Goodbye Piccadilly

Interesting exhibition at the London Transport Museum looking at the role of the London transport system both on the home and fighting fronts.

The top floor of the exhibition (you go in at the top) was dedicated to the home front with a wonderful selection of recruitment and propaganda posters such as the Christmas poster of Toyland mobilising. There was a really good section on the work women did with a bus conductresses uniform and a section on how Maida Vale tube, which opened in 1915, was staffed entirely by women.

Downstairs was dedicated to the men and machines which went to the front. I was stunned to see that 1185 buses were sent to the front line of which only 250 returned. Many of them were reconfigured for other roles such as lorries or the six which were turned into pigeon houses! There was a good section on the men who served with interesting anecdotes and photos.

I am currently doing some research for work on our rolls of honour so I was particularly interested to see a memorial for the London Transport Surveyors Department which I will be following up!

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