Bike Lamps and Buses

Living at Newington Green I remember there were several power cuts during the ‘50s and ‘60s. There was also smog (or pea souper) caused by an evil mixture of fog and coal burning fires. These were the days long before central heating for most houses. When the two came together there was total darkness and a horrible feeling of claustrophobia. The combination of dense smog and no electric lighting caused pandemonium everywhere in London and especially along Newington Green Road.

It was particularly bad one night in the winter of 1962 during the rush hour that a group of us decided to get our battery torches and bike lamps and stand along mainly the west side of the road and help guide the slow moving traffic coming from the West End up towards the Green. It was quite eerie as you could hear a vehicle sluggishly approaching but it could not be seen until the very last moment. Moreover if a car or bus seemed to be heading for the pavement we would group together, call out to the driver and guide the vehicle away from the kerb.

Around 8pm as the traffic seemed to be dying down we left our posts and retreated to our warm coal burning or paraffin stove homes with some satisfaction that we at least helped to prevent any accidents along Newington Green Road.

Roj

More about fogs and a picture of a London bus in the fog on Join me in the 1900s.