IT'S sad to see yet another childhood memory and landmark biting the dust . . . the former LUT depot at Howe Bridge.

The once bustling base had a ghostly feel when I passed this week, fenced off and falling under the demolition men's hammers.

I didn't realise the depot was so massive with the huge sheds on one side and the social club and offices taking up one heck of an expanse on the other.

Oh those heady days of life on the double deckers: always heading for the front two seats, catching the 54 to Wigan and the 82 or 84 to Bolton. Why the difference in numbers I can't remember.

What sticks in my memory are the conductors traipsing up and down stairs in their brown (were they?) uniforms, the annual Miss LUT beauty competition - and the nine times out of 10 on the way to Atherton my journey was held up by crews changing over.

It used to infuriate me.

Happy days before the reign of the motor car.

I presume that after another part of the past vanishes the land will be sold off - and another load of characterless boxes will be thrown up. Ray's butty hell! THIS week police gave Ray Bennett a ticket for taking two bites out of a butty while creeping forward in a traffic jam.

The 50-year-old mobile phone exec grabbed his favourite ham and tomato on white as he dashed off to an important business meeting 50 miles away.

But, as traffic halted to let a string of race horses cross, he took a nibble and put it on the passenger seat to move a bit forward.

The driver in Newmarket who had not received even a parking ticket in over 30 years on the road was issued with a £20 fixed penalty ticket for eating while the car was in motion - and therefore not in proper control of a vehicle.

At 2mph!

It was obviously his dearest-ever sandwich.

I know it is against the law but it seems a bit much.

What about all those who drive at over 30mph with a mobile phone stuck to their earhole, drink coffee from a cup on the dashboard.

Even smokers? They can't be in full control.

I'd be very careful in future if you have any of these habits. It could cost you dear. Off the mark I COULDN'T believe my eyes while driving in the region of Boothstown, Mosley Common and Little Hulton. But there were cycle path markings on the FOOTPATH. Dangerous or what? This is taking traffic off the roads a bit too far! Fifty channels and nowt on! THE battle started last week to grab new customers for the latest high tech development digital TV.

It's terrestrial v satellite once again, fighting each other for the market to bring us another 200 channels.

All we need is yet another box, costing in the region of £200, a widescreen TV and in the region of £10 a month rental as far as Sky is concerned.

What do we want with another five sports channels, seven documentary channels etc when the ones we've already got are an absolute pile of trash? Are they planning to cover tiddleywinks?

The cry is regular in my place: "Fifty channels and not a thing worth looking at."

I've just dumped Sky Sports. The good old Beeb is still by far the best at everything it does. Animal crackers TELLY has gone animal crackers.

Hot on the heels of an overdose of cookery shows comes a real mixture of pet and wildlife documentaries.

There's Animal Rescuers, Animal House, Animal Hospital, Absolutely Animals and the rest. Too much, even for an animal lover like me.

I can't even tune in. The first sign of neglect, stupidity or cruelty and I'm in tears. I can't even watch nature at its most brutal in wildlife programmes.

I'd end up with a home full of unwanted pets and I don't think I'm the only one.

If I could win a decent lottery prize I'd buy a house with land and set up an animal sanctuary. That must be an ideal life. Don't throw good money down the drain A GOLBORNE man was almost delighted when his cylinder mower packed in after 14 years. He could get a new hover like a couple he'd used when cutting grass for pensioners in his area.

But, after buying the machine he desired from a Leigh store, he discovered it was not the right one for what he wanted.

He claimed the Qualcast Turbo 30 didn't cut his front lawn at all and just shaved the back, leaving the grass one and a half inches long. He's used to and prefers a close crop.

In frustration he returned it to the shop after trying it once, in the hope that he could either do a swap for a suitable model and pay the difference, or collect a refund.

However the store decided that all they could do would be to send it away for repair as it was now second hand.

Our man, not happy with the situation, refused to pick up his mower at the store and contacted Trading Standards who said the shop was in its right. A hard lesson, but he didn't have a leg to stand on. However perseverance paid off: after contacting head office in London he got his own way.

The moral is: Make sure your purchase is the correct one before throwing good money down the drain.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.