Holidays - where did you go, how did you get there?

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Thu 06 Aug, 2009 12:40 pm

edgey2001 wrote: I do remember going to Blackpool by coach in the 70's, 80's which always stopped at Gisburn, there was a massive transport cafe where all the coaches stopped, my grandparents used to say that the place always looked the same, chairs, tables, decor. Does anyone know if its still there? Sorry Edgey, but "The Commercial" has long gone in favour of the inevitable "des res" development. I think the description "rough and ready" describes it fairly. There was a little room on the right for we coach drivers and they looked after us well. You got a free sandwich and a drink, plus ten cigarettes if calling with a loaded coach - and a drink and a sandwich if calling in while running "empty." Disgusted to say that a minority of greedy drivers abused this kindness by pretending to be "loaded", and a signing in procedure was adopted eventually.During the Illuminations, when we left Blackpool at 2300 hours, there was no more dismal and eerie sight than "The Commerial" shrouded in what was often a very heavy Autumn mist - but it always stayed open till the last coachload of folks had been refreshed. No motorways in those days - it was the twisting awkward A59 like it or not.A little nearer Leeds was a friendly pub called The Royal Oak (Thwaites Ales) which also had a cafe room for coach parties from other operators, but it wasn't in the same league as the good old "Commercial."

edgey2001 · Post by **edgey2001** » Thu 06 Aug, 2009 1:10 pm

Ah yes The Commercial, even though the M62 opened up in 1970/71, it was still the preferred route for many bus/coach companies until the early 80's at least then it just died off, I wonder why they carried on with that route , must have been a tradtional thing that they did for the regular customers.

leedslily · Post by **leedslily** » Thu 06 Aug, 2009 1:38 pm

My partner lives just outside Blackpool, and I often go to his via the A59 - not sure it would be great for coaches nowadays, but by car it's definitely much less stressful and much more scenic than the M62!

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Thu 06 Aug, 2009 2:21 pm

leedslily wrote: My partner lives just outside Blackpool, and I often go to his via the A59 - not sure it would be great for coaches nowadays, but by car it's definitely much less stressful and much more scenic than the M62! I agree with you entirely - a very pleasant drive which I always take myself, and peel off left after Preston so as to drive through Lytham St. Annes. Alternatively its nice to go straight forward and arrive at Fleetwood, missing Blackpool on the way out. The Cafe Royal at Fleetwood must be the finest "honest home cooking" value anywhere in the Country - and as dear Mrs. Slocombe used to say "I am unanimous in that." Also on a country roundabout just near the Blackburn turnoff, there is an excellent McDonalds if you want a cuppa in either direction. Whatever you think to McDonalds in general (I have to say not much personally) their Latte is among the nicest coffees anywnere.

trophy · Post by **trophy** » Thu 06 Aug, 2009 4:02 pm

i remember going on holiday to redcar by kitchens coach this had the dorsal fin on the roof at the back and as it was raining was leaking onto the back seat on arrival we were met by lots of kids with prams and carts (bogies) who for a couple of bob would take your luggage to you boarding house. we would would also go by train on day excursions to morecambe from calverley and rodley.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Thu 06 Aug, 2009 8:45 pm

Trojan wrote: raveydavey wrote: I'm fortunate enough that we always had cars when I was growing up (mid 70's- mid 80's) and going on family holidays.We went to Rhyl once by train but I was too young to remember it. Apparently there were two changes of train and that was the last time the family went on holiday by public transport!My late great grandad had worked for British Railways, so my great grandma got some free passes and always used to take me and my sister (and later my younger brother as well) to Bridlington for the day on the train. I remember the first time I saw the Humber Bridge was from the window of a first generation DMU - with their huge windows and massive comfy seats that you sank down into. Funnily enough I once went on holiday (which I omitted from my post) with a friend and his parents via Hull to Hornsea by train - the line's long gone. I wondered how you got to Brid by train - presumably via Hull, or can you also go via Scarborough? As far as I can remember we always went via Hull, although you can go the other way, changing onto a Bridlington train at Seamer Junction a few miles outside Scarborough. There were a handful of direct services via Hull back then (maybe there still are?) so no changing trains would have been a welcome plus point to a 70+ year old with two primary school age kids in tow, I'd imagine!Our "regular" family holiday spot was Barmston Beach - a few miles south of Bridlington and a luxury static caravan for the week. We mainly stayed at the holiday park there, but one memorable summer we stayed at the Black Bull pub in Barmston village which had about a dozen static caravans on a field at the back. Excellent stuff! 5 of us and everything we needed for a week in my dads Austin Maxi.We did once do a "grand tour" comprising of a week at Camber Sands in Sussex, then a week in Paignton in Devon. I remember a lot of driving that holiday - and my grandma came with us meaning there were 6 of us in the Maxi - you'd not get away with that now

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Thu 06 Aug, 2009 9:32 pm

BLAKEY wrote: Sorry Edgey, but "The Commercial" has long gone in favour of the inevitable "des res" development. I think the description "rough and ready" describes it fairly. I think Wallace Arnold used to stop there, it was on the left as you came into Gisburn from Skipton. Hargreaves (the local Morley coach firm) on the other hand used to stop at the White Bull, which is on the right hand side as you go through the village - and that is still open.

stevief · Post by **stevief** » Thu 06 Aug, 2009 10:48 pm

Trojan wrote: stevief wrote: Whitby was the resort of choice by my parents.My dad didn't drive at the time so an uncle used to take us in his car.This worked well until our ever-growing family became too large for our uncles car so me and dad caught the train (Leeds to Whitby direct,it was early 60s).Your bus journey to Blackpool sounds horrendous Trojan but not as bad as one I recently endured.We went by bus to a beer festival in Belgium,set off at 7.30am from Leeds,arrived 9.00pm in Blankenberg.Never again! We went to a beer festival last October in Dijksmuid (?) we expected it to be full of Belgians, but the Belgians knew nothing about it - it was full of Brits who'd come on coaches. We'd travelled indepedently by car and the North Sea Ferry. That's the one we went to 3 years ago.I couldn't remember the name or spell it!The festival itself was rubbish so we had a toby round the small village and found some very pleasant bars.It was a full days travel for an ordinary event.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Fri 07 Aug, 2009 9:08 am

Trojan wrote: BLAKEY wrote: Sorry Edgey, but "The Commercial" has long gone in favour of the inevitable "des res" development. I think the description "rough and ready" describes it fairly. I think Wallace Arnold used to stop there, it was on the left as you came into Gisburn from Skipton. Hargreaves (the local Morley coach firm) on the other hand used to stop at the White Bull, which is on the right hand side as you go through the village - and that is still open. That's right Trojan - at Wallace Arnold and associated firms we were obliged to use The Commercial. I have an excellent photo of Ledgard's entire fleet of charabancs outside The White Bull circa 1914 - every time I pass now I marvel at how that side of the road has hardly changed at all. With a speed limit of 12 mph - yes 12 - in those days I doubt if the passengers had time for much more than half a pint in Blackpool on a day trip !! I'll ask our obliging pal Brandy to put the picture on if he will.

Patexpat · Post by **Patexpat** » Fri 07 Aug, 2009 9:46 am

Well it was Blackpool for us too all teh way thru teh 60's - at least twice a year, a fortnight when the mills closed, and a long weekend for the illuminations. WA was my dads favoured way of getting there - catching the 14 LCT bus from Bramley to the Corn Exchange then making our way down to The Calls .. and I remember always stopping off at the big 'transport cafe' which I guess must have been the commercial - but why does the name 'The Coronation' stick in my mind??? Just old and confused I guess