I remember writing up this little item for my in-house school magazine all those years ago, it caught the imagination of my English Master who then rather favoured any further articles from me…
*1952: Perhaps the most famous — and most incredible — incident in this roll call concerns the number 78 double decker to Dulwich. A watchman’s mistake allowed the bus onto the bridge just as the northern bascule began to rise. By the time driver Albert Gunter (46) noticed, the bus had reached the point of no return. In a split-second decision, Gunter hammered down the accelerator and leapt a six-foot gap between the bascules. Twelve of those onboard suffered injuries, and the bus chassis was bent, but it limped on to safety. “Everything happened terribly quickly,” related the driver. “I felt I had to keep on otherwise the bus would have toppled into the river.” Gunter later received a £10 bonus for his unorthodox evasive action.
*Courtesy of The Londonist
