A nice surprise

As I left school to go home while walking done St Mark's Street just going on to Shettleston Rd I had the best shock of my life a big black car with my favourite band in it The Beatles were leaving glasgow after playing in Glasgow City Centre and were passing right in front of me so I gave them a wave and they waved back I was so pleased because my Mum would'nt let me go to see them she told me I was too young. I felt great for days.

We got there early and, while we were waiting, heavens above I had to go to the toilet. Well I looked around and as we were so early everything was shut so I’m doing the Highland fling!

An engineer came of the ship and I asked if I could use the toilet on board. He said yes, well was I pleased! I headed to the Steamer but I could have cried - the tide was so low the gangplank was very steep. It was like stepping off of a steep mountain but I was desperate so I had to conquer my fear and headed down to the loo. When I headed back I realised I had to climb all the way back up the steep plank. What a start to the morning trip.

However the journey was great and we went to Arran. Some of the people got off the steamer to visit the distillery and as my walking was difficult we stayed on the Waverley. My husband went down for a coffee but he came back up with two drinks! The staff from the distillery had come on board with samples of the amber nectar. Weren’t we pleased we were sitting rosy cheeked while we waited on the people coming back on board.

We had a lovely day trip round the isles!

Mind your step...

When my Mother was young and she worked on the Trams and she would tell stories of the people she would meet and of herself one day she was going to the dancing and put on her new pencil skirt and best top she headed for the tram to meet her friends she ran and jumped onto the tram forgetting the high step and done a sumersault back off the bus we laughed so much, but at the time it must have been quite a fright.

No.9 to Auchenshuggle!

My mother Ellen Love, nee Martin, worked on the trams during the war in 1942 she started as a conductress on the no 9 trams then trained to be a driver.

She enjoyed her experiences travelling through Glasgow and would tell some tales about the characters she met on her journey.