A KEIGHLEY Bus Company engineer is celebrating half a century of keeping the area's buses on the move.

Robin Smith joined the old West Yorkshire Road Car Company as an apprentice engineer – at its Suresnes Road, Keighley, depot – in 1974, having grown up with a fascination for mechanics.

"My dad was a haulage contractor so I grew up around heavy lorries – plus I was always a bus enthusiast – so there was never any doubt about what I wanted to do and I knew what to expect," says Robin, 66, from Denholme.

"Back in the mid-1970s we had a lot of older buses which needed careful maintenance to keep them on the road.

"The first thing I did was an engine rebuild. I even remember the bus – number 2739, a Bristol-engined Lodekka which had been with the company since 1962.

"Those older buses were easier to work on, as they relied on much simpler engineering. The main issue was around getting parts, and the electrics were often a problem – it was a battle keeping some of them on the road!".

He also recalls an issue with early Leyland National single-deckers.

"They came fitted with low-profile tyres and we couldn’t get replacements," says Robin. "And when we tried fitting normal tyres, they wouldn’t fit inside the wheel arches!".

For the past 32 years, Robin has also served as a vehicle inspector, regularly scrutinising buses to ensure they are legally compliant and safe.

Tribute is paid by Vitto Pizzuti, operations director with Keighley Bus Company parent firm Transdev, who adds that Robin's experience will be important as the business shifts to zero-emission electric buses.

He says: "We’re looking forward to introducing a fleet of brand-new electric buses on our popular Shuttle route linking Keighley with Bradford next year – and while the technology on them is certainly different to what we have now, Robin’s experience is very important to us as we approach that change.

"Thousands of customers down the years have enjoyed safe journeys on our buses thanks to Robin’s skill and keen eye for detail. We’re very fortunate to have someone with half a century of knowledge in our workshops."

Robin says: "The technology has changed a lot – with everything we do recorded electronically, while the buses themselves rely on computerised maintenance – but the people here are marvellous and they keep me going."