Norms Restoration - 31 Seater Projects & Leyland TD 5 Project

1939 Leyland TD5 [1635 DD]

2019

Tools February

Norman Julian 23 Feb
A friend paid a visit today and handed me over 2 very important bits of early bus history.
These destination box keys are very old and still in great condition.
One is very early 20th century and the other is some time later.
Both are very welcome and both will be cherished.
Graeme Knappick
I’ve had my one since 1984 from when I started at Waverley and still use on the Railways now.��
John Lidstone
In the UK these are known universally as T-keys.
Norman Julian
When I started doing this resto, no one took me seriously and when I asked about aquiring a key there was absolute silence, so I went and got one made.
It cost me 60 bucks.
Since then everyone has said "well why didn't you ask me I have oodles of them!"
John Lidstone
they can be hard to come by here, especially London Transport's version, which has a cut notch before the end all around it, for its own lockers (typical of LT, just having to be different to the rest of the country).
I loved mine when commuting on slam-door trains, as when they got a bit rowdy on some evenings, I could lock the door of 12-seater compartments.
Nowadays of very little use as trains no longer have these locks in use and most buses don't have anything using them either - where once it was a ubiquitous 'staff entry' key for all kinds of door or locker on buses and trains.
I think the correct term for them is a 'carriage key' but everyone just calls them 'T-keys'.
John Lidstone
Is there a loop in the cab on 2547 into which to slot a T-key?
You might have a little loop in the cab side trim for one maybe?
John Clarke
Didn't they have a loop on the front of the conductor's bag as well?
Norman Julian
Yeah I remember them swinging on conductors bags.
Dennis Parry
In Brisbane we called them budget key still have mine from 1966
Rusty Williams
not only were these 'T' keys used to change route number boxes on buses ect .............they were also used on the railways for opening carrige doors on passenger trains & frieght wagons.
Brian Blunt
Also various lockers/cabinets on the buses, under seats and under the stairs in deckers.
Maybe the covers over the door mechanisms too?
Rusty Williams
yes all those Brian they were collected around the depots and sold for scrapp same as the metal sydney buses seats on footpaths the 3 in the front garden in townsville look out of place ha ha
Sidney Rea
They were also used for the cash boxes and the electrical doors on the Mercs
Philip Tumber
The STA Mk5's came with a light weight aluminum version in a vinyl pocket in the second locker above the driver, but they didn't last there long, being souvenired very quickly by drivers.
Rusty Williams
yes Phillip they went the same way as the merc bage in the middle of the steering wheel and the radios in the staff cars,
Philip Tumber
Rusty Williams the staff car cigarette lighters, glove boxes and clocks also went, and on several occasions, the tyres were swapped for bald ones and batteries were swapped for dead ones. ��
Norman Julian
You drivers were all a bunch of bloody thieves!
LOL
Rusty Williams
we had a new sunbird staff car at ryde depot lasted 4 weeks when the boss said who owns the dumped car the chargeman said you do he nearlly died!
Philip Tumber
Norman Julian the Staff Cars at Randwick were GM based (Toranas & Commodores) and I always drove Fords, so it wasn't me !.
Rusty Williams
i'm a ford man as well wasn't till I did csc they became fords.
Scott Wilson
The Workshop managers Ute was an XF, it did so many foreign order deliveries with the speed fuse out that it would've had double what the speedo said, trips to the Gong, moving houses, general mis-behaviour......
Last updated
April 2019
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