Routes

About the Book

Routes is the story of the bus route through my career in public transport from birth to 40 years old thus far. It's about my family roots and the ancestors who influenced me throughout my life. Three generations of the "Beirne" family dedicated their career to the bus industry. Good honest diesel running through our veins.

In 1933 a horrific bus fire cost the lives of four people. Patrick Beirne the bus guard saved more lives and he was later hailed a hero by the coroner for his actions.

Patrick received a bravery award in the form of a bronze medal from the society of the protection of life from fire for his efforts.

This book is a first hand account of life on the buses. It tells the story of the bus fire and records local events I experienced on the buses in Manchester.

As a young woman I was determined to follow in my grandfather and fathers footsteps. My intention was to make an impact on the bus industry as my grandfather had done. I wanted to make a difference.

Surviving in a man's world, I found myself juggling motherhood, with marriage, studying and a career. I coped as a single parent whilst making decisions on a multi million-bus depot budget, and I never let my two very different lives overlap.

At home no-one would recognise the hard determined, highly organised Manager and at work no-one knew the desperately low single mother coping with five house moves in two years to make ends meet.

Pride and determination, was the driving force that kept me going.

At the age of forty having completed twenty-three years service to the bus industry I decided to reflect on how I survived climbing the career ladder and bringing up two children.

Sometimes the choices I had to make between my children and my career tore me in two.

I hope this book offers inspiration and encouragement to others who take on the challenge of a full time career and a family, and provides interesting reading to the bus enthusiasts amongst you.

About the Author

I am a single mother of two who, at the age of 17 started working in the bus industry as a catering assistant. Although I stayed with the same employer my entire career I progressed continuously through educating myself and work experience. I drove buses in and around Manchester; I became an inspector and ultimately the Depot Manager. In 2001 I managed what was at the time the largest bus depot in the UK. (Bolton)

During my career I met and married my husband and had two daughters. A dramatic divorce threatened my career and my confidence to be a good mother.

Now at the age of forty, all that is behind me and I survived the trials and tribulations of divorce to come out on top, with a thriving career and two beautiful daughters who are my best friends.

I was always told you don't get anything for free and if something's worth having it is worth fighting for. I fought to keep my career and my children and I succeeded.

I still work on the buses and if I retire at sixty-five I still have another 25 years to do, I suppose that chapter will be my job in retirement; to write episode two of routes!