Radio Gemini and Brookes Buses.

Every year in the summer we borrow buses from other bus companies. We need the extra buses to cope with the holidaymakers and the language students who flood into the Bay. When I first started we used to borrow them from Stagecoach London who sent us some right lumps of elderly metal. One or two spent more time in the garage being repaired than on the road earning money. Now we get the buses from Oxford who don't need then now all the students have gone down for the summer. The buses are done up in the livery of Brookes Bus and are used on the routes between Newton and Brixham. They also have radios in them which Oxford are licenced for but we are not. But one or two drivers, not knowing this have been in the habit of turning on and tuning to Radio Gemini, our local commercial radio station. Imagine now the scene, 40 or 50 passengers have just boarded a Brookes bus in Torquay and paid the very popular price(1) of £3.45 return to Paignton, a journey of 20 minutes. Knowing Radio Gemini they are likely to hear two records in that time, if they are lucky. The rest of the time will be spent listening to adverts. So here we are on the bus and the first record fades away and the adverts scream out telling you what is missing in your life? "Did you know," the breathless voice assaults your defenseless ears, "That FirstBus Devon operate a service every 15 minutes between Torquay and Paignton for the unbelievable, ridiculous price of £2.45." A full pound less the you and the 39 or 49 other passengers have paid.

Management got to hear about this and now all the radios have had the fuses removed. Not a big surprise there.

Note(1) It is popular with our accountants; and the shareholders.