A Lifetime on the Buses

Covering almost half a century, this is the story of one man's, slightly unusual, career in the transport industry. From working in the home counties with the largest bus operator in the country, to employment with one of the legendary family Independent operators in Yorkshire, the narrative traces the contrast between large and small in the bus industry, at the same time following in parallel the development of two major enthusiasts' organisations over the last 40 years, namely the Doncaster Omnibus & Light Rail Society and the British Trolleybus Society. A native of Sunderland, Jim Sambrooks moved to Hertfordshire aged 16 before commencing a career with London Transport. A subsequent move to Doncaster found him employed by a number of local operators, and allowed him to assist, alongside his paid work, in the development of The Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, where he can still be found, in retirement, keeping the wheels turning.