News Archive - April 2008

Mothers' Union, Eaton Bray With Edlesborough

'On the Buses' was not exactly the title the members might have expected for a talk by the Rev. John Heffer at their February meeting, but in the seventies John decided to take a 'working sabbatical' from the priesthood.

Having been brought up on a farm and driven tractors and lorries, he worked for Boss Trucks in Leighton Buzzard and became a fork lift truck driver. Having mastered that well enough to have been presented with a proficiency certificate, he then moved to something larger - a bus!

When he first started with the bus company, he drove the bus and the conductor took care of the passengers, but when the Company introduced 'one-man' buses, he became the front man and indeed the only man, subject to the whims and vagaries of the general public, which changed his working life considerably. Not only was he now 'in charge' he had to do everything himself - sell tickets: deal with the public: change the direction boards: remember the route: drive the bus and keep to the timetable! This was quite difficult for John, as being a punctual person, he was invariably early at each stop.

His work colleagues were fully aware of his background, but still made him 'one of them' although if a certain Inspector ever had cause to comment on something to John he always started with - "as a Christian, John........." even for the smallest misdemeanour. However his popularity was proven when John gave up the buses and became the Vicar of All Saints, Leighton Buzzard and a large number of the Bus Company staff, all in their uniforms, attended his Induction Service.

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