Syd Greaves was a railway porter who took charge of the Ogdens' tandem when they got the train to Morecambe. Stan and Hilda were planning to cycle through Lancashire on the tandem but left it with Syd at his suggestion when he noted that they were already worn out by the short ride from their home to Weatherfield Railway Station.
When the Ogdens got back they kept up the pretence that they rode the tandem but no one was fooled as Syd had returned the bike to Ray Langton a few days earlier.