I was the driver!

THIS is your life . . . Richard Hyde with volunteer visitor and typist Carol Brierley (centre) and project co-ordinator Nicola Shore

THE man who drove the last tram from Manchester to Oldham in the 1940s says he would love a ride when they return to the borough.


At 96, Richard Hyde can still remember the tram routes from his days at Manchester Corporation in the post-war years.

His worked on them all, but his regular line was from Piccadilly to Waterhead.

Mr Hyde is the latest person to take part in Age UK Oldham’s Life Story project, which sees volunteer visitors work with care home residents to put together their life story.

Mr Hyde became a tram driver in 1945 — a 1947 photograph shows him preparing to drive the last tram on the number 32 Reddish route.

Forty-five years later he was a guest on the first Metrolink tram which ran from Victoria to Bury in 1992.



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