thegorbals

Hi Gang,
Yes Reg and Margaret I also remember the Irish guy that swallowed swords, chains etc, me and my pals wouldn't get the " caur" but the 101trolley bus from Rutherglen rd to Glasgow cross and walk up the Gallowgate to the "Barras" and he would be doing all his tricks [did he have a helper going round with the hat for money ?]. Also I don't know if it was him or someone else who would be handcuffed/padlocked and an old canvas sack thrown over his head with him saying [or was it his mate who spoke] the world record is 10 minutes to get out of the chains but he will do it in 5 minutes until one Sunday watching him and just as the sack went over his head the shout went up "ROZORS" and your man was out with the padlocks in under 20 seconds, funny how things like that stick in your mind when you're a wean !!!.. Yes there were tons of things you could buy in the "Barras" and was a great day out on a Sunday. Reg I think the Jim Reeves song may have been "he'll have to go" that would have been about 1959 was that the song you were thinking of ?. By the way My Ma always wanted to know where I was going [she had always told me to tell her if me and my pals were going on walkabouts] she would give me the trolley bus fare to there and back but being weans we would get transport there but spend the return fare money on sweeties [sshhhh]
Regards.
Danny

Jimbo wrote:

DannyGill wrote:Hi Gang,
Can anyone remember what happened when/if the" conductor arm " came off of the wires overhead [where the caurs got there power] was it like the Trolly bus and the conductor had to get the long pole out from under the Trolly and try to reach up with it try and lift the "arm" back onto the overhead wires or was there a different method used or just didn't this happen for some reasons. Another point is in the 50's when we had terrible smog in Glasgow what happened when the smog got too thick for the driver to see ? anyone know.
Regards.
Danny

From memory, the tram used a totally different collector from the Trolley buses which had two poles with hooks which hooked over the overhead wires and were prone to jump off, trams had collectors which looked like inverted wire coat hangers which I don't think could be accidentally dislodged.

Zooming the picture will show the collector on the Coronation car on the left.

Hi Jimbo,
Yes your right mate I remember now the two poles that the trolley bus used and the "inverted coat-hanger" that the caurs used. Thanks again Jimbo your links are as always spot on mate.
Regards.
Danny

Danny that Jim Reeves song no1 for over twelve weeks was "I love you Because"
And I think Helen Shapiro was "Walking Back to Hapiness at about the same time ??

Yes every week at the Barras those songs and lots of others.

Regards Reg

Hi Reg,
That song by Helen Shapiro "walking back to happiness" was a hit in 1961 and I believe she was a 16 year old schoolgirl when she recorded and had a smash hit with it. Jim Reeves was a great singer too and such a shame ha was killed in a plane crash in 1964. What a great experience it was walking round the barras on a Sunday afternoon and listening to all the pop hits of that era, very similar to the "shows" in Glasgow green when all the pop hits were also played and when you think about it Reg when you heard the songs it made you feel happy and also made you spend your money faster too . Being young you couldn't wait to spend your money fast enough and at the "shows" you would be walking about for the last couple of hours with your money all gone but the "buzz" kept you there, ah happy days mate.
Regards.
Danny

Hi Gang I remember the guy who used to tear the phone book or maybe it was another big book. He used to twist it and turn it from the middle but he always seemed to do it.
Amelia

Hi Amelia,
Yes I remember that guy tearing up the phone book, that took some doing when you think of it, there were so many characters round about the Barras in those years and do you remember Paddy's market doon in the Saltmarket [talk about a flea market !!] but money was tight and I don't blame the people trying to get clothes at cheap prices. Tell me Amelia was Paddy's market open both Saturday and Sunday or was it just one of those days ?
Regards
Danny .

Danny, Paddy's Market was open both Saturday and Sunday.

rosedoyle wrote:Danny, Paddy's Market was open both Saturday and Sunday.

Hi Rose,
Thanks for the info, I couldn't remember if it was the two days or not and I loved having a look at all the stuff you could buy there. All great memories, they have a few flea markets like that in the London area here and the one I like to visit on a Sunday is "Brick Lane" at the start of the East end of London where you have stalls selling everything [but keep your wallet/purse close to you!! because of the pickpockets]. I would have tea and hot-dog from one of the stalls and spend hours looking at what's on sale , going in for a pint too just to rest the auld legs .
Regards.
Danny