Off to Butlins Filey: 1959

My first "Lads Holiday" was to Butlins Holiday Camp Pwllheli in 1957. My next was to Butlins Holiday Camp at Filey in 1959.

The parcipitants in 1959 were myself, and my close friend Alan Warmington. At the time we lived a few hundred yards apart in Manor Abbey Road, Halesowen, Worcestershire. And we were both members of the local Youth Club and had similar interests. Below is a photo of Alan Warmington taken in 1960.

In 1959, car ownership was some way ahead, and so journeys to and from holiday destinations were by rail. One of the peculiarities of the 1959 BR Summer timetable was that although there was no direct Saturday service from Birmingham to Filey Camp station, there was a service from Filey Camp to Birmingham. Outwards, it was necessary to travel to Scarborough, and catch a service from there to Filey Town station, with a bus connection from there to the camp.

And so, on Saturday 11th July 1959, we joined the 8.20am Kings Norton to Scarborough service at it's start point. Up front was Black 5 4-6-0 no 44688, and the load was 10 coaches. We had a front coach compartment to ourselves. The train called at Birmingham New Street, Tamworth, Burton on Trent, Derby Midland, Chesterfield, then took the direct route to Rotherham. Then on past Bolton on Dearne, Pontefract, and Burton Salmon, until Milford Junction, where we stopped for a loco change. Here a York based V2 2-6-2, no 60918, took over, and continued to York and Scarborough, arriving at 1.30pm. We were 10 minutes late, all of which was attributable to delays at Seamer and approaching Scarborough.

Locomotives of interest seen on the journey were 60086 Gainsborough, 60502 Earl Marischal, 60517 Ocean Swell, and 45685 Barfleur, all at York. And at Scarborough, B1 4-6-0's nos 61196, 61257, 61224, B16 4-6-0's nos 61451, 61424, 61450, 61457, 61445, 61414, K3 2-6-0's nos 61975, 6143, 61978, 61892, D49 nos 62701 Derbyshire, 62739 The Badsworth, Jubilee no 45677 Beatty, Crab 2-6-0 no 42797, and BR 2-6-2T no 82026.

Alan, who was not a Railway enthusiast, had been puffing away on his pipe throughout the journey. His earlier attempts to tempt me into doing likewise had fallen on deaf ears. Apart from a few fags at School, I had so far resisted the temptation.

At Scarborough we had some time to wait for the Filey connection. So we walked into the town. Alan went in to a tobacconists, presumably to buy some baccy. So, back to the station in good time to join the 2.15pm service to Filey. This was a DMU, and we sat in the front right hand seat with a view of the line ahead. Alan then handed me the paper bag which held the contents of his earlier purchase. "A present for you", he announces. Inside was a pipe, a box of matches, and a packet of Three Nuns tobacco.

My downfall was nigh. I filled the pipe, and about a dozen matches later, managed to light it, and take my first few puffs. It took a while to get the hang of it without choking. But by the time we arrived at Filey I was well away.

And by the end of the week's holiday, I was a confirmed pipe smoker. It was a habit that was to last for a further 26 years, by which time I had changed to Gold Block, and was consuming one ounce of tobacco per day.

The return journey on the following Saturday, 18th July 1959, was an eventful one. The 9.20am Filey Camp to Kings Norton had V2 class 2-6-2 no 60975 as far as Gascoigne Wood, where a Midland locomotive would be waiting. The route was Bridlington, Driffield, Market Weighton, and Selby. At Bridlington were B1 4-6-0's nos 61121 and 61425, D49 4-4-0 no 62710 Lincolnshire, beyond Market Weighton, trains travelling in the opposite direction were hauled by B1 4-6-0 no 61153, and B16 4-6-0 nos 61432, and 61471. At Selby was A3 class 4-6-2 no 60040 Cameronian, 61466, and 61428, and between Selby and Gascoigne Wood were 43057, 61428, 61466, 63448, 65663, 65685, and 69921 (4-8-0T). We pulled up on the connecting line between Gascoigne Wood and Milford Junction at 11.01am, and awaited our fresh locomotive. This proved to be a Midland 4F 0-6-0, no 44206. I looked forward with interest to see how a 4F would cope with a 10 coach load. The answer was soon to be clear..With great difficulty. We fell to 23 mph up the grade past Pontefract, and 22 mph up past Brackenhill, and pulled up at Swinton Junction box. The crew were clearly requesting a fresh loco, since at Rotherham Masborough Sidings, the loco came off to be replaced with another 4F, no 44082. After the Chesterfield stop, 23 minutes late, it became clear that 44082 was a very different locomotive to 44206. Although a little time was dropped on the quite tight bookings, the loco roared away from each stop, and the final section from Tamworth to Birmingham New Street involved some excellent and noisy running. A splendid end to a fascinating journey.

Another interesting feature of the journey was that we saw 46133 The Green Howards at Swinton Junction on a Bradford to St Pancras service. And saw it again at Chesterfield. It had travelled via Sheffield, we had travelled via Barrow Hill.

And, of course, I smoked my pipe throughout the whole journey. Alan Warmington, you have a lot to answer for.

In later years, I alternated between Gold Block and St Bruno tobacco's. But in 1985, with High Blood Pressure and Chest Pains, the doctor said "Stop". So I did, and haven't had a smoke since.