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Eatonways Coaches (Hay Mills)

Nigel, I most certainly do remember the name Eatonways but it was a long time ago, of course Bowens are better known.
 
I can remember Eatonways coaches from way back.The family lived nr the top of Manor House Lane and one of the daughters , Fay was in my class at Church Rd(now Yardley) school around 1950. Margaret.
 
Hi I worked for Eatonways coaches when I left Bierton road school around 1967 the workshop was next to the Hobmoor pub we repaired and painted the coaches i worked with two guys frank and dennis we had an old army truck which I would drive when the wokshop closed which iam sure was a sausage factory before this we moved to Coventry rd Hay Mils I remember the name of the owners Foy and a chap named Micky Bill sold cars from the showroom.
 
If you were going on holiday to one of Butlins holiday camps by Etonways coachs you would have departed from Park St, Digbeth back in the late 1950`s/ 60`s, Happy Times. Len.
 
Len sorry to contradict but I think you will find it was allenways and not eatonways whose services went to Butlins from their depot in Park St next to the Pheonix pub
 
wanderer said:
Len sorry to contradict but I think you will find it was allenways and not eatonways whose services went to Butlins from their depot in Park St next to the Pheonix pub
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Wanderer, You are right on further thought it was Allenways, a Senior Moment got me, Thanks for correcting my old brain box!. Len.
 
I come from sheldon and as my parents couldn't afford seaside holidays for us, we often used to go out on Eatonways day/half day and evening trips as a cheaper alternative.

I remember vivdly the booking forms which were hand written onto a multi carbonated paper and then the booking agent turned a handle to run off the set and handed you the customer copy. The remaining copies were then put onto a spike on the counter.

Would love to see any memorabilia from this company.
 
This transport photo website lists a few Eatonways pictures, but you can't magnify them very much, as they want you to buy copies.

It is interesting that Eatonways favoured registration marks with three letters and two numerals, such as "KOF 30" and "LOV 36".

I just love the look of 1950s coaches! :)
 
Thylacine said:
This transport photo website lists a few Eatonways pictures, but you can't magnify them very much, as they want you to buy copies.

It is interesting that Eatonways favoured registration marks with three letters and two numerals, such as "KOF 30" and "LOV 36".

I just love the look of 1950s coaches! :)
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link, even some of Stockland coaches there.
 
Hi Folks, nice posts followed my original, I have more 'snaps some of the Eatonways fleet which may be of interest. My days with them as a driver were in the early 60's - I remember taking a few trips 'over the water' including a trip to the "Le Mans" racetrack. The 'bread-and-butter' day trips were long days AND we had to clean out our own steeds before we went home - usually after midnight. Start about 7:30 next day, no tachographs or strict driver hours in those days. I remember we had (reputedly) the first Ford R226 when the legal length was increased, terrible gearchange and proved unrealiable generally. Probably the major revenue earner was the weekend 'shuttle', to Great Yarmouth,(very popular holiday resort with Brummies then) We would depart Hay Mills about midnight Fridays, arrive G.Y about 07:30 Saturday - load up and return to 'Brum' - a very long "day". Memories are slowly returning, one particularly funny (but dangerous) incident comes to mind, more of that later if anyone is interested

.View attachment 60381View attachment 60382View attachment 60383View attachment 60384View attachment 60385
 
i dont know much about coaches but i have always loved the Leyland Leopard/Duple Dominant .
 
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Hello Nigel
I worked for Stocklands from 64 to 67 (some of the tales we could tell) as a Mechanic (passed my PSV in 66 aged 21), loved every minute, well almost. Once Coaches/Buses are in your blood they are there for ever. Would love to see more of your posts as they all bring back happy memories.
 
Hi nigel.
Great old photos dont know when you left the firm but alot of the old coaches were at the yard like leyland tiger cubs i remember the alloy cub on the front, alot lot of the old coaches we would use for spares dont know if you come down the yard but one of my jobs was to take seats out and put tables in turn seats round etc and mop them out do you remember frank shefton and dennis he had a stiff [peg leg] and did the bodywork i remember alot of drivers, i lived down the road from the yard i had my own key to get in and if i went up late at night and a coach was back with the windows steamed up well the driver had a good day i remember one driver named tony tall guy his windows were allways steamed up i was only 15 and sworen with my life but great days.
 
There is very little information about Eatonways vehicles on the internet. Here's a picture of an ex-Eatonways coach enjoying a new life as a traveller's home called "The Battle Bus".

It is (or was) EVP712D (1966 Ford R192 with Duple "Empress" C45F body). Seen on 19 July 1987 at the Rollright Stones Festival (Oxfordshire). [Courtesy of TravellerHomes.]
 
Hi Thylacine that coach EVP712D iam 95% sure was in a front end smash when we left the workshop metro camel did the bodywork i was on this coach with the first indian guy i had ever worked with named jacko we left hay mills down the coventry road past the swan were the road splits and there is a garage in the middle jacko was driving i was on the passenger seat with my feet on the chrome bar on the floor we had the radio on baby love was playing as we went down the hill jacko looked over and told me the brakes had gone we come round the bend its two lane road on the right a dustcart on the left west midlands bus both stoped jacko said dont want to get covered in rubbish them i heard the bang the windscreen come in i ripped the foot bar out the floor we both jumped up with glass all over us it was a rear engine bus we hit and the driver could not turn it off thank god nobody was hurt we left the coach parked crossed the road and got a bus back to hay mills.
 
G'day Chris.

Lovely (if hair-raising) story! So the "Battle Bus" had already been "in the wars" before it was sold on. I'm relieved no-one was hurt.
 
Would anyone know when Eatonways coaches started in business?
 
They was in hobmoor road haymills in the sixties where there was a garage repairs bussines which is still there
They expanded across the road to there repairs and office on the front of there yard they used to do lorries and commercial vehicles
And before they took up the coach business they used to be booking agents for smiths coaches and tours whom coach. Business
Was on Stratford road before they started there business up just doing day trips at hob moor red hay mills. Astonian,,,,
 
Hi All When we had a day trip to Rhyl Colwyn Bay or Skeggie in the late 40s early 50s we always went with Eatonways coaches. what is confusing me about this post is that i always thought that the booking office and coach park was on the Cov road by hay Mills Rec. I am sure we picked the coach up at the Swan Yardley and we had some great days out.
 
Hi podgery
Yes the pick up was from the swann Yardley but there garage was back down the road from the swann on the hobmoor rd
Which was where they stored there couple of coaches and washed them down every night and cleaned them out
When they first started they opened there front office which was the garage office they started with one coach
Then they opened up a little shop up at the swann as it was more noticeable than the back rd of hobmoor road
If you recall Coventry red goe back down to the Redhill hill pub or if you like the hay mills social club by the way I was a member there at the club
Run by sqizzer and Mavis at the set of lights you would turn right and just along there was the garage and a tiny little office where they stuck the sign in the windows
Of day trips then they opened the booking office up at the swann
Incidently how I recall it I lived at 868 Coventry road just around the corner from them just before that name they was called some think els
But I cannot just think at the moment what was there first name I know they was a booking agent prior to getting there own coaches
As they would have been an agents for smiths on Stratford red best wishes astonian,,,,,
 
Hi Astonian, my memory must be playing tricks on me, i seem to remember the coaches parked outside the offices by the rec but i must be mistaken.I lived in Arthur terrace off Arthur road which in turn came off Redhill road. I was too young to drink though while i lived there but I remember that Mr and Mrs Piles (who were neighbours) were regulars at the club. My dad used the Redhill. Hope you are well Podgery.
 
Hi pod very
Yes I know the red very well because as I said I lived at 868 Coventry red prior to that I lived around in speedwell red number 66 the small
Speedwell road and my wife's aunty lived right next door to the corner shop on speedwell road and we was across on the opersite side of the road
Then we later moved around on to the cover, road 868, when the rooted car factory was there and after they went they built asda direct
Facing our house it was a nightmare I used to drink in the hobmoor as well and my old mate dhillion still lived on hobmoor
But betting back to the coaches they was around the corner parked up because as you went into hobmoor rd. That particular
Part of the red was a very narrow so with the two coaches they started off with could not be parked on the road
Because of causing problems with the flow there yard was only a small yard with a little small house type shop
When they first stated the coach business as they was doing big commercial business and lorrys of all size
And also they had problems trying to back the coaches into there little yard and at the end they could not fully get the coaches off the red
Into there yard so half a coach was blocking the red whilst they brought out there extented hose pipes that's why they was around the corner when not in in
Use and brough them to wash and clean them late at night into the early hours of the morning it was the only way they could do it
So they acciured another big yard later in with two years facing the old office and there yard and which they still operate a repair business to day I believe
If its not them it could be some one doing the vechille repairs as I. Ame through that way yesterday on my way home from the Sutton cemetery
As on my way there in the m 5 I was stook in a 2 hour que so I thought I would do a detour through brum but I was not impressed
Beast wishes astonian,,,,
 
Thanks for the info Astonian, I remember the shop in Redhill road, at the timeitwas run by a Mr and Mrs Johnson. regards Podgery.
 
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