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A Birkenhead bus driver who spent 60 years behind the wheel is gutted as he was forced to retire, following his diagnosis of a leaky heart valve.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, Jimmy Kewley, 78, joined Birkenhead Corporation at just 18 in 1966. He started as a conductor before he passed his Public Service Vehicle test. He took to the wheel at age 21.
"I'd just gotten married, and I wanted a job where I could earn decent money. So I became a conductor, but I always wanted to be a driver," Jimmy told the Echo.
"I had to do a PSV driving test and everything, but I got through that all right. I passed first time and started driving straight away when I turned 21."
His career is a remarkable testament to Merseyside's long-lasting bus network and its changes. Starting from Birkenhead Corporation through to the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive, privatisation as Merseybus in 1986, the workforce-owned MTL Trust Holdings in 1993, and finally Arriva's takeover in 2000.
Jimmy started his driving career at the New Ferry depot, driving the number ten bus between New Ferry and New Brighton, the 41 from Woodside to Mill Park, the 39 between Woodside and Eastham Village, and the 44 from New Ferry to Eastham Ferry.
On the route he liked, Jimmy said he "liked them all", and his main love affair was being behind the wheel, "in his element".
Before being diagnosed with a leaky heart valve, Jimmy had taken time off due to his high blood pressure, but he realised it had escalated when he had breathing problems. A follow-up heart scan revealed the leaky valve that sadly stopped his bus driving.
"It's horrible. Even today, I still love it," he said. "I'm actually gutted about what's happened to me. I really am, because I wanted to carry on driving till I was in my 90s. I'm going to miss it very much."
He took enormous pride in knowing passengers were relying on him to get where they needed to be, whether for work, hospital appointments, or elsewhere.
"Obviously, you do your best to make sure you're always running on time – not early and not late," he said.
Jimmy's colleagues gathered to celebrate his monumental 60-year career. He was appropriately picked up in an old bus for the occasion, a nod to his expansive career.
"The lads are great. The workmates are absolutely brilliant. We all work for each other," he recalled. "All the lads were gathered in the canteen waiting for me to come. They were all wishing me all the best and good luck for the future and everything."
But Jimmy hasn't entirely given up hope of getting back behind the wheel; he joked: "I keep telling them at the depot, though, if they're stuck for drivers, to phone me!"
For anyone considering becoming a bus driver, Jimmy gave them some advice: Take your time and be nice to people.
