Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:58:03 GMT
I had the priviledge of working as as Motor Cycle messenger at Upper Tooting TDO. I remember clearly the winter of 1959 when Flu struck and our staff was depleted, we worked 12 hour days the snow was a foot deep and serious drifts were everywhere. this turned to ice and we delivered telegrams in sub zero temperatures, many had messages from the senders saying "Unable to come owing to inclement weather", which at the time seemed a bit ironic, as we were expected to deliver them, but being young and a bit wild, we were willing to face the challenge.
Our PSM's were of "the old school" Proud men who believed the Royal Mail must go through whatever. Our area covered Wimbledon,West Wimbledon, Balham and,Tooting during the week and on a Sunday Crown Point lads joined us to include cover to the whole of SE London with occasional runs out to Surrey and Sussex as needs required.
Some of the lads were a bit wary of the snow and ice, so our PSM's proposed a volunteer only policy for Motor Cycle use. Needless to say 99% volunteers braved the elements.
Who remembers the Carburettor seals ?
The bikes were fitted with a non standard carburettor slide which was longer than the standard BSA fitting, the top of the carb was screwed down and drilled to take an anti tamper seal this restricted the speed - that is unless you were a bit mechanically minded and risked a P18B (skin) by either hacksawing the top of the slide to make it open further or substituting a standard BSA slide. then refitting the seal !!! as if we would....then pump up the tyres 10 lbs over standard to reduce road friction and increase rolling radius, unscrew the exhaust baffle and "loose" one putting it back, and a few other minor tweeks gave a top speed over the manufacturers standard, oh dear I seem to feel a touch of guilt, but it was great fun.
We begged or borrowed the old style crash helmets (with the separate peak), as the Everoak was not in favour with John Surtees and Geof Duke ! We wore P Coats stuffed with newspaper and a leather gerkin, ditched the "official boots" in favour of "Don R" Ex WD despatch riders boots, purchased out of our own pocket from Government Surplus shops (remember them) the boots were knee length leather with three straps, and offered much better protection when we frequently fell off. Stadium Mk 1X goggles were also bought as the official issue were plastic and scratched easily. Both PSM's were strict on Shiny boots, shiny brass,and sharp creases in trousers. We had to iron the creases in our trousers by rubbing soap inside to hold the creases. But this was not the best answer as we frequently got soaked and when you took off your itchy blue serge trousers you found that you had blue legs where the dye came out and no creases. Luckily the wife of one of our PSM's (The late George Surrey) came up with the answer she sewed the creases in for us.
If we turned up for work scruffy we would be sent home and loose pay, such was the discipline, lacking so much now.We wore would you believe white shirts with separate starched collars and black ties. The thick fogs in London at that time were real green pea soupers, and shirts looked a bit grey by the end of the shifts. The blue dye from the uniform used to stain the cotton shirts that had to be bleached every wash . I lived with my father then after mum divorced and spend many a night washing and ironing to maintain the high standard set by the PSM's.
The official gloves were rubbish so we bought our own gauntlets from WD shops.
Dave Maney PSM had the brilliant idea of providing us with a copious supply of "Mopper Soup" he obtained a galvanised steel baby bath, possibly his sons, which was installed on top of our 4 burner gas stove, we went out begging bones from the local butcher, carrots, onions, potatos, and anything else barring Brasso that we could plonk in, I recall one day the inclusion in the soup of a belt and pouch complete with T16B and T35b forms (for added zest!) we would return from runs out frozen to the point where we could hardly get off the bikes, we would sit baling mug fulls of soup out of the bath, sitting with our feet in the open gas oven to thaw out, I will never forget the smell of hot wet leather boots.
Thats all for now, I hope it stirred some of your memories,
Best regards,
Maurice Nunn
Our PSM's were of "the old school" Proud men who believed the Royal Mail must go through whatever. Our area covered Wimbledon,West Wimbledon, Balham and,Tooting during the week and on a Sunday Crown Point lads joined us to include cover to the whole of SE London with occasional runs out to Surrey and Sussex as needs required.
Some of the lads were a bit wary of the snow and ice, so our PSM's proposed a volunteer only policy for Motor Cycle use. Needless to say 99% volunteers braved the elements.
Who remembers the Carburettor seals ?
The bikes were fitted with a non standard carburettor slide which was longer than the standard BSA fitting, the top of the carb was screwed down and drilled to take an anti tamper seal this restricted the speed - that is unless you were a bit mechanically minded and risked a P18B (skin) by either hacksawing the top of the slide to make it open further or substituting a standard BSA slide. then refitting the seal !!! as if we would....then pump up the tyres 10 lbs over standard to reduce road friction and increase rolling radius, unscrew the exhaust baffle and "loose" one putting it back, and a few other minor tweeks gave a top speed over the manufacturers standard, oh dear I seem to feel a touch of guilt, but it was great fun.
We begged or borrowed the old style crash helmets (with the separate peak), as the Everoak was not in favour with John Surtees and Geof Duke ! We wore P Coats stuffed with newspaper and a leather gerkin, ditched the "official boots" in favour of "Don R" Ex WD despatch riders boots, purchased out of our own pocket from Government Surplus shops (remember them) the boots were knee length leather with three straps, and offered much better protection when we frequently fell off. Stadium Mk 1X goggles were also bought as the official issue were plastic and scratched easily. Both PSM's were strict on Shiny boots, shiny brass,and sharp creases in trousers. We had to iron the creases in our trousers by rubbing soap inside to hold the creases. But this was not the best answer as we frequently got soaked and when you took off your itchy blue serge trousers you found that you had blue legs where the dye came out and no creases. Luckily the wife of one of our PSM's (The late George Surrey) came up with the answer she sewed the creases in for us.
If we turned up for work scruffy we would be sent home and loose pay, such was the discipline, lacking so much now.We wore would you believe white shirts with separate starched collars and black ties. The thick fogs in London at that time were real green pea soupers, and shirts looked a bit grey by the end of the shifts. The blue dye from the uniform used to stain the cotton shirts that had to be bleached every wash . I lived with my father then after mum divorced and spend many a night washing and ironing to maintain the high standard set by the PSM's.
The official gloves were rubbish so we bought our own gauntlets from WD shops.
Dave Maney PSM had the brilliant idea of providing us with a copious supply of "Mopper Soup" he obtained a galvanised steel baby bath, possibly his sons, which was installed on top of our 4 burner gas stove, we went out begging bones from the local butcher, carrots, onions, potatos, and anything else barring Brasso that we could plonk in, I recall one day the inclusion in the soup of a belt and pouch complete with T16B and T35b forms (for added zest!) we would return from runs out frozen to the point where we could hardly get off the bikes, we would sit baling mug fulls of soup out of the bath, sitting with our feet in the open gas oven to thaw out, I will never forget the smell of hot wet leather boots.
Thats all for now, I hope it stirred some of your memories,
Best regards,
Maurice Nunn