THE CHICKEN RUN
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From 1993 to 2001 I worked for Stagecoach in East London. For a year I was a driver at Stratford Garage then I became an Operations Supervisor at Bow for the rest of the duration!
Being a night person (hate early mornings) I tended to do either late shifts 2pm to 10pm or the night shift 10pm to 6am. It was on the night shifts that the Chicken Run was born. Pictured above with me (kneeling at the front) from left to right are Graeme, Mat, Martin, Sy and Andy. Only ever doing late shifts they would arrive back in the garage between half twelve and half one every night.
So why The Chicken Run?? Well if you have ever seen a 50's American Youth Movie you may recall the chicken runs they had. Two cars heading straight for each other and the first to swerve before impact was a chicken!!!!! Yes! I need say no more!!
The fun began with the birthday assaults! When a birthday was approaching the other members of the group would plan the raid down to the last detail. So often has an unsuspecting member of the above team driven into Asda's at Beckton at 1 in the morning, only to have three, sometimes four, buses suddenly appear at top speed from behind bushes, trees whatever, surround his bus, all leap on and cover him with flour and shaving foam amongst others.
GRAEME
SYED
MARTIN
BACK
AT BASE
BACK AT BASE
Mind, even safely in the garage I wasn't exempt. My last night at Bow Garage the guys had come in and we had spent a pleasant hour or so chatting and eating cake that had been bought for my farewell. They left about half two and I got on with my work. A little later one of the night engineers came in to tell me that there was a drunk aboard one of the buses about to be parked up for the night. I went out to sort it out, but just as I got to the door of the bus, I heard Mat shout "Go, go, go" and they all ran out from behind parked buses and smothered me with shaving foam. When the morning drivers started signing on at about half three in the morning they were surprised to see me working at my desk with bits of foam all over me :)
So, in 2001 I left. The Chicken Run had lost their Mummy Chicken (or the Queen Hen).
After I left, I returned on a couple of occasions to attend one of the Chicken Runs, but soon after they sadly came to an end.
Although I haven't see Sy for along time, I still keep in touch with the other members and we have all been on holiday together. In 2003 we took a boat onto the Norfolk Broads and in 2004 we went on the Great Union Canal. Follow The links to see these & other pictures.
HOLIDAY 2004 GRAND UNION CANAL