• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Birmingham on Sea

The Seas in Mike:D

Did anyone see the One Show this evening, if you did't Ann Widdlecombe MP was singing the praises about Weston Super Mare. She use to go with her Family and they came all the way from Bath where she was born.

She went on the Pier spoke to the Donkey Man about how long they had been there and he said his family had been giving Donkey rides since the 1890s. She even showed a photo with herself on one. ( I've just seen it again and Chiles said did you see any Brummies)

You can get the programe again on BBCi if you haven't got it then get it its great and its FREE:)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/
 
Last edited:
Nah, Alf it's all done by airbrush! When did WSM have blue sea? (it was the bridge you was sposed to notice).Your bit about that Ann Widdecombe being born in Bath is scary. I was born there and I hope I don't resemble her...... no she's a one off surely.
Where's they Great Orme pics then?
Mike
 
Beware of the Post Card artist! Here we have the orginal view then the artist got to it for a daytime colour version, followed by probably the same artist and a night view. The artist had obviously never been to WSM or he would have known the buses were green and cream from the 1940s to the 60s, the time of these cards.
 
Seeing that picture of the coach park at Cheddar Gorge really struck a familiar but forgotten chord with me. The last time I was there was very nearly 70 years ago - on Thursday 3 November 1938, to be precise. The schools had a week's holiday for half-term then (as now) and, as my dad and grandma were teachers, we took a short break in the family jalopy, an Austin 10 (probably the 'new' one, COP496). We stayed overnight in Weston from the Wednesday till the weekend.
Although I fairly clear memories of that distant experience, they are strengthened by a souvenir photo album which they bought and we kept at home at least untilI left, and I often used to look at those photos, black and white with some hand colour tinting, as I remember. The only reason I can be so pedantic about the date is that I still have my old granny's diary which just has the word 'Cheddar' for that day. Friday was 'Kewstoke' and Saturday was 'Bonfire on Sand'. Being November, it was probably a good thing.
Peter
 
Cheddar was a popular coach excursion from WSM. This card from the 1950's shows Cheddar with a green Wem's (Western Engineers Motors Ltd) coach from WSM. Along with other firms WEMS would park by the seafront lawns with a blackboard leaning up the front advertising trips to all of the places on this card (except the Old Pier of course). Usually a choice of three departure times were on offer for a morning, afternoon or evening outing at a fare of 2/6, (Wells 3/6)
Top righthand is Clevedon
Lower lefthand is Burnham on Sea
Centre is Wells Cathedral - where on the afternoon tour they reminded you to see the swans in the cathedral moat ringing a bell for their tea, (the swans still do this now, the skill is passed on).
 
Alf,
It was nice to see that last pic of the Great Orme Tramway. My last memory of Llandudno goes back 47 years, when we were newly married, skint, with a first offspring well on the way. We were living in digs in London, I was working for the railways and Barbara was working for the Piccadilly Hotel (both of us having to work Saturday morning, as I remember). As a railwayman I got free tickets, and we decided to take a made break in Llandudno, I think it was in November. We took one of the new-fangled electric trains as far as Crewe, where we changed for Chester, and then Llandudno. We got there about 6pm, and I had previously booked B&B, evening meal and Sunday lunch at a hotel just off the front, which we found easily. We were expected, and made quite welcome in what was in fact the family room, by the housekeeper (you might call her). The proprietors were taking their break in Spain or somewhere, and she was left to look after Mother, who was a bit batty but nice with it. Together, we all had an enjoyable meal, I believe. Barbara had never been in Wales before, so we did a vewry short walk in the cold, dank evening before turning in.
[This is where the story starts]
Next morning we did the Great Orme Tramway (obviously closed for the winter on foot, and in the end walked right round the Head, although we didn't get to the top. Back in time for lunch and the afternoon train back home.
[End of story]
My first experience of Llandudno goes back to Good Friday, 30 April 1945, when I went for a week with my old nan (still teaching at All Saints' infants in those days, and her friend. We were staying at a boarding house in Rhyl and went by bus to Llandudno. As we approached Colwyn Bay, with my eagle eye for trams, I immediately recognised tramway overhead poles, and then tracks. Being Good Friday the tram service was a bit thin, but I think we passed one ex-Bournemouth open-top tram before the tracks veered off to go round to Rhos on Sea. The tracks almost rejoined us on the right-hand side, but climbed up the side of the Little Orme at a steady rate, while the road was steeper in one part. Climbing up that slope I remember passing an open-top single decker 'toastrack' tram. At the summit, the tracks crossed the road, ran down the side of the road for a bit before going off into open country, in the middle of fields, but still visble from the road. They met again in Llandudno. We would have had a cream tea (old Nanny's delight), then after a lot of lobbying on my part, got the tram back to Colwyn Bay and a Crosville bus back to Rhyl. Try as I did, I didn't get back on that holiday, and five years passed before I got there again.
But it all seems almost like yesterday
Peter
 
Lovely memories Peter of Llandudno. I don`t remember having a holiday there but we did go for the day a few times by coach and then when my Father bought his Austin Somert MON 402 in l957 we went for a day on a couple of occasions. The last time I was there was in 2004. I have a friend whose partner went to the same school as myself. Sadly, Sylvia died l0 years ago. When I visit her partner always rings up and ask me where I want to go for a day out. He will take me out for the day where ever I want to go. He took me to Wales this time and we saw all the major Castles and the Isle of Anglesey. The last place on the agenda was Llandudno and we approached it late on an early summer evening. It wasn`t dark yet although it was getting on past 9:30pm.
I was so impressed to see some of the hotels on the front in all their splendour, beautifully decorated and lit up. I came away with such a great feeling, after a ride around and a great fish and chip supper before heading back to Brum. Llandudno looked amazing and I love the memory of that evening and seeing it again.
 
Last edited:
Over in 1960's WSM a Midland Red coach awaits the return of day trippers for the homeward jouney back to the Midlands. Many folks chose the Red for their coach trips as they officially never took a break at a pub on the way back. Breaks, unless on the motorway in later years, were always in a town en route like Tewkesbury on the way from WSM. That way they as wanted a drink could still get one and they as didn't could find a cup of tea or just go walk about. Other firms left it to the Driver and popular in the 1950's and 60's was the Cop Cut Elm on the A38 near Droitwich. Of an evening the large car park was full of coaches from all over the West Midlands and as drinking and driving wasn't such an issue then, many a driver left the Cop Cut well oiled from passengers offers of a drink before being on their way. Another advantage of the Cop Cut was drivers could get to their destination before the Temples of Relief were requested! Midland Red drivers often joined in the fun when private hire organisers asked them if they knew of a coach friendly pub for a drink stop near home on the way back from trips to the West Country and Wales.
 
Gee Gee Jean said:
Have you still got your box brownie Alf?. I have. Lots of photo's I have put on the site were taken with it. Jean.
Click to expand...

I still have my father's Box Brownie left me when he died in 1963. I have a photo of him somewhere with it in action after the War, taken by one of his workfriends at the time.:)
 
Gee Gee Jean said:
Have you still got your box brownie Alf?. I have. Lots of photo's I have put on the site were taken with it. Jean.
Click to expand...
Jean I think so, I'll look in the Airing cupboard the next few days.

Mike great photo, really couldn't afford to make mistakes, today with Digital its all right to you can take as many as you like and choose.

Before Digital I had a Practica LTL but I dropped it and cracked the case still got the Lens that cost £75 in the 1970s :)
 
Another great photo Mike of WSM and that red bus also just behind that bus might be of interest to Keith Acton is a Lambretta model LD 150cc that was my first scooter

Mike the picture looks like its in the early 60s:)Mossy
 
Thanks for the photo Mike, I had the suite with the Roof Garden I was general seviceman:)
 
Last edited:
Just heard that WSM pier is on fire half the pier head as already gone:(Mossy
 
Weston Super Mare pier it will be several hours before the fire will be under control the whole of the pier will be gone a sad day for the people of Weston and all the holiday makers:(:(:(Mossy
 
Fire crews are tackling a blaze at the Grand Pier in the Somerset seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare.

Terrible News Mossy, latest just on TV say the Pier will be completeley gutted.:shock::(
 
Tragic.

Mossy, it might be fitting that you (being the first to inform us of this tragic news) should set-up a thread of concern for the pier?

keith
 
Press association release at 09:00 today:

The Grand Pier at Weston-super-Mare has been destroyed by fire.
[FONT=Verdana,arial,sans-serif][/FONT]​
b

Firefighters fought to tackle the flames but they quickly took hold of the partly-wooden structure and within a couple of hours the main pier building was completely wrecked.
Avon Fire and Rescue said there were no reports of any injuries.
When asked if the blaze was believed to be suspicious, a spokeswoman said: "It is obviously a matter which will be referred to by the fire investigators."
The fire is believed to have started at around 7am in the west tower of the pier, which was opened in 1904. Eyewitnesses said it spread rapidly.
Dee Williams, deputy manager of the Grand Atlantic Hotel, which lies 200 yards from the pier, said: "I am watching it now and I think it is going to collapse.
"It is an inferno. There will be no pier by tonight.
"There are loud bangs going off, which could be fireworks because there was a display on there recently. The tide is out and I think they are having difficulty getting water to it.
"My night porter spotted the flames at 7.15am. There are lots of people about, watching the fire, and the police have blocked off the road.
"The pier was bought by new owners and done up recently, it is part of our identity and would really affect trade if we were to lose it."
 
I remember going on the pier when went on a day trip from B irmingham by train - a special offer - when was 17. It is very sad to see what has happened, but I hope it will rise again like the 'Pheonix risi ng from the ashes'.
Sheri
 
Sad pictures Mike Weston has not a lot going for it such a land mark to be gone is devastating sure that it will as Sheri said it will rise like a Phoenix:(Mossy
 
What year is that picture of Mike,Weston pier is the second longest pier in the UK:(Mossy
 
Mossy,
That was 1963. The heydays of my visits on the Pier were 1948 to 1959 as a child , then teenager. The Pier didn't change much over that period which was what my folks liked about it. You looked forward to going on it next time and there it was just as you expected it. Here is a card from 10 years earlier
Mike
 
Just watched the news. Very sad. My husband went almost every year, as a child, with his parents. And almost all of us here in Birmingham have been a few times. The last time we went was on a trip with the Ed Doolan show. But what sort of effect will losing the pier have on Weston itself? We lived in Minehead and jobs there were low paid and difficult to come by. A lot will have lost their jobs today because of the fire. So, our thoughts go out to Weston and its people.

Ann
 
Anne was that Edds birthday bash? I was tempted to go to that one. Was it good?. How long has the structure been up. As a child I only remember trying to reach the sea and getting stuck in the mud. Jean. ps. Looked for you on tv Mossy and don't forget my job looking after the donkeys.
 
Jean,
Yes, it was for Ed's birthday, a good day. Ed's team, Carl and several coach loads of brummies, all out for the day at Weston. Had to be good. A nice crowd of people. Perhaps Ed could do it again for the launch of the new pier!

Ann
 
Not surprised you saw the smoke from Burnham John, They reckon it was seen from 50 miles away. Can't imagine WSM without the Grand Pier in the future, it was bad enough when the Old Pier closed, and now this. Our Grandfathers might just about have seen WSM without the Grand Pier when they were kids.
Mike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top