Friday, 20 September 2013

Down Memory Lane ~ Reynolds Charabancs

Another in the occasional series of Down Memory Lane and even I am not old enough to remember these (!) but I thought this series of photos may be of interest to eastnorfolkbus blog readers

Regular reader and contributor Tim Miller has forwarded these photos which also show his family members in addition to the charabancs

The first photo is of a charabanc owned by Oscar Reynolds taken
during the mid-1920s and is noted as being the first charabanc to have a gangway down the middle. Driven by Bert Miller and later Reg Aldred (in photo)

Tim doesn't have a clue about the second photo but the Reynolds Hire Service mark can be clearly seen on the side of the vehicle

The third photo is of a Reynolds Dennis Metropolitan with Tim's great grandfather Bertie Miller driving
and his grandfather is the young boy.

You may note from the photo that the speed of the vehicle is given as 12 mph and Tim reminds me of
'an old court case which they troll out occasionally (Porthole in the Great Yarmouth Mercury) of Bertie Miller and the infamous speeding down Yarmouth seafront at an alarming ??? pace of about 14mph if my memory serves. 
Still one of the first I believe'
The fourth picture shows another Dennis owned by Reynolds although there is some confusion here. Tim's grandfather has this as 'The Enchantress' but it clearly says 'The Prince' on the door!

The last image is again a Dennis Metropolitan driven by Reggie Rudd who later became a fire engine driver apparently

As with all the photos, I found myself trying to locate their setting within the
current street scene and the penultimate one has me baffled! Dinners at the Arcade Restaurant are shown as 1/6 and 1/9 (seven and a half and eight and three quarter pence respectively in new money!)

A full screen image can be seen by clicking on each individual photo

My thanks to Tim Miller for sharing the photos with us and I would welcome any comments on them from blog readers

Mick Capon has responded to this post by providing more information and his response can be viewed by clicking the '2 comments:' link immediately below. Tim has also replied to Mick's update
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2 comments:

  1. NorfolkBoy20 September 2013 at 12:35

    Roy, These brought back memories, not so much of the vehicles which I cannot remember, but of the company and the locations. The one that baffles you is on Marine Parade outside the Empire Cinema which is on the right and the arcade buildings on the left were still there when I was last in town in 2004.

    Reynolds Garage Ltd. (Metropolitan Coaches), was located on St. Georges Road, and the coaching side of the business was purchased by Eastern Counties in 1951. The elegant livery of cream and chocolate brown and the fleetname was retained by ECOC for some years and even applied to new vehicles - ECW bodied Bristols and, if I remember correctly, to at least one of those rare Gardner powered Duple bodied Bedford SBs.

    In the interest of accuracy, the second photograph is not a "charabanc", even though my parent's generation referred to all coaches as "charas".

    Great memories of when Yarmouth was GREAT and wonderful town to grown up in.

    Mick, North Carolina

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  2. suffolkraider20 September 2013 at 21:49

    Hi Mick yes picture 2 is a lot later I think was just curious as I am unable to place what it is. I can remember the garage on St Georges at one time was Central Garage as grandad always told me it was in our family a long time ago I think. I am going to have to delve deeper into the box of paperwork at mothers. Nice to hear from an ex pat

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