RE: Open All Hours - 86

Brush up Phil, Don't you mean Dust up. ?

SB

Don't forget that we couldn't allow ourselves to get too unsavoury looking or smelling if it comes to that. We relied on people stopping for us on the side of the road when we were thumbing for transport. They were not going to stop for a couple of tramps.

Also don't forget the ultimate aim of our little expeditions were to see if we could pull, and we were not going to do that either if we looked and smelled like tramps, but there again that sort of thing must have attracted some if what I saw going on was anything to go by.

Phil

I did a fair bit of lift thumbing, mainly, around the South Coast, to and from the Isle of Wight and to and from London. I wouldn't like to try it today.

SB

I don't think you would get very far if you did, in fact its very rare that you see young people thumbing today. When you do its generally car delivery people. I have to be honest I always swore when I was younger that I would never pass anybody by, and I never did at first. But as the world got to be a more dangerous place you have to think twice.

Phil

I really think only a fool would pick up today.

With all the talk of wash & brush ups and Cafe's on this thread, I thought you might like to read this. It might raise a smile or two. Some of you have probably seen it before.

This is my favourite story about a public underground loo. It doesn't sound much when it is written down but whenever I think about it, I have to smile.

One Saturday night in the 60’s we ran two girls home to Worcester we had met at a night club in Birmingham. As it was about 4.a.m. when we finally dropped them off we decided to get our heads down in the car for a couple of hours before heading back to Brum.On waking about 7 a.m. we headed the nearest toilets for a wash and brush up.

The nearest one was at the head of Bridge Street. After availing ourselves of the facilities and giving the attendant a generous tip. We asked the attendant where was the nearest café we could get some breakfast his reply was “you are joking aren’t you” (it was a Sunday in 1965)He next words were “if you are hungry I can do you something”.

Smiling to ourselves we agreed, he cooked us one of the best mixed grills I have ever eaten the full works. We left there thanking him profusely as he would not accept a penny in payment.

Sadly that underground toilet has gone the same way as many of its ilk, but I can never visit Worcester or think about the city without smiling and recalling how I ate a full English breakfast in a public convenience there.

I would imagine it was a BOG standard breakfast. It would be interesting to know what a bog attendant was doing with all that grub though. ?

Posted by Sheldonboy

---

I would imagine it was a BOG standard breakfast. It would be interesting to know what a bog attendant was doing with all that grub though. ?

---

Yes I was thinking where was the food kept. The mind BOGGLES

I would have been wary of the Black Pudding though.

You lads obviously never had a good look around some of these old Victorian underground toilets did you? The ones that had full time attendants were spotlessly clean places. The attendants had their own little room where the could cook their meals and make a cup of tea.

It was only after they did away with the attendants that the places became so awful.

Phil

We went into Victorian toilets in Scotland, only a few years ago. They were so ornately tiled and spotless and really a tourist attraction.

How about these, I'd eat my breakfast in there any time.

Phil

Clean they may be but what kind of a fanatic keeps pictures of urinals?

SB

You would be surprised how many pictures of urinals I have, but nowhere as clean as those. I have most of the ones left in Birmingham and believe me there are not many left now.

Phil

Morning all,
Had a wonderful day yesterday at the pub with the horses delivering the beer and lots of onlookers taking pics on their phones.
Weather was good after the previous days downpour, forecast not so good for today.
Here's my nephew (Richard) with the dray, and a shot looking across the road at my friend Johns cafe.