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Birmingham on Sea

Great Photos Astonian you ain't that old,:)

Yes I remember a trip to New Brighton with the School and that trip across the Mersey on the Ferry, thanks for the memory;)
 
It's excursion time again and just look at these old timers struggling up through Cheddar Gorge in the 1950's. The coach at the back belonged to Wessex Coaches of Bristol and is a German Opel. There were never many of those about in this country.
Meanwhile in the early 1960's up in the coach park that has to be one of Eatonways from Hay Mills parked there.
 
Hi. Mike. Nice photos of Cheddar, I have been there today in my old Austin 1100, Not sure about it being an Eatonways coach,but it looks like a Bedford SB Willowbrook Duple body to me, Caves had a couple of those, and have parked a few of them in that spot.
 
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Thats WSM alright Jean, you can just see the end of the Winter Gardens building on the right there. More donkeys close to that location are on posting 76 on this Thread.
Here is a card for you with some more donkeys. Sad that three out of these four views we shall never see again for real.
 
John I had a Blue one when I worked for Eskimo Frozen Foods Heathmill Lane in 1963 & a Red one when I worked for Ross 1964 at their Shirley Depot, great to see one again.


Mossy my lady's Sister in law as just moved to Weston this week from Newport, you never know I might get an Invite:) Well I know we will not to keen she talks to much but......
 
Alf, your Sister in Law will fit in well in WSM, cos Somerset folks are well known for talking the hind legs off a donkey - oops, hope Gee Gee Jean hasn't read this!
Mike
 
john70 said:
Heres my 1100 parked opposite today.
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Hi John, you are full of surprises! I didn't know you ran that super Austin 1100. I was running this one in 1974 seen here pretending to be a bus. I replaced it with a 1300 Countryman that looked unusual because it had been refronted with a Morris grille and badge. (Will try and dig out a photo) We are off thread here but not entirely as both cars made many trips to Bath, Brean and WSM and very reliably at that.
Mike
 
Gee Gee Jean said:
Are you insinuating that I talk too much Mike or I woud feel sorry for the donkeys rear legs?. Maybe both. Yes of course I saw it. Mossy said he would get me a summer job next year with wsmare's new donkeys. Might let you have a go when you come down. Jean.:cool::cool::cool:
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Jean,
Perish the thought that you might talk too much, it was the Donkeys legs I thought you might worry about. Thanks for offer next summer but you'll be needing a shire horse for me, not a donkey, I am rather portly these days. (Oh alright then - Fat)
Mike
 
Great photo Mike a classic:)

Buses might be saying lets see how many people he can get up top on that.
Or
He went through our Bus Wash yesterday and didn't even get wet
 
Thanks Alf and Dave, very good link that Alf, we have a webcam similar on the front at Burnham,the missus and myself like to walk up the front most days there about the same time,and my daughter in Worcester looks out for us on the webcam if she has the time.
 
Was down at WSM yesterday and haven't seen it so busy in years! The Landtrain along the front was carrying full loads and the low wall around the Fountain, seen in my 1970's view here, was jammed packed with folks sat eating fish and chips. Bet the Grand Pier and traders were rubbing their hands with glee. Nice to see as well was a steam driven funfair on the Sea Lawns. It was an all go Bank Holiday Monday, wouldn't be surprised if Mossy couldn't get in the door of his local to get a pint!
 
Dave M, Thank you for posting this photo, it's amazing that there is a steam engine tucked away in the middle of that lot to power the Yachts. Great sights.sounds and smells. I didn't have a camera with me unfortunately so what a welcome picture here.
Mike
 
Hi. Mike. I was in Weston on Sunday afternoon and as you say I havent seen it as busy for a long while, the steam fair has been there all of August and we walked all through it, nice to see a really old fashioned fair, just like when I was a kid, it came from Maidenhead, and all the old wagons Caravans etc. were in lovely condition, did you see the Morris J type ice cream van?. John70.
 
Hi John, yes, took in the lot and was really impressed - haven't seen so many Scammell towing lorries in one place since I don't know when. Then we had a look at the Knightstone redevelopment. Don't think much of that, then up to the OLD Pier to see if the Steamer Jetty has fell off yet. See it's still attached but only just! Ended up at Sand Bay and another ice cream but off a boring Transit van conversion which will be an old one at some time to come I suppose.
Mike
 
Nice photo Dave M, like Mike I never took my camera either. You certainly do a lot of trips down here Mike, about time you retired this way. LOL. John.
 
Lloyd said:
My Dad and I used to go on day trips (Gliderways coaches Bearwood) and for a weeks holiday sometimes (by coach or train), all when I was junior school age. In those days it took half a day to get there - no motorways, the old A38, down past Bristol zoo and over the docks bridge - and a stop somewhere 'en route' for a cuppa, a sandwich and a 'p'.
We stayed in the small 'Victoria Hall Hotel' just off the front - last time I went it was still there!
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Remember when Stockland coaches bought out Gliderways, we ended up with one of the Harrington Tiger cubs in grey with the tail fin. When i took it on road test for the first time drove all the way round Stockland green in first gear as never driven a crash box before. We also found that it kept breaking speedo cables as it was so fast, the regular driver used to slow down only when the high temp alarm sounded.
 
Dave M said:
john70 if Mike missed it time 1137 Sunday
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Thanks again Dave M, your up to date photos are a treat now and better still you have them to look back on in years to come. Looking forward to any more coming our way.

Mike

Seen 70 years ago, where the Steam Fair was held, there was amusement of a different kind on the Sea Lawns - Crazy Golf..
 
MOTORMAN-MIKE, That steamer looks very much like the ones that used to go out from Ilfracombe Pier, I remember going to Lundy Island on one back in the late 50s, I think they also went to Cardiff & back. The name I recall was THE WAVERLY? (for give the spelling).
THE BARON
 
ASTONITE. Superb cards those are. It must have been rush hour in your great card of the Old Pier, two paddle steamers at the same time!

To the 1960's and a more modern conveyance was this coach seated bus for a trip from WSM to Bristol. This is one of my few photos taken in the old Beach Bus Station. This bus was no stranger to Birmingham. Before it joined the Bristol company it belonged to a firm called Silver Star from over by Salisbury. They used it most weekends to ferry Midlands servicemen stationed on Salisbury Plain to and from Brum. I saw it several times amongst other Silver Star coaches loading to go back late at night in Moat Row.
 
Silver Star buses always looked best in their original colours. Here's a very similar Leyland Atlantean restored to its Silver Star condition, novel in its day with the engine at the back, which we take for granted now.
 
THE BARON said:
MOTORMAN-MIKE, That steamer looks very much like the ones that used to go out from Ilfracombe Pier, I remember going to Lundy Island on one back in the late 50s, I think they also went to Cardiff & back. The name I recall was THE WAVERLY? (for give the spelling).
THE BARON
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The Waverley is still steaming back and forth to Ilfracombe, Lundy island, Clevedon, and Penarth, and occasionaly Bridgewater depending on the tide, we see it passing Burnham about twice a year.
 
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Nice to see a Silver Star in the old colours. They used to bring parties of Moonrakers down to WSM in the summer.
What a pity they don't still have Toastracks to ride on from the Old Pier to the Sanitorium and back. You can sometimes get an idea of what they were like with a ride on one at the National Tramway Museum at Crich in Derbyshire where they keep this Toastrack from days gone by in Blackpool.
 
The crowds in WSM over the Bank Holiday were no flook if this cutting, out today, is anything to go by - credit crunch? - it's an ill wind (or sea breeze) that does nobody any good!
A view here shows it pretty busy back in the1970's. Think Mossy will take to this one.
 
Lloyd said:
Or something like this - the unique tram-charabanc of Great Grimsby Street Tramways
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Don't you just love it! The great thing about this Forum is ,you never know where a Thread is going to take you. I recall some Toastrack buses running up round Rhyll and Llandudno back in the 1950's. The drivers reckoned they were converted dustcarts. What do you reckon Lloyd?
I don't have a picture of one but they looked a bit like this one at Douglas on the Isle of Man but without the side panels and windows which strangely were on just one side of these.
 
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