Here is a standard Setright Speed from Crosville Motor Services, about 1962 I think. Green printing on a cream-coloured paper. I have never quite understood what was the purpose of the various formats and boxes printed on the reverse of different operators’ Setright Speed ticket rolls. I can only say that I don’t ever remember a conductor using them in any way, shape or form. The ticket was issued during a holiday to Llandudno. From the small fare, it almost certainly represents a journey between Llandudno town centre (Trinity Square) and the West Shore, where we were staying. There were three possible routes – M19 (Conway Morfa) – operated by Bristol Lodekkas, and leaving town via Madoc Street, Lloyd Street, Deganwy Avenue, Gloddaeth Avenue, Great Ormes Road and Bryniau Road; M20 (Llanrwst) – operated by single deckers – usually SC4LKs, but occasionally a half-cab L5G, taking the same route as the M19; and finally the local M95 (Maesdu and Deganwy) – invariably an SC4LK, running via Trinity Road, Dyffryn Road, Alexandra Road and Bryniau Road.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Stephen Ford

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The punch squares on the reverse were only for transfers and little used but are explained in the following Chief Inspector’s instruction:
"Instructions Relating to the Issue of Through Return Tickets where a Change of Vehicle is Required
1. The Conductor will issue the ticket in the normal way but in addition punch it with the cancellation punch in "No 1" (back of ticket) according to the direction of travel in order to indicate to the Conductor of the vehicle on which the passenger completes his journey that the ticket is a through ticket.
2. When the passenger tenders the ticket to the Conductor on the second vehicle on which he completes the journey the Conductor, after having satisfied himself that the ticket is valid for the journey, will punch it with the cancellation punch in "No 2" (back of ticket).
3. When the passenger tenders a RETURN ticket to the Conductor on commencement of the return journey the same procedure will apply as in (1) and (2) above. In addition the Conductor will punch the ticket with the cancellation punch in the appropriate date of the day.
4. When a passenger tenders a Return Ticket on the vehicle on which he is COMPLETING his RETURN journey, it should be noted that the date of the completing journey should be the same as the date "PUNCHED" by the Conductor dealing with the first part of the passenger’s RETURN journey and finally cancel the ticket through the machine in the usual way."

Mike Grant

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16/05/12 – 09:00

Was there any ticket left by the time all of these holes had been punched in it?

David Todd

My uncle and his family lived in Todmorden from the mid 1950′s for a few years and our family would now and again go to visit for tea – as you did. This involved catching a Halifax J.O.C. Regent III or CVG6 from Stump Cross to Hebden Bridge on the 48/49 service, then a fine T.J.O.C. PD2 to Todmorden, and another one on the Cross Lee service to Ferney Lee. Then a few hours later, we’d do it all again in reverse order. A wonderful day out. I don’t remember much of the tea, but I remember the bus rides! Then the tickets were still Bell Punch rack type tickets – the only ones I personally ever encountered. Unfortunately I hadn’t started to retain bus tickets at that early stage in my life, so these later Setright Speeds are the only ones I possess.

Photograph and Copy contributed by John Stringer

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18/04/12 – 07:05

Ah, those visits to relations. When I was little every weekend we were either visiting them, or they were visiting us – my dads parents, or three lots of uncles/aunts/cousins. I have written about the three-stage trip to my grandparents in Hucknall. The other regulars were in different parts of Nottingham – one of which involved the Mapperley route 31. In the early 50s this was always operated by Daimler CVD6s, which were unusual in the AEC dominated NCT fleet. I remember just one occasion when we went to visit my dad’s cousin in Grantham. I was grievously disappointed when the bus turned out not to be the melodious Trent crash-gearbox Regent I expected, but a Lincolnshire Bristol K5G on the joint service.

Stephen Ford

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23/04/12 – 15:56

I always recall that the ticket number on TJOC Setright tickets comprised four digits whereas tickets of most other operators I have seen had only three digits.

David Slater

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25/04/12 – 09:28

If I’m not mistaken Midland Red’s Setright ticket numbers also had four digits but I can’t think of any others that did.

Alan Hall

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25/04/12 – 12:06

The 4-digit serial number was something many operators wanted but Setrights seem to have been reluctant to supply. The reason seems to have been that the 4-digit serial number mechanism was inherently less reliable.
Midland Red was by the far the biggest user; also Walsall Corporation, Eastbourne Corporation were two other 4-digit users.
Rather more unusual on the Todmorden tickets was the machine number appearing where "PENCE" bar usually appeared. The two examples illustrated are from machines 03 and 12.

DRH – Transport Ticket Society

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26/04/12 – 11:52

Of course I should have remembered about Walsall’s tickets as I spent many happy days travelling on their trolleybuses in the last few years of their operation.

Alan Hall

Though all but one of these carry the ‘Huddersfield’ title, note the odd 2d ticket above showing ‘Huddersfield J.O.S’. I often used to ride from Halifax to Huddersfield, and around Huddersfield itself on J.O.C. services and all the tickets showed ‘Huddersfield’ only. I occasionally rode on the Corporation’s trolleybuses too, and I’m sure they were the same. Does anybody know what the J.O.S. ticket is all about? Does it date from an earlier time?

These later Ultimate tickets replaced the earlier version, having the fare overprinted in a contrasting colour – presumably to save printing costs. All the tickets shown here were supplied by Bell Punch London.

Photograph and Copy contributed by John Stringer

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11/04/12 – 06:13

You might like to add the attached to the current posting of Huddersfield Ultimates. As you see it was a special issue for the last week of the trolleybuses.

Stephen Ford