Member Article

Six employees celebrate 45 years on the buses

A double celebration has taken place as six loyal employees toast an impressive 45 years’ working ‘on the buses’ and their employer, Go North East, marks its 100th birthday.

Bus drivers - Alan Bailey, Roy Bellaries and Terry Young, along with fitter, John Giles, coachbuilder Ian Smith and electrician David Wilson, have clocked up a collective 270 years’ service with bus operator Go North East.

The stalwart employees all won jobs at the company back in 1967 - the same year that saw Elvis Presley marry Priscilla, the words ‘bell bottom’ introduced into the dictionary and the first heart transplant take place.

These six, dedicated staff have seen a lot of changes in their four and a half decades with Go North East, which is now the largest bus operator in the region.

Alan Bailey from Ryton, Roy Bellaries from Stanley and Terry Young of Sherburn Village, Durham, were all originally bus conductors before becoming drivers.

John Giles from Gateshead, Ian Smith of Houghton-le-Spring and David Wilson from Whitley Bay have all played a key role behind the scenes in the firm’s workshops over the last 45 years.

The men were presented with long service awards at a glittering ceremony at the Newcastle Gateshead Hilton Hotel on Friday 10 May. Also commended at the event were 38 employees celebrating 25 years’ service and six staff who’ve been with the firm for 30 years. A further 29 employees were given awards for 35 years’ service and seven staff were honoured for 40 years at Go North East.

Kevin Carr, managing director, Go North East said: “Celebrating the tremendous achievement of our long serving members of staff is hugely important to us because without such loyal, committed employees we wouldn’t be where we are today. Go North East is 100 years old this year which makes this 63rd annual long service awards event even more poignant. It’s a chance to thank our long colleagues for all their valuable contributions.”

Go North East started 100 years ago with a small number of buses and is now the largest bus operator in the north east, with a fleet of 670 buses and over 2,000 staff. It carries over 72 million people every year and covers Tyne & Wear, County Durham, Northumberland and Teesside.

Go North East is doing a number of activities to mark a century of getting north east people from A to B. The firm is commissioning a book which will be a people’s history of the company. A children’s book for 5-6 year olds is also set to be created, as well as special events including a summer party for its staff and stakeholders held at Beamish museum.

For more information call 0845 60 60 260, log on to www.simplygo.com

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jill Farmer (Dobson) .