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Weekly News July 11, 2011Description
The United Kingdom in the 1950s: Elementary school geography and tales like The Story of Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, and the novels of Robert Louis Stevenson made “Merrie England” sort of a magical place to me in the 1930s. In those days, it was also said that the sun never set on the British Empire. Although many Yankees would contest this, there was ample proof that London was the center of the English-speaking world. In the 1940s, we learned much more: first the Battle of Britain, and in America “Bundles for Britain,” and an elaborate lend-lease program, all before the U.S. entered World War II. “There’ll be Blue Birds over the White Cliffs of Dover” became a popular song here.
My first trip to Britain was in September 1951. As a young travel agent, I had introductions to many English people while planning American travel to the World Conference of Friends at Oxford University in 1952. It had been six years since the Labor Government of Prime Minister Clement Attlee had defeated Winston Churchill and the Conservatives, and economic recovery following six years of war had been less than impressive. Things were cheap in American dollars, but it was hard to buy a good meal anywhere. My best ones were in private homes, where innovative dishes using the limited food supply were often quite tasty. At a small country inn named Yealand Manor just south of the English Lake District, I paid $1.75 U.S. for dinner, lodging, and a full English breakfast.
I had flown from New York to London on a BOAC (British Airways) Boeing Stratocruiser, a modified B-29 with a lower deck housing a cocktail lounge for 17 passengers. First we stopped at Logan Airport in Boston, where we were treated by the airline to a full-course dinner in the terminal. About eight hours later, we landed at Prestwick, the airport for Glasgow, Scotland, where again we had a complimentary breakfast. Here I visited with some British businessmen from Birmingham, also passengers on this flight, who told me they were flying home after being on assignment in Australia. They had flown across the Pacific, then the United States, and finally the Atlantic, and the journey was into its fourth day. The short flight from Prestwick to London and a two-hour train ride to Birmingham ended their long trip.
In the summer of 1951, the country was celebrating the Festival of Britain (also the Centennial of the Crystal Palace Exhibition in London, often considered the first World’s Fair). There was a small World’s Fair on the south bank of the Thames near Waterloo Station, and “Illuminations” in resort towns all over Britain. I visited the London exhibition where one of British Railways’ spit-and-polish high-speed steam locomotives was on display, and I was treated to illuminations in the northwest England resort of Morecambe. During my stay, King George VI, in very poor health, was flown from the royal family’s Balmoral Castle, in Scotland, to London, where he underwent an operation a few months before his death.
I rented a car in London and drove on the left side of the road for the first time, traveling first to Oxford, then north to Stratford-on-Avon, Warwick, Birmingham, and through the Midlands to Lancaster. Finally, I went east across the moors to York, turned in the car, and took a steam train to Edinburgh, a most scenic ride along the coast of the North Sea. I rode all over the city of Edinburgh on the upper deck (above the motorman) on a four-wheeled trolley, almost as high as it was long. After a wonderful eye-opening trip, I flew home from Prestwick.
Steamin’ Up the Summer: We have a big Steamin’ Day this coming Saturday and expect a large crowd if Mother Nature cooperates. A Princeton Alumni group is coming, and we’ve had a large number of calls... summer is here! Montrachet (Centreville Cafe) will be providing food again, and of course we’ll have Woodside Farm ice cream. We are also planning to have a few Victorian lawn amusements to entertain visitors... if anyone would like to lead the “games” (croquet, corn hole [a.k.a. bean bag toss], Jacob’s ladder and cup-and-ball), please contact the FAHP office (admin@auburnheights.org).
New Concert Details: Haven’t bought your tickets yet? Well, here are a few enticements...
1. Vermeil Wines (owned by local celeb Dick Vermeil, former head coach of the Eagles) is generously providing wines for tasting.
2. We have some extraordinary silent auction donations, including Friday night Phillies tickets, a caboose rental from our friends at the Wilmington & Western, a sumptuous gift basket from the Country Butcher, plus two extraordrinary vacation packages sure to make you drool). An online auction preview will be available starting Wednesday... so those of you who live afar or may not be in town can submit proxy bids (to be placed on your behalf in your stead). Check the Special Event page of the website Wednesday evening for full details and previews.
Work Nights: On Tuesday, Emil Christofano and Jeff Pollock got the front axle in place on the Rauch & Lang, and on Saturday, Mark Hoover, who rebuilt the electric motors for that car, spent 3 hours with Emil getting the electrical circuits straightened out for rewiring everything as it should be. Jeff Pollock, Jonathan Rickerman, Anne Cleary, Dave Leon, and Bucky cleaned up the locomotives from their runs on July 2 and 3 as well as the basement where they are stored. Steve Bryce successfully operated the Model 76 in the July 4 parade and was joined by four other Stanleys from our collection, including the Mountain Wagon and the 3 condensing cars. We were also joined by Steve Jensen in his 1911 Stanley. Other than the water level automatic on the Model 735, all cars functioned well. Butch Cannard refined the programming of the railroad signals as suggested by Bob Wilhelm. Ted Kamen and Dennis Dragon sanded and re-primed the frame for the Model 607. As usual, Art Wallace and Bob Jordan cleaned and polished cars and anything else that needed attention. Thursday night was our July ice cream run to Woodside Farm Creamery, and our four newest Stanleys participated, two of which were used for driving lessons with teachers Kelly Williams and Jerry Lucas. Richard Bernard and Ted Kamen were on their own in the 740. In all, about 20 members enjoyed our 11-mile evening drive. Steve Bryce and Jerry Novak began construction of the stage for our July 23 concert on the lower lawn. Two new drums of kerosene were purchased. It might be mentioned that Chuck Erikson and his wife have sold their home in Southwood, and moved on July 8 to Ware Presbyterian Village at Oxford, PA.
