Lightening Strikes

Wednesday 18th of June 1952

It was just another ordinary early morning start for Mr Owen Keenlan, he had just started his shift with Mr David Lane, the driver of the Ninewells route. Even though it was early, he felt hot in his conductors uniform. He thought it was going to be a hard days shift as it was so close. He had a headache and this was always a sure sign a storm was on its way.

An empty Ninewells tram slowly left the terminus, on time to a rumble of thunder overhead.  Just as Mr Keenlan was about to hop on board BANG! Lightening struck the rear side of the tram. He thought the lightening hit terrible close to the car and had disappeared down the side near the wheels. Moments later he saw a blinding flash and smoke began to rise from the seats on the lower deck. The driver immediately pulled on the brakes and joined Owen, both men franticly threw sand on the fire, hoping they could keep the flames down till the Dundee fire brigade could finished the job off.

Little did they know, moments later, in another part of the city, four passengers boarded Blackness tram. FLASH! Lightening struck and blew the trams fuses, setting fire to a cable under the seat in the lower deck. The passengers quickly got off as the driver Mr Hadane and the conductor Mr Mullis desperately used bags of sand to put the fire out.

Inspired by a story found in the Dundee Press and Journal