Grumpies, old, middle aged and young column

[Pennine MC]

I wouldnt use 'train station' myself, but it doesnt overly bother me; there is some logic in it, as in 'bus station' or 'ambulance station'; I dont see folk getting bent out of shape over 'fire station'

 

** In my formative years my parents were most particular about "rubbish" versus the American "trash". Receptacles for garbage are such a font of regional preferences. We have:

dust bin, ...

 

When I was young, that would be collected by a 'dustcart' - is/was that term prevalent anywhere else in the UK?

[45156]

When I was young, that would be collected by a 'dustcart' - is/was that term prevalent anywhere else in the UK?

In some parts of Scotland in years gone by, the dustcart was known as a cowp cart, or a midden waggon - I suspect both have long gone, but David L Smith referred to a driver's comment to his fireman whose firing methods did not suit this fastidious driver's requirements (ISTR that he was not facing the driver as he fired) as "I'll have nane o your cowp cart firing here" in his most excellent "Tales of the Glasgow and South Western Railway"

[coachmann]

I for one never heard the term 'Train Station' in the 1960s. What's next, choo-choo's...

[Tony_S]

When I was young, that would be collected by a 'dustcart' - is/was that term prevalent anywhere else in the UK?

 

When I was young (1950s) dustbins were emptied by dustmen into dustcarts. I was brought up in the West Midlands.

Tony

[skipepsi]

It was a dustbin waggon in our part of the West Riding

[Ozexpatriate]

When I was young, that would be collected by a 'dustcart' - is/was that term prevalent anywhere else in the UK?

In some parts of Scotland in years gone by, the dustcart was known as a cowp cart, or a midden waggon

When I was young (1950s) dustbins were emptied by dustmen into dustcarts. I was brought up in the West Midlands

It was a dustbin waggon in our part of the West Riding

I have memories of the "garbo" jumping the side fence with a load of nightsoil on his shoulder from the thunder box (aka dunny/outhouse/s**thouse etc). That's a grim job in the Aussie summer.

 

I think the accepted terms were 'garbage man' and 'garbage truck'. The US counterpart would have been 'trashman' and eventually the non-gender specific 'trash collector' and then all kinds of euphemisms like 'sanitation engineer', 'sanitation worker'.

 

I forgot the word 'refuse' in the original list.

[multiprinter]

In my youth the bin was taken by the bin men to the bin lorry.

[2ManySpams]

surely you mean refuse collection operatives?

[multiprinter]

surely you mean refuse collection operatives?

 

As yet ours have never refused to collect anything though I gather that in some areas they inspect the rubbish and then refuse to take it.

[PhilJ W]

Now days refuse collectors have to have a certificate IIRC called an ONC to qualify them to empty bins.

[coachmann]

Nowadays refuse collectors have to have a certificate IIRC called an ONC to qualify them to empty bins.

ONC presumably stands for One Never Collects. We put the bins out kerbside and they just empty them. For probably a 100 years or more the binmen went round the back of the houses and carried the bins out to the bin wagon then took them back. Nowadays we carefully sort and pack the rubbish for them in separate containers and bags without payment or a reduction in rates, the stink is 'orrible and we pay more for the 'privelege' every year. We're mugs in this accursed land!

[edcayton]

Back in the 50's/60's my Great Uncle George was a dustman, but he and his family were always at pains to point out that what he actually did was to drive the "salvage wagon", whatever that was; clearly above the average dust-cart.

 

Ed

[Tony_S]

The qualifications are probably NVQs in waste management.. Our bin men seem very efficient and nowadays even seem to clean up after spillages. All the various recycling vehicles provide lots of entertainment (barking practice) for our dog on Wednesdays.

Tony

[coachmann]

In the days everything got burned and there was no need to sort out the rubbish. The only smelly bin was the Pig bin down the ginnel. Refuse collection must be the only growth industry in the land.

[The Stationmaster]

Ours are pretty good but we do have to put the bins out for them (unlike the way it used to be here when I was a lad). But the peculiar thing about our lot is that the recycling stuff all goes in one bin which the council claim is all carefully sorted at some fancy depot - and they even publish pictures to prove it. I have a strong suspicion that they aren't telling us everything and there's probably a second depot somewhere else (like Africa or China).

[The Lurker]

Our bin men seem very efficient and nowadays even seem to clean up after spillages.

 

They need to give our bin men lessons. On a Monday, there can be litter strewn all over the street!

 

Or am I just seeing the results of the urban foxes getting in the rubbish?