![[E.C. West in front of bus No. 509 with accident-free mileage millionaire signage]](https://collection.motat.nz/records/images/xlarge/46673/37d1feae53f91341a2de56a88cf53fdf30563b6d.jpg "[E.C. West in front of bus No. 509 with accident-free mileage millionaire signage]")
[E.C. West in front of bus No. 509 with accident-free mileage millionaire signage]
Maker and role
Unknown, Photographer
Production date
Unknown
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Object detail
Accession number
08/092/099
Maker
Production period
Description
Accident-free mileage millionaire driver E.C. West in front of bus No. 509 with sign proclaiming his record. E.C. West was a driver for Auckland City Council then Auckland Transport Board from the 1920s. During his term with Auckland Transport, West drove a number of different vehicles including Leyland and AEC buses on the Point Chevalier and Waikowhai services.
Media/Materials
Physical description
1 photograph : black and white : 21.5 x 16.5 cm
Collection
Credit Line
Unknown. Unknown. [E.C. West in front of bus No. 509 with accident-free mileage millionaire signage], 08/092/099. Walsh Memorial Library, The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
Production place
Auckland
New Zealand
New Zealand
Current rights
Public comments
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- Walsh Memorial Library posted 2 years ago.
Million Miles and No Accidents To become a road mileage millionaire takes a long time and a lot of driving and to accomplish it without a single accident is remarkable, especially on today’s crowded roads, yet that is the record of Mr E C West, a bus driver for the Auckland Transport Board. In covering over a million miles he has driven most kinds of vehicles over the past 45 years or so. Mr West began driving before the First World War when cars were solid-tyred and high-standing with plenty of brass to keep clean. A 28-38 Daimler is the first he remembers and in those days he drove many cars which have long since gone out of production – Argyll, Clement and Brazier were among them. Other early experience he gained was with an Albion chain-driven lorry. In 1920 Mr West came to New Zealand, joined the Auckland City Council tramways department and drove mostly Leyland and AEC buses. One of the oddities in the fleet was a Dobie steam bus built on an AEC chassis. The boiler was in the front and there was a complicated mass of steam pipes which were continually bursting because of the pounding received on bad roads. In those days Mr West drove on services in Pt Chevalier and Waikowhai, then in “really wild country”, reached over roads which were “shocking” even for that time – and solid tyres were no help toward comfort. He remembers that the council services were erratic and struck much opposition from free buses run by business firms during the rush hour. These operators skimmed the cream off the custom, leaving the council to do its best during off-peak hours. The council had a number of different makes of buses and in some the driver sat right above the petrol tank. Mr West recalls this clearly for on one occasion a tank exploded and wrecked the front of a bus. In about 1928 the Auckland Transport Board was formed and more modern buses put on the roads. They were still under-powered, and to get up Wellesley Street was a major feat even in the lowest gear. All drivers had to carry their own tools and with the first pneumatic tyres punctures were frequent. Mr West once had to repair six in one day. A far cry from these machines are the latest diesel buses Mr West now drives, and he is loud in praise of their virtues. His recipe for no accidents is: “Walk straight, drive straight and never stop concentrating.” Image: Unknown photographer. (n.d.). [Accident-free mileage millionaire]. Ref: 08/092/099. Walsh Memorial Library, The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT)
- Patrick posted 2 years ago.