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The Early Shift
Series 01, Episode 01
The Early Shift
Air Date 28th February 1969
Length 30 minutes
Previous None (First)
Next The New Conductor

The Early Shift was the first episode of Series One of the show and was first aired on the 28th February 1969.

Summary[]

New work schedules at the Bus Company cause trouble. Stan and Jack are deprived of the use of canteen facilities and Jack (as Shop Steward) calls a lightning strike.

As the work grinds to a halt the Butler family feel the full effect but Stan feels quietly happy. This is to change as he is called in for early shift duty - however, a TV crew arrive at the depot to offer the strike some badly-needed publicity. It is a battle of management versus busmen but who will be the first to crack?

Synopsis[]

Mum is cooking breakfast when Stan walks in. Stan tells his mum how much he hates the new schedules as he has to get up earlier. Mum hands Stan his shoes which she put in the oven to keep warm, he puts one on only to burn his foot. Mum finds a hole in the sole which Stan says is because of the brake pedal on his bus. Stan then asks Mum for a cup of tea which she gladly pours for him. Arthur then walks in, having been woken up by Stan, decides that since he's up that he might as well have his breakfast. Mum tells him he'll have to wait as she's preparing Stan's lunch. Arthur tells Stan that he thought Stan ate in the canteen, Stan replies that with the new schedules, he's never back in the depot in time. Arthur then says that the union should have done something about it only for Stan to tell him that the union had agreed and that most of the members had missed the union meeting to attend a bingo hall. Mum then gives Stan his sausages which, to keep warm, she puts in a thermos. Arthur then asks for the milk only to be told by Mum that she's given the last of it to the cat. In coughs Olive who had kept Arthur up most of the night, he compares Olive's coughing to the sounds of a steam engine.

Stan then uses Olive's bike to cycle to work. After signing in, he finds Inspector Blake stood behind him who tells him to get in the cab of his bus. He then tells Stan that he can't have his lunch in the cab with him and that he can put it under the stairs. Blakey then asks Stan if he's studied the new schedule and knows the route. After Blakey leaves, Stan asks Jack where they're going.

On their return, Blakey asks them where they've been as they're seventeen minutes late. Jack then hands him his lunch. Blakey reminds Stan that he's due out at 11:59, Stan then asks where he can eat his lunch as the canteen opens a minute after their departure, Blakey tells him to eat on the bench. Stan refuses to eat his lunch in the cold openness of the depot and Jack suggests that he eat in the cab. After trying desperately to get his sausages out of the thermos, Stan complains about the cab being cold, Jack suggests turning the bus's engine back on. Blakey then orders Stan to turn the engine off again and get out of the cab. Blakey and Jack then argue about whether Stan should stay in the cab or not. Eventually, Jack wins and Stan stays in the cab...only for the former to order the latter back out as he's calling a union meeting. In the meeting, the union unanimously votes in favour of strike action.

With there being no buses to drive, Stan is sat at home, watching television with the cat in his arms. Mum walks in, dripping wet from the rain and asks Stan why he's at home. Stan tells her that he's on strike and that there's no buses. Olive complains about her hair being ruined. Arthur then arrives, Mum asks him if he's heard about the strike only for Arthur to walk through the door drenched from head to toe. He reveals he got so wet by standing at a bus stop for an hour, waiting for a bus, thinking that the hour's wait was normal service. After some arguing, the phone rings, it's Jack and the Strike Committee and they want Stan on picket duty the next morning. Stan tells Olive that he'll have to use her bike only for Arthur to tell him that he needs it to get to work. Stan asks how he'll get to the depot only for Arthur to say "hop on a bus".

The next morning, Stan, Jack and George are on the picket line when Mum arrives with a thermos of tea which is shoved into Stan's coat and some buns. George spots a reporter crossing the street and they request some footage for the evening news which the trio are happy to provide. George hears a loud noise and realizes that Blakey and the management are starting up one of the buses. Jack and George put Stan on the ground in front of the bus which, combined with broken bottle of syrup, makes it look like he's been hit by the bus. The union uses this to their advantage and the management are forced to negotiate. On the evening news, Stan is made out to be a hero before they announce that the management have agreed to union demands.

Stan and Jack return to work the next day and are told by Blakey that they must get the bus out, Stan tells Blakey that the busmen are the bosses now only for Blakey to point out that the canteen staff have gone on strike, demanding a pay rise for the extra work. Jack decides to go back on strike and he and George hold Stan on the ground in front of the bus in front of a growing crowd.

Cast[]

  • Fraser Kerr as T.V. Interviewer
  • Rudolph Walker as George
  • John M. East
  • Kevin Moore as T.V. Newsman
  • Michael Slater as T.V. Newsman
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