Coronation Street in 1969

1969 was Coronation Street's tenth year. John Finch was the producer until Episode 856, whereupon H.V. Kershaw, previously executive producer, effectively became the programme's producer although he remained credited as EP. 104 episodes were shown.

Transition to colour
The era of colour television began at ITV and BBC1 on Saturday 15th November. Granada was one of four regions to launch their full colour service on that date, and the first episode of Coronation Street which viewers saw in colour - at least, the 1% of the population with colour sets - was Episode 928 on Monday 17th November.

The programme's transition to colour had begun a few weeks earlier, with Episode 923 on 29th October. This episode - shot almost entirely on location at the Lake District and containing the climactic coach crash - was made in black and white but according to some sources, this occurred because the correct film stock couldn't be located, and executive producer H.V. Kershaw intended it to be made in colour. Whatever the case, Episode 924, set mostly in hospital after the crash, was the first episode made with colour cameras. However, only the studio recording was in colour; two film inserts were in monochrome, as was the title sequence. By Episode 928, the entire programme was being made in colour, and the new title sequence debuted a week later in Episode 930.

In anticipation of the changeover, several of the interior sets which had looked better in black and white were redecorated, notably the Rovers Return and No.11's living room, and the outdoor Grape Street set was rebuilt in brick. The rebuilding took place in November and December, reappearing in Episode 944 the following January. Although able to weather the elements better than its wooden predecessor, the set was still only a frontage and contained no back yards or ginnel.

Casting
The wedding of the year was intended to be Lucille Hewitt and Gordon Clegg's, but due to Bill Kenwright resigning after twelve months with the show, the storyline was cancelled and Gordon jilted Lucille instead. Two months after his departure, Betty Driver and William Moore joined the cast as Maggie Clegg's overbearing sister Betty and her policeman husband Cyril. Brought in as support for Maggie in the wake of Gordon's departure, Betty was taken on at the Rovers by Jack Walker almost right away, eventually to become the establishment's longest-serving barmaid.

Other cast changes included Stephen Hancock returning as shy photographer and lay preacher Ernest Bishop, and beginning his association with future wife Emily Nugent, Anne Dyson departing as Effie Spicer, and later in the year, Patricia Fuller and Gorden Kaye joining as Sandra and Bernard Butler, Elsie Tanner's niece and nephew. Elsie was also given a new man who would become her husband in the form of Alan Howard, played by Alan Browning. Patricia Phoenix initially resisted the idea of Elsie marrying for the third time but she relented when producers offered give her a say in the casting.

Additionally, Lucille Hewitt was absent for seven months beginning in August as Jennifer Moss took maternity leave, and Peter Adamson was suspended for two months to deal with his alcoholism. The decision to suspend Adamson was taken when he was too inebriated to play a scene, causing recording to be suspended for the first time not for a technical issue. According to Kershaw, Adamson beat the bottle at the first attempt.

Viewing figures
The downward trend which had begun in 1965 continued for another year. Ratings fell by 700k viewers from 1968 to a yearly average of 15.07 million viewers. November and December were the only months which increased year-on-year, November marginally and December by 1.5 million viewers. March to May saw the biggest drops, with May falling by over two million viewers on May 1968.

The highest-rated episode of the year was Episode 854 on 26th February, in which Minnie Caldwell is located after being missing and Gordon Clegg decides not to marry Lucille Hewitt. This had an audience of 8.35 million homes, or 18.37 million viewers.

In the charts, 16 episodes reached number one - half of 1968's total and the lowest since 1961.

January

 * Len Fairclough pulls out all the stops to put his "fiancée" Marj Griffin off him. Ray Langton lends his friend a hand by passing off two boys as Len's children, which scares Marj off - but she leaves behind her monkey Marlon.
 * Billy Walker returns to the Street with his girlfriend Jasmine Choong. Annie pretends to approve of Jasmine but Emily Nugent, sharing a room with Jasmine, tells Jasmine that Annie's niceness is put on and Annie actually objects to the relationship as Jasmine is Chinese. After collapsing at the bar, Annie is looked after by Jasmine and reveals her true feelings when Jasmine tells her that Billy wants to marry her. Jasmine breaks her relationship with Billy and leaves, making it clear it's because of Annie. Billy also leaves as he can't stand being around Annie anymore. Looking for a scapegoat, Annie throws Emily out of the Rovers. Elsie Tanner takes her in at No.11.
 * Dickie Fleming is jealous of Richard Matthews, a customer at the petrol station who takes a fancy to Audrey. When Richard gives them cinema tickets, Gordon escorts Audrey. Hilda Ogden spreads it around that they're having an affair, little realising that a kiss they shared was for her benefit.
 * Ray's sister Janice Langton turns up, after giving her probation officer the slip. Ray doesn't like her flaunting herself at men. She considers going out with Len but doesn't as she knows Ray won't like it.
 * Stan Ogden decides to go into the antique business and buys Albert Tatlock's sideboard for £5, but Hilda bargains for a refund when it turns out to be too heavy for Stan to move.
 * Ena Sharples and Minnie Caldwell becomes babysitters for Peter and Susan Barlow. Ken gives Ena a baby alarm so she can hear the twins from her flat, but she uses it to eavesdrop on the Barlows.
 * Gordon goes for Ray when he jokes about Maggie being Len's bird. Maggie tells Gordon to stay out of her private life.
 * Hilda starts practicing clairvoyancy.
 * Dave Smith's Jaguar is stolen.

February

 * Hilda sets up professionally as a clairvoyant, believing she has "the vision". She's unaware that her success is due to Stan working behind the scenes to make her predictions come true, as he thinks she could earn a fortune for them. He comes clean with Hilda when a reporter investigates her talent. To put the man off, Hilda tells him the gift has left her.
 * Elsie and Dave try to make Emily uncomfortable at No.11 so that she will want to move back to the Rovers. The residents send Emily and Annie presents from each other but Emily takes "Annie"'s present as a bribe. When Annie expresses her regrets over her earlier behaviour and apologises, Emily agrees to return.
 * Janice confesses to Ray that she and Bob Neale took Dave's car. Ray returns it and takes the blame but Dave says £550 and two gold watches are missing. Janice caims to know nothing about it but Ray later catches Janice and Bob splitting the proceeds and goes for Bob. Janice leaves the Street. Ray thinks about disappearing with the money but Ena convinces him to return it to Dave through her.
 * Lucille Hewitt returns from staying with Concepta in Ireland. Gordon passes his Accountancy exams and wins £5 for being the youngest to do so. The couple start planning their wedding, with Gordon buying Lucille an engagement ring, but Gordon later starts being off with Lucille and admits to Maggie that he doesn't want to marry her anymore.
 * Minnie's debt at Dave's Betting Shop has reached £10 but Dave decides to wipe the slate clean as a favour to Elsie. He reverses his decision when Ena rows with him, accusing him of making chidren starve. A guilty Ena tries to help Minnie raise the money but he demands immediate payment. Ena appears to win when she finds out about Dave not telling the tax man about the £550 in the car and blackmails him, but Minnie is ashamed and disappears, leaving a note asking Ena to look after Sunny Jim. The residents pull their efforts as they search Weatherfield for Minnie, while Ena blames herself, fearing that Minnie could be dead. She's informed when Minnie is hospitalised after sleeping rough on a park bench for two nights, but Minnie doesn't want to see her. Dave tells Minnie he's limiting her betting.

March

 * Gordon decides not to marry Lucille and breaks the news to her after seeing her in her wedding dress. After a night out to commiserate, Lucille makes a fresh start, quitting The Pink Posy for a job at Dave Smith's Betting Shop. She enjoys it when people think she's going out with Dave and buys a new bracelet, making out it's from him, but Dave puts everyone right.
 * The residents throw Elsie a party for her 46th birthday. She rows with Hilda in the Street when Hilda jeers at her over Dave and Lucille. Later in the month, Elsie starts thinking a man is following her and hears someone trying to get into her house.
 * The local community centre falling out of use, the Reverend Reggie James holds a meeting to rally the residents but people aren't interested. When the side chapel is ransacked, Emily pays the residents to clean it up, hoping to show James that the community spirit in the Street is not dead.
 * Effie Spicer decorates No.1 as a surprise for Albert but Albert doesn't like the changes and, refusing to pay the bill, he moves in with the Flemings. Effie gets one over on Albert by moving out, leaving to live with her niece, and inviting Alice Pickins to move in. Albert promptly moves back to No.1 and throws Alice, and her bird Kitchener, out on the Street.
 * Ken starts doing the cooking at the Barlow household and surprisingly turns out to be a good cook.
 * The Street has a power cut.

April

 * The Barlows take Alice in. When the pensioners boycott Albert's Easter Monday coach trip to the Fusiliers' Museum in Bury, Albert feels guilty and offers Alice her room back but she moves into No.5 with Minnie.
 * Len catches Arthur Green, a private detective, snooping the Street. He's spying for Lillian Smith, Dave's wife, who soon arrives in Weatherfield from London to tell Dave she wants a divorce on terms of adultery, citing Elsie. Dave defends the divorce and denies a relationship, worrying Elsie that her name is going to be dragged through the courts. When she realises she would lose Dave's inheritance money if she divorced him, Lillian decided to drop the divorce and have more money from him instead and returned to London. Elsie dumps Dave.
 * The pensioners of the Street form a committee to save the OAP clubhouse after finding out it's going to be demolished. Ena, Minnie, Alice and Albert form a sit-down outside the Council offices in protest, but it ends with Ena being carried off by a policeman and getting a caution. Undeterred, they have a sit-in at the Club house which is duly saved.
 * The Ogdens go walking and get lost. They return on a milk float.
 * Gordon considers working at head office in London.
 * Hilda discovers Stan has a tax bill for £42. He takes a barman job at the Rovers but drinks away his earnings. Hilda solves the problem by selling Stan's window cleaning round to Ray, with Ray taking on the outstanding debt, but Ray is now Stan's boss.
 * On learning that the brewery is holding a Perfect Landlady contest, Annie behaves overly nice to the customers to get a nomination. When Ray nominates her, Annie installs a suggestion box and even gives Hilda a rise in exchange for her support.
 * Unhappy Dickie skives off tech and goes to the amusement arcade instead. He meets Sandra there and is offered a job as engineer. He takes it but doesn't tell Audrey.
 * Val has trouble with her knee and bangs it badly.

May

 * Val needs a knee operation. Ken wants her to have it done privately and goes so far as to sell his car to pay for it. Val is angry when Ken invites her mother Edith Tatlock to stay over the operation period. Val goes into hospital while Ena helps out in the Corner Shop to cover for her.
 * Edith arrives and although she approves of the Maisonettes#14 Coronation Street|No.14]], she doesn't feel that the Street is not right for the Barlows. After Val returns from hospital. Edith takes the them round a show house but Val doesn't want to leave the Street. Edith even offers financial help but is refused.
 * Lucille tells Audrey about Dickie's job. He wins Audrey over with by giving her his £25 salary. This sends her on a spending spree and she racks up HP debts of over £200. Dickie is threatened by thugs at the and is too frightened to go back to work and a colleague, Eddie Goulden, also pushes him to fix the machines for him. Audrey tells Dickie he's not to go back to the arcade but he reminds her of the £200 on HP. Ena tries to get Len to get the arcade closed but he refuses. Audrey warns Eddie with the police if he touches Dickie although Dickie agrees to fix the machines for him. Dickie is given the sack because he's an easy touch. He then gets a job on a building site and then his old boss takes him back on to his apprenticeship.
 * Audrey celebrates her 18th birthday and Ray buys Audrey her first legal drink in the Rovers. Dickie buys her a watch.
 * Emily tells Ray that Len is drawing more money than usual on expenses. Len is £50 overdrawn at the Yard.
 * In her continuing efforts to win the competition, Annie covers the pub in old Lancashire memorabilia including clogs and miners' lamps. Ray gets friend Connie Robinson to pose as a pub landlady also in the competition and cons Annie into starting an organist and hotpot as that what Connie is supposedly doing. Annie realises Connie is a fake and makes everyone pay for salty hotpots. Brewery representative Mr Bracegirdle gets drunk and flirts with Annie. A jealous Jack throws him out, making Annie think it's jeopardised her chances in the competition. Annie wins but Jack refuses the prize of a trip to Majorca as he's afraid of flying. Annie asks Ena to go with her, thinking that she can't because of the shop job but, to her horror, Ena agrees and they leave together.
 * Hilda and Ray gang up on Stan to get him working more. The Ogdens plan a Spring Bank Holiday bring-a-bottle party but the rain ruins Stan's barbeque.
 * Val asks for her job back at the shop but Maggie tells her that her sister, Betty Turpin, is coming to stay and help run it with her. Edith is too much for Val to cope with. Edith takes the twins to Belle Vue's fairground where she loses them in the crowd.

June

 * Well-meaning Mrs Allendale brings the twins back after finding them but keeping them for several hours to give them their teas. Maggie has to stop Val from going for her. Val takes her frustration out on Edith who packs and leaves. Back in Glasgow, she takes to her bed, crying and Ken persuades Val that they ought to go up there for the weekend and make their peace.
 * Betty and her husband Cyril arrive and move into the shop flat. Betty is also taken on at the Rovers. Val and Betty do shifts at the shop. Betty shows her finesse at darts and is challenged to a match which she loses deliberately so that Ray will have to pay out money on the bets he laid behind her back. Tired of being bossed around, Maggie tells Betty she does not want her help at the shop as Val is her assistant.
 * Hilda finds two library books, overdue by five years. Hilda plots with Cyril on how to get rid of them before discovering he's a police sergeant. Cyril tells the Ogdens they have to pay the library fine but Stan is let off when returns the items.
 * Elsie gives Jack £300 to give to Len in his name, not hers, in order that she can alleviate his money troubles. Len takes Elsie out and tells her he's getting married to a girl he’s been seeing called Janet Reid as he couldn't wait for her forever. Elsie finds out from Janet that she doesn't love Len and is dreading him proposing. When she rejects his offer, Len suspects Elsie put her off and hits her. A furious Jack tells Len where the money came from. Elsie packs and leaves the Street. Lucille and Ray trace her to the Scarborough home of Sheila Crossley. Len travels there and apologises to Elsie but she tells him she wants nothing to do with him. She returns to the street, but refuses to speak to him.
 * Ena returns alone from Majorca a week early and tells Jack that Annie is staying on for another week beyond the expected time. She also tells a shocked Emily that Annie spent all her time with another man there and says she's got a letter breaking the news to Jack. She refuses to hurt him by giving it to him. After a few weeks, Annie returns with Douglas Cresswell of Newton & Ridley. Annie explains to Jack that she was helping Douglas out at the Brewery hotel on the island, and that was what was in the letter. Annie tells Jack of Douglas' proposal for them to go and live in Majorca running a pub. She is furious with Ena and Emily for suspecting her morals.
 * Ena decides she doesn't like her maisonette anymore. Ena, Minnie and Emily go to the funeral of old friend Carrie Bishop. There they meet her son Ernie who shows Emily around his camera shop and tells her he's looking for a caretaker. Ena tells him she'll take the job. Ernie asks Emily to be his assistant in the shop. They both give up their present employments.
 * Jack tells Ray of a building job at the Brewery which he manages to get but he tells Lucille he wants it for himself, not Len. Len hears about the contract and is delighted with the prospect of work, not realising he’s being cut out of the picture.

July

 * The Walkers pretend their marriage is over to teach Emily a lesson. Annie asks Ena and Emily to read her letter. They do so and Emily feels ashamed although Ena is unfazed. The Walkers decide to take the Majorca pub and Jack goes for a medical at the Brewery where Sir Hubert Ridley tells Douglas that the Walkers are too old for the Majorca pub and stops the plan. Annie refuses to get upset, but not knowing the true reason behind their disappointment, she worries that Jack's medical let them down and his health is suspect. To please her, he goes to Doctor Mackay who clears him and persuades Annie that there's nothing wrong with him.
 * Len takes the news badly of the brewery deal badly and throws Ray out of No.9. Dickie invites Ray to lodge with them but his presence makes Audrey feel uncomfortable. Ray needs three months’ rent in advance for a builders yard and Elsie gives him a reference from Dave Smith and the money herself.
 * Ena moves into the camera shop flat where, a few weeks' later, she hears noises in the night at the studio and she catches Cliff Stone in the studio with the floorboards up.
 * Alice Pickins visits Albert at the Museum as he’s lecturing a group of pensioners. He's startled and fall offs the box he’s stood on. He is put to bed at No.1 with broken ribs and an arm and Alice becomes Albert's resident nurse. The Barlows return from Glasgow and refuse to take over from her.
 * Elsie lends Stan £50 on the spur of the moment. He tries to sell suit lengths bought with the money. Betty tells Hilda that some cloth has been stolen from a tailor. Panicking, Hilda takes charge of the suit lengths. Cyril tells the Ogdens he wants to see the suit lengths and Hilda quickly sells them to Ray for £1 each. Cyril tells the Ogdens he only wanted to buy the cloth and buys one off Ray for £5. Stan spends all his money on drink and discovers he has to find Elsie's £50 by the weekend. Elsie lets Stan find the money in more time but when Hilda slags her off she demands £5 a week.
 * Annie doesn't like having Betty behind the bar and fires her for reasons of incompatibility but Betty refuses to leave.
 * Len sells his van for £300 to a friend of Ken's. Len tells Elsie he needs to hold on to her £300 for a bit but she coldly takes it back. Jack tells Elsie that Len could lose his Council seat because of non-attendance due to work but Len plans to leave the Council anyway. Elsie wants Ena to help Len but Ena tells her only she can help. Len and Elsie make up.

August

 * Stone tells Ena he's after his £74 savings under the floorboards which date from a previous occupancy. Ena keeps the money, telling him he can have it in the morning. Later, Cyril picks Stone up, with £300 on him from a Post Office robbery and Ena finds the camera shop petty cash has gone.
 * Alice tells Albert she has to go - for the sake of their good names. To get her to stay, he proposes to her although in no way is his heart in it. Beattie Pearson arrives, concerned that her inheritance is at stake. She discovers Alice has no money but Cyril convinces Beattie that Albert has no money either to leave Alice. Alice's son Douglas Pickins turns up to check Albert out and takes a dislike to him. Alice makes Douglas realise she really wants to marry Albert and Douglas is determined that the groom will go through with the ceremony although he tries his best to dodge out of it. On the day of the wedding, the residents assemble at St. Mary's Church but the Rev Lingard's car breaks down on the way there.
 * Stan tells Emily he wants to be a street photographer. Under pressure, she takes him on and Stan borrows Marlon the monkey off Marj Griffin as a gimmick. He gets loose whilst in Hilda's care but Stan manages to get him back after he bites Dave Smith's leg.
 * Ray in for a chance of a corporation tender but needs up front money. Dave gives Ray £2,000 and becomes a partner in his business. Ray puts in the tender to the council for the OAP homes. Len tells Ray he has to check his work out on behalf of the council for the tender. He decides to recommend Ray for it, not knowing of Dave's involvement and thinking that he can't afford it. Ray gets the tender and Audrey leaves the garage to become Ray's secretary. Lucille is annoyed that Ray didn't take her on while Dickie is annoyed that Audrey is working for Ray and throws him out of No.3. The Flemings make up while Minnie invites Ray to lodge with her. Lucille goes to Ireland for a rest to get away from Ray.
 * Jack refuses to fire Betty. Annie tries to get Cyril to persuade Betty to leave but it doesn't work. Annie tells Jack it's her or Betty. He gives Betty a week's notice but then goes on a bowling holiday for a week. Betty tells Annie she'll not work her notice and goes. Annie can't cope with serving on her own. She is forced to apologise to Betty and she returns to work.
 * Betty match-makes between Maggie and Len.
 * Lillian arrives to see Dave - he wonders what she is after.

September

 * With Lingard stuck in a country lane, the wedding guests have their photos taken to save time. Alice and Albert have the reception first. Alice realises it isn't meant to be. She goes on the honeymoon to Morecambe alone.
 * Lillian tells Dave she wants a divorce to marry Leo Slater. Dave wants to give him the once over before he agrees. Cyril recognises Leo as a former crook from Birmingham. Elsie tells Dave who informs Lillian - she knows about Leo's past. Although he initially refuses, he eventually gives in and grants the divorce.
 * Douglas takes a fancy to Emily but a mix-up from Minnie causes him to think that her name is Mrs Tanner. Elsie starts to receive anonymous and expensive gifts. Douglas calls in The Pink Posy and asks Elsie to send flowers to herself! Elsie tells Emily about Douglas. She is flattered and Douglas takes Emily out before he has to return to Portsmouth.
 * Annie puts tables and chairs on the pavement to make the Rovers more Parisian.
 * Stan's bike is flattened by a steam roller and it gives him the idea to take up scrap art. An impressed Emily tries to market his work. Gallery owner Bernard Fielding offers him a solo exhibition but the dustmen take away his sculptures, thinking they are discarded junk.
 * The Turpins are getting to be too much for Maggie. Val tells Betty that Maggie doesn't want her around. Maggie and Elsie stage a slanging match over Len and give Betty something to think about. Elsie asks Len to go easy with Maggie. Maggie discovers Betty has held a card from Gordon from her and hits the roof. Len goes off on an all-night job and lets Maggie stay the night at No.9, away from Betty. Ena catches Maggie having her breakfast there the next morning and thinks the worst. Ena threatens to inform Les about Maggie and Len unless Len stops a plan build a shopping precinct on North Cross Cemetery, on top of her Grandad. Len announces to everyone at the Rovers that Maggie stayed the night in his absence and tells Ena that the cemetery is to be used for a college, not a supermarket. She backs down.
 * Ray persuades Minnie to take him in as a lodger at No.5. Ray moves into one of the Albert Park flats for convenience for work, leaving Audrey in charge of his yard.
 * The residents sign up for a football match against The Flying Horse. Cyril makes himself Captain of the Rovers soccer team but the others elect Betty. Albert trains the team and they plan to kidnap Dolores - The Flying Horse's donkey mascot. The Ogdens fail in the task when she stamps on Stan's toe. Albert and Hilda attempt to get Tommy Deakin, the opposing team's captain, drunk but end up legless themselves.
 * Audrey gets annoyed as Dickie doesn't pull his weight at No.3. Dickie thinks Audrey is pregnant and she lets him get busy around her. Ken tells Dickie about Audrey's game and they hatch a plot for Dickie to smothers her with attention. She finds it suffocating and makes up with Dickie.
 * Jack is asked to help out nights for a landlord friend.

October

 * Ken tells Val that Dave Robbins is coming to dinner. Val is nervous about seeing him again but Dave’s main interest is an empty maisonette where he moves in a mother and her four homeless children as squatters. The move divides the street with Ken and Audrey on their side and Dickie and Val against them. The squatters barricade themselves into No.12. Cyril tells the residents that the squatter's father has been arrested and imprisoned for three years. The squatters are evicted following legal action.
 * The residents watch the football match. At half time the scores are 3 - 2 to The Flying Horse. Hilda scores the equaliser. The Rovers win at the toss of a coin and celebrate in the pub.
 * Minnie has her birthday and Ena persuades Minnie to change Sunny Jim's name to Bobby. Annie presents her with a birthday cake in the Rovers.
 * Annie receives an invitation to speak at the Lady Victuallers. Jack discovers his regimental reunion and Annie's talk are both on 1st December. Jack decides Annie can't give her talk however his brother Arthur can't look after the bar to cover for him for the reunion do.
 * Stan puzzles Hilda when he tries to better himself. She thinks he’s got another woman but in reality he’s doing it for her. He and Betty attend weight-watching classes. Hilda follows him one night and observes his weigh-in where he gains two pounds and is asked to resign. Stan tries to keep to his diet but Betty gives up to please Cyril.
 * Dave Smith comes down on Elsie over her time-keeping she walks out of the shop. Walter leaves Dot and she turns to Elsie for support and moves in with her. Dot gets Elsie her job back at Miami Modes on £14 a week. At Dot’s request, Elsie takes her bag out of work and is caught with stolen dresses in it. Elsie thinks Dot made a mistake over them and is surprised when Dot denies any knowledge of the bag, saying Elsie got her message wrong. The store manager, Mr Travers, tells Elsie that he has to go on the evidence provided and suspects her of shoplifting. Cyril charges her. Ken arranges a solicitor while Ena suspects Dot of not being straight. However Elsie can't believe Dot would stand by and let her take the blame.
 * Len tells Elsie he has a contract in Leeds and is going to be away for a while.
 * Emily plans a coach outing for the Street to the Lake District.
 * Dickie revises for his exams and feels he can't go on the trip. Ray returns. Audrey realises she wants him and is pleased when he kisses her. Ray agrees to go on the trip, supposedly to keep Audrey company but Betty realises what his plans are and warns Dickie to go on the outing with his wife. Ray and Audrey flirt on the coach to Dickie's anger and Ray persuades Audrey to go off with him from the crowd. Dickie goes after Audrey and finds her and Ray together. Ken stops the two men fighting.
 * After the residents’ departure from Weatherfield, the coach company discovers that the driver has taken the wrong coach - it has faulty brakes. They get in touch with the police who are on alert to stop them but Ray persuades the driver to take an alternative route and the coach cannot be located. It's brakes suddenly fail and it crashes into a tree.

November

 * The residents are rushed to casualty. Annie and Hilda break down, worried about their husbands. Ena faints in the waiting area and Elsie is stunned. Val comes to in a hospital bed. Ena discovers Minnie is unconscious and in a bad way. She prays at her bedside all night. Ray is moved to an orthopaedic hospital. Most of the residents are discharged. The doctor tells Ena that Minnie is going to be alright. She comes round and Ena talks the hospital into letting her stay on until she is ready to leave.
 * Elsie disappears from hospital and turns up back at No.11, surprising Dot who gets upset about the impending court case. Sheila arrives to look after Elsie. Before leaving for the hearing, Dot confesses to Elsie that she took the dresses but begs her to keep her out of it. Elsie goes to court. The case is presented but the magistrates dismiss it on the grounds of insufficient evidence. Mr Maddox-Smith of Miami Modes calls on Elsie and Dot and asks them to resign as they will always be under suspicion. They do and Dot leaves Elsie's with their friendship broken forever.
 * Ray is the most seriously injured in the crash and is the only one to be detained in hospital as he has no feeling in his legs. He is given a wheelchair and he worries about his yard as Dave Smith takes over it. Dr Grant tells Ray he's suffering from Transversemyelitis, a serious spinal virus condition. The Ogdens offer to take Ray in as a lodger to look good but once they hear about his condition they withdraw their offer. Ray is offered accommodation in a disabled home but Dickie tells him he can stay at No.3. After some initial reluctance, he arrives there in his wheelchair. Ray tells Ena he'd rather have died than be in his state and wears the Flemings out as they look after him.
 * Albert the invalid dumps himself on Val. Albert wants to move into the Barlows permanently but Val refuses to have him. Val gets back at invalid Ken by agreeing to Albert staying.
 * Elsie's niece Sandra Butler moves in from Saddleworth as her mother has gone into hospital and She has packed in her job. Sandra refuses a job at a hair salon but goes out with the owner, Phillipe.
 * Elsie is horrified when Sandra’s brother Bernard moves in as well. He settles into the street by collecting jumble for Ena for a sale at St. Mary's Church. Val gives Bernard Ken's jacket and Betty gives him Annie's castanets, thinking that she doesn’t want them. Ken tries urgently to retrieve his jacket from the jumble while Annie demands Betty gets her castanets back. The residents run the sale where Annie buys her castanets back for more than their original cost. Betty buys Ken's jacket for Cyril and finds a love letter in the pocket. She gives it to Val who discovers that it is letter from an admirer to Ken.
 * Hilda writes to Irma about the crash in the hope she'll come over to see them.
 * Elsie hears noises coming from a supposedly empty No.9.

December

 * Businessman, and friend of Len’s, Alan Howard, moves into No.9. An unimpressed Elsie is annoyed at the way all the womenfolk fall for him. Alan upsets Hilda when he rows with her for prying into his business and Elsie stands up for her. Alan tries to get on with Elsie but she doesn't like him and refuses to have anything to do with him. After several weeks, Elsie agrees to go out with him on New Year’s Eve but he stands her up and goes by himself to a club.
 * Ray worries that Dave Smith will squeeze him out of their yard. Dave tells Ray to stay away from the business and tells him that if he's not better in three months he'll be out of a job. Audrey finds it hard looking after Ray and collapses. She refuses to go to her mothers' for a rest because of her duty to Dickie and Ray. Elsie offers Sandra to look after them but Audrey is too jealous of her. Emily agrees to look after the men so that Audrey can go away.
 * Val suspects Sandra of writing the letter. Maggie advices Val to tear the letter up. Ken shows Val another similar letter and tells her of a 17-year old pupil of his who has a crush on him.
 * Len returns, with a moustache. He is angry over the way Dave has mucked Ray about and offers Ray his job back. Alan plans to open a salon in the premises of The Pink Posy and the shop next door. Ray takes on the contract to convert it and he and Len get it ready for the start of business. After several weeks of preparation, it opens just before Christmas with a cocktail party. Val takes up the position of head hairdresser and Elsie, with some reluctance, becomes manageress with Sandra and Bernard both employed there as well, however Elsie and Val soon clash for superiority.
 * Irma visits for Christmas and helps out Maggie in the shop as she's bored. Hilda and Irma are disgusted with Stan for still being off work, convalesing from the crash, and living off their money. Hilda feels there's something wrong between Irma and David. At Irma's request, Alan gets Stan a job as Car Park Attendant but he refuses to take another outside job, annoying Alan. Irma tells Elsie she doesn't want to go back to Australia. Hilda slaps Irma's face for calling Stan a liar and a cheat. Irma returns to Australia.
 * Ernie and Emily mount a Christmas Eve concert in the Rovers with most of the regulars taking part.

Who lives where
Coronation Street Rosamund Street Others
 * Rovers Return Inn - Jack and Annie Walker, Lucille Hewitt (from January to August). Emily Nugent (January and February to December).
 * 1 Coronation Street - Albert Tatlock (from July to December). Effie Spicer (from January to May). Alice Pickins (from April to May and July to September).
 * 3 Coronation Street - Dickie and Audrey Fleming. Ray Langton (from July to August and November to December).
 * 5 Coronation Street - Minnie Caldwell. Alice Pickins (April). Ray Langton (from September to October).
 * 9 Coronation Street - Len Fairclough. Ray Langton (January to July). Janice Langton (from February to March). Alan Howard (December).
 * 11 Coronation Street - Elsie Tanner. Emily Nugent (from January to February). Dot Greenhalgh (from October to November). Bernard and Sandra Butler (from November onwards).
 * 13 Coronation Street - Stan and Hilda Ogden. Douglas Pickins (from September to October). Irma Barlow (December).
 * Corner Shop (No.15) - Maggie Clegg
 * Corner Shop Flat (No.15a) - Gordon Clegg (from January to March). Cyril and Betty Turpin (from June onwards).
 * Maisonettes: No. 4 - Effie Spicer (January). No. 6 - Ena Sharples (from January to July). No. 14 - Ken, Valerie, Peter and Susan Barlow.
 * Camera Shop Flat - Ena Sharples (from July onwards)
 * Fusiliers' Museum, Bury - Albert Tatlock (until July).
 * Albert Park flats - Ray Langton (from October to November)