When trams ran at Eastboune

Although there was never a municipal owned tramway system at Eastbourne, there was this little 2ft gauge line that ran along the shingle for less than a mile between 1954 and 1969. Cars 2 and 4 are seen here in June 1966, scanned from a Kodachrome slide in my collection, based on a London Metropolitan Tramways A class and a Blackpool 'Open Boat' respectively.

After closure, the rolling stock was re-gauged to 2ft 9in and relocated to Seaton, where they still run today. The lad on the left is sporting a duffel bag, almost compulsory for railway/bus/tram enthusiasts back then (mine was red) and look at that clutch of old caravans in the background.

Morecambe & Wise & Friends

Fellow blogger and wife, Dunstabelle, and I, are planning a short break to Bournemouth, a town that I have been visiting since the early 1960s, when various relations on my mothers side decided to retire down there. A trip to the theatre was always undertaken, that in 1966 taking us to see Morecambe & Wise at the Winter Gardens. Of the performers that season, only singer Susan Maughan appears to be still with us. Whist I do remember bits of the show some forty-seven years later, particularly ventriloquist Arthur Worsley, I sadly have no recollection of "Marvo (The World's Greatest Illusionist), assisted by Dolores (The Sex Symbol)!"

Although others appearing in the town that summer included Harry Worth and Frankie Vaughan, I suspect that Morecambe & Wise were a natural choice for us (good clean fun), although Ivor Emmanuel would have clinched it for my mother.

Here are a few pages from the programme;

Inn Signs

Two useful little books published by The Raleigh Press (in association with David & Charles) in 1966 and 1967. Their author was E R Delderfield, more famous for such novels as God is an Englishman and To Serve Them All My Days.

Vauxhall Foursome

These four adverts for the products of Vauxhall Motors appeared in Autocar magazine, 21 October 1966.

Vauxhall Viva HB (1966-70)

Vauxhal Victor 101 FC (1964-67)

Vauxhall Cresta PC (1965-72)

Vauxhall Viscount (1966-72)

Full of Eastern promise?

A few adverts from 1960s issues of Autocar magazine, featuring manufacturers from behind the Iron Curtain vying to tempt the decadent western motorist away from their Vauxhalls and Austins; those from Skoda and Wartburg are from 1966, Moskvich from 1969.

Frankie & Benny

Twenty years ago, in April 1992, British comedy lost both Frankie Howerd and Benny Hill. Although they died on consecutive days, 19/20th, Benny was not found until two days later, such was the reclusive life that he was leading by then. Although they were very different in their approach to comedy, Howerd's more hesitant delivery contrasting to Hill's more slick and saucy style, both learned their trade in the West End, radio and then film and television. Benny Hill was also a singer, with a number of  comedy records to his name

By the 1980s, The Benny Hill Show was suffering falling ratings and was becoming increasingly more expensive to make and changing attitudes saw much criticism of the perceived sexism in his comedy. The cancellation of his Thames series in 1989 appeared to be the beginning of the end for him.

Frankie Howerd however, was making something of a comeback during his later years, touring with his one-man show and becoming an unlikely hit with university audiences. I personally love the work of both, Up Pompeii in particular for Howerd, with his little asides to the audience and Benny Hill was probably at his best in the 1970s; trawling through DVDs of The Benny Hill Show for this period has been a delight. Despite the bashing he got in this country in his later years, he remained popular abroad; I have a Hungarian DVD featuring mainly his slapstick routines, brought back by my son off holiday a few years ago. May they both rest in peace and their influence live on.

Frankie Howerd (1917-1992)

The Ladykillers (1955)
With Katie Johnson

The Fast Lady (1962)

The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery (1966)
With Reg Varney and others

Carry On Doctor (1967)
With Anita Harris, Hattie Jacques and June Jago

Up Pompeii (1971)

Up The Front (1975)
From Star Turns, by Barry Took

Benny Hill (1924-1992)

An early publicity shot
From Star Turns, by Barry Took

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
With Dick Van Dyke and Sally Ann Howes

The Italian Job (1969)

Benny Hill sings Ernie (1971)

The Benny Hill Show (1976)
With Henry McGee

The Benny Hill Show (1976)
With Jack Wright and Jenny Lee Wright

The Benny Hill Show (1976)
With Moira Foot

Press For Time

This Norman Wisdom comedy film from 1966 is not his best, but does include a lengthy chase sequence featuring former Bournemouth Leyland TD5 FEL 214. Norman (as Norman Shields) is banished to the seaside town of Tinmouth (actually Teignmouth, in Devon) by his grandfather, the Prime Minister (also played by Norman Wisdom) to train as a local newspaper reporter. In this particular part, Norman thinks that his bicycle has been stolen, and commandeers a bus to pursue the thief. The chase begins through the town, the filming watched by many holidaymakers en route and at one point, the bus manages to overtake the bike. The poor old open-topper ends up in the sea, and of course when Norman does catch up with the man, it turns out to be the wrong bike! The bus was apparently hired for the film, with the conductor being played by actor Gordon Rollings. The stony-faced driver is uncredited, as is one Helen Mirren, who briefly appears in her first film role later on. FEL 214 seems not to have survived, although sister vehicle FEL 215 has been preserved.