Brenda,
Good to hear from you after me being away from the forum for so long. My friend's name is Gordon Wilton. He was one of four brothers that lived at 116 Durham Hill - I think it was! Anyway, it was where the 124 bus used to turn back for Catford/Forest Hill when it was a Downham only service - opposite St Luke's Church. We, about 10 boys in the gang, played football or cricket, depending on the season, on the green between Durham Hill and Shroffold Road; or roared down the hill on our carts, on the pavement, from the church gate to the bottom of Roundtable Road by Dagonet Gardens. Anyone walking up Shroffold Road from Grove Park station had to jump for their lives as we swept past! Gordon's father was an LT bus driver and drove his 47 or 138 or 126 bus, he was based at Bromley Garage, with great style and panache! It was always good fun to catch any bus that he was driving. Gordon, like me, has moved away from Downham , but we still like to visit the place with its many very fond memories. I went to Downham just a couple of years back and walked all over the dear old place. I was standing outside the flats in Ballamore Road - where I was born - talking to a couple of blokes building a garage in a garden on the corner with Reigate Road (a private garage on Downham!) and I told them that when, as a tiny tot, I was sitting on the kerb, just by where they were building I saw my first aeroplane fly over. 'Gaw blimey!' they said, 'you gotta a good memory!' I agreed and then walked to 'up the top' for a coffee in a café where 'Home & Colonial' used to be!
Ah, sweet memories.
God Bless all ex-Downhamites.
Vic.