How Tall Was My Cistern?

How Tall Was My Cistern?

In yesterday's video we looked at the Series 6 'On The Buses' episode 'No Smoke Without Fire'.
What started out as a look at a episode that featured an expensive set piece (a bus on fire filmed via a helicopter shot) ended up being a look at our childhoods and the various ways to flush a toilet. And a lot of giggling from all of us.

Warren had joined us for the day to do some recording for Episodes 25 and 26 of 'Round The Archives', mostly concentrating on the second episode of the 1988 ITV version of 'Jack The Ripper'. But we also found time to talk about Bernard Hepton, Peter Firmin and the lost version of 'Jack The Ripper' starring Barry Foster.

So with three of us on the sofa, it added a different feel to the video and we know each other so well that we can almost finish each others sentences and we always know how to make each other laugh.
We stated off relatively sensibly with Warren insisting that 'On The Buses' wasn't remotely funny.
But as we watched we realised that a lot of the things we were talking about would be an unknown concept to anyone under 30.

Talk of whether you needed a special pull on your toilet chain - one short and one long seems to be a popular combination. Also the time when my sister-in-law went to the bathroom only to come down with the toilet chain in her hand as it had come off when she had pulled it, perhaps too much of a hard pull there.

I was also reminded of the huge light bulb in the bathroom that was supposed to heat the bathroom a little, but failed to do so as it was never on for long enough. As my dad had a system of turning the hallway light on and off that was an art form in itself, and to find out what it was you'll have to watch the video.

And talk about how to lay a fire also sent the video off in a completely different direction.

There was also talk about my dad's purple Ford Consul, which had Indian heads painted on both of the rear doors; it would break down very easily and I can remember once having to push it alongside my mum on a rather busy A-road on the way back from holiday.

Then my nephew Russell reminded my of the Vauxhall Cavalier that when it had rained would fill with water in the rear footwells.

So as much as 'On The Buses' isn't a laugh-a-minute it proved to be an interesting slice of social history that provoked a lot of if not happy certainly fond memories.

 Our video about 'On The Buses : No Smoke Without Fire' can be seen here.

(Written by Lisa Parker)