Coach holiday memories.

Has anyone any memories of coaching holidays in this country or abroad dating from the 1940's to 1980's period, with local coach firms?

S.U.T. 4-day trip to Paris, 1963. Left Pond Street Thursday night, breakfast at South Mimms, just off the M1. Then to Lympne airport in Kent, Skyways Avro 748 across the Channel to Beauvais, then coach (well, ramshackle old bus) to Paris. Three nights B & B at the Hotel Bel-Air (apparently a former brothel) in the tender care of the SUT rep. - a lively Frenchman (complete with thin moustache and permanent Gauloise) called Claude Fabre; splendid chap. Discounted meals at the nearby Cafe Louis Philippe, good weather, Gay Paree - what more could we ask? Went up the Eiffel Tower, boat ride on the Seine, train to Versailles, my schoolby French came on in leaps and bounds. Monday morning back on the old bus to Beauvais, quick hop over the channel, SUT coach waiting, home by Monday night. The price? 11 guineas all-in - that's £11.55 to youngsters who don't remember real money..We enjoyed it so much we went back the following year on the 8-day trip (17 guineas)..

S.U.T. 4-day trip to Paris, 1963. Left Pond Street Thursday night, breakfast at South Mimms, just off the M1. Then to Lympne airport in Kent, Skyways Avro 748 across the Channel to Beauvais, then coach (well, ramshackle old bus) to Paris. Three nights B & B at the Hotel Bel-Air (apparently a former brothel) in the tender care of the SUT rep. - a lively Frenchman (complete with thin moustache and permanent Gauloise) called Claude Fabre; splendid chap. Discounted meals at the nearby Cafe Louis Philippe, good weather, Gay Paree - what more could we ask? Went up the Eiffel Tower, boat ride on the Seine, train to Versailles, my schoolby French came on in leaps and bounds. Monday morning back on the old bus to Beauvais, quick hop over the channel, SUT coach waiting, home by Monday night. The price? 11 guineas all-in - that's £11.55 to youngsters who don't remember real money..We enjoyed it so much we went back the following year on the 8-day trip (17 guineas)..

What a great post, that's what this section is all about thanks for sharing those memories with us I really enjoyed reading about them.

What a great post, that's what this section is all about thanks for sharing those memories with us I really enjoyed reading about them.

When I got home I looked in a bigger dictionary. Poor old Sid had been asking for something like a "lager and quicklime"..

... Poor old Sid had been asking for something like a "lager and quicklime"..

I also went on an SUT trip to Paris in 1965, with my school pal Trevor and his parents. The SUT rep. in Paris, Claude, was indeed a real 'gem'. He was a regular visitor to Sheffield and liked it here. His mother lived permanently in the Bel-Air hotel (I didn't know it had been a brothel - I guess during the war) and she was in the next room to us, a really nice old dear. Two posh couples from Dore went by car to Lympne Airport and back as they didn't want to share a coach with a horde of the hoil-polloi. We had the last laugh as there were only about a dozen on the coach.. The week after we got home a Skyways plane crashed when landing at Lympne, both wings broke off and the plane was a complete write-off but there were no serious injuries.

Great stories 'hillsbro' and 'Banker', its great to look back on more leisurely times. Did either of you go to CHEZ JOHNNY Restaurant in Bully Les Mines run by Johnny Nightingale. By the way Mons Claude Fabre was a Free French fighter pilot during the second world war. Many thanks once again for sharing your memories.

Hi SUTman - I remember hearing about Chez Johnny but we didn't go there. These "freelance" trips to Paris were very popular, as the SUT just ensured that you had a good journey each way and comfortable B & B, and then you were free to do whatever you wanted (we had day-trips to Orleans, Fontainebleau and even Brussels). The Bel-Air was old-fashioned but comfortable (it was only several years later that I learned that our "footbath" was actuallly a bidet.). The rooms were simply furnished but clean, the "continental" breakfasts were good and the staff were excellent (though I didn't like Adolf, the Dutch barman. Born during the war in occupied Holland, his parents evidently named him after Herr Hitler, and he seemed to live up to the name). I remember Claude Fabre talking about the war, and "standing shoulder to shoulder" with the British, but I hadn't realised that he had been a fighter pilot. He spoke excellent English and I remember him telling us that there would be a short delay leaving Paris, because the "Skyways bus 'as conked out". We found that the older French people were very appreciative of our wartime alliance (getting on the Brussels train at the Gare du Nord, I asked a Frenchman where I could get a cold drink. He disappeared up the platform to a trolley, came back with a large orange juice and wouldn't take any payment "Non - you are Engleesh").

When I was next in Paris, twenty years later, I went to the Rue Rampon but couldn't find the hotel. Plus ça change....

can't match the Paris trip

But in the late 1950's used to go to Torquay overnight with the littlewoods bros

Set off 8 pm Friday night from pond st carpark stopping at Burton on trent, Stratford on Avon, Bath then Honiton arriving in Torquay 8 am Saturday

Coaches were a maroon/plum colour and silver remember they had trumpets on roof that played a "Hunting we will Go" which they played in turn as they pulled out.

Made everyone turn round as up to eight coaches left.

Course the PC brigade wouldnt allow that now, disturbing the peace

Great stories 'hillsbro' and 'Banker', its great to look back on more leisurely times. Did either of you go to CHEZ JOHNNY Restaurant in Bully Les Mines run by Johnny Nightingale. By the way Mons Claude Fabre was a Free French fighter pilot during the second world war. Many thanks once again for sharing your memories.

That brings back a memory. In about 1981, my daughter and I were visiting England and my Mother saw a last minute ad. in the Star for a four day trip to Paris, so we all went. I think it was by Law Brothers. We stayed at the Ibis in Monmartre, near the old cemetery - which was fascinating. On the way back, the driver asked if we wanted to stop at Chez Johnny. Many people on the coach seemed to know Johnny's and so we stopped there for a meal. He also sold wine at a pound per bottle and almost genuine name-brand perfumes. Johnny seemed a nice guy, with a Cockney accent I think.

We often had a laugh about Chez Johnny's over the years.

mature5011 and Hazelmay, great stories,great days with great coach companies. Has anyone any photos of the coaches by any chance?

Hi SUTman, got a photo of my Grandads coach from about 1952.

Never new him but I think he used to take trips to Switzerland.

Has anyone any memories of coaching holidays in this country or abroad dating from the 1940's to 1980's period, with local coach firms?

In the 80's we went with Spear & Jacksons to Italy with Carnalls Tours very early morning start from Sheffield to Southampton for ferry to Le Havre then 18 hour + journey to Pietra Ligure. Arrived with swollen ankles and aching backs (no overnight stays) 10 day holiday including 3 days travelling about £120 b.b. and evening meal .