe to assume an increase of 100 per cent on the 1951 count to allow for peak-hour and increased volume of traffic. This would mean a total estimated need to accommodate from 1, 100 to 1,200.

100 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, February 13, 1902

TRAFFIC on the Blackburn line was considerably delayed this morning through a mishap to a goods train travelling from Astley Bridge Junction to The Oaks. From ten o'clock last night to nearly three this morning, a dense fog prevailed, and somewhat interfered with the great volume of trade traffic carried during the night. Just as the mist lifted, a lengthy and heavily-laden goods train left Astley Bridge for The Oaks, but when near Castle Hill, a wagon not far from the engine "jumped" the rails, and was dragged along the permanent way about twenty yards, the driver by that time having stopped the engine, which was travelling slowly, or great damage may have resulted. The derailed truck was kept from falling over by the couplings, hence little mischief was wrought, except the delay to traffic.

For some hours the service had to be worked on the single line, and this caused a most inconvenient block. The early passenger trains from Manchester to Blackburn were delayed over an hour. Shortly after nine o'clock, however, the normal condition of the service was resumed on both ways being worked, the breakdown gang having succeeded in removing the derailed truck, which carried a heavy freight.