PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
Page 23
Page 24
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
NEW SEASON'S NOVELTY TOURS.
Surprise Picnics; Treasure Troves; Alfresco Catering, and How It is Done.
MOTOR COACHING as a means of transport has long ago Shed its last. semblance of novelty, and more and more are coach owners thrown upon their own resources to keep "motor coaching . fresh." It might seem, from some cf our interviews with coach owners, that all has been done that might have been done, and that no useful idea likely to rejuvenate the travel by road movement has been left untried.' Mystery tours, novelty tours, " go-where-von,like"-for10s." tours, and the like, have all become, to use a popular term, " Old-fashioned," and superficially, at least, it would appear that, so far as the organization
• of outings is concerned, the season 1923 has nothing new to set before us. Generalizations are always apt to err by reducing to a dull grey all the beauti. ful contrasts of light and shade, and consequently one must enter into the spirit of motor coaching to discover the best that the coach owner has to offer.
The New Brighton Motor Coach Co., who have a fleet of ' adozen 28-seater Daimler coaches, have infused a breath of originality into several of their private-party outings this year, and instead of a compact review of the operations of their vehicles, it will probably
be more interesting to describe some of the company's outstanding successes of the season so far as it has gone.
Hereis No. 1: It, was described as a " Surprise " Picnic, and, naturally, with an outing that answers this appellation, it. does not do to disclose too many pre liminary particulars. The only initial assurance necessary in a trip of this kind is that the party will get value for money, and there is no difficulty about that point with an honest coach owner.
The party numbered 200, and assembled at Port Sunlight, and immediately prior to the whistle sounding for the coaches to start off every passenger received a novelty in the -form of a coloured-paper hat, or the like, so that before the party was travelling five
minutes the little touch'of colour gave an atmosphere of hilarity. The coaches had not gone very far before a halt was called on the wayside, and fresh fruit, oranges and bananas were distributed with the strict injunction that DO one must make preparation for eating them until the coach had started off. This was a necessary admonition to prevent the halting-place from being despoiled.
The next stop was the Loggerheads, near 'Mold, where an arire.sco lunch was served, the passengers having disembarked from the coaches and seated .themselves in orderly array in front of their respective coaches.
The journey resumed, the next stop Half-way home, -there was another stop for more ices, thence the party was conveyed, without any further breaks, straight through to New Brighton. The coaches stopped outside the Tivoli Theatre, where seats had been reserved for the first house entertainment for the party. As the passengers took their seats they were handed a packet of sweets.
Even yet the surprises of the day had not been exhausted, for When the entertainment was over, it was discovered that supper had been ordered for the 200 persons at an adjoining café, for which everybody, of course, was ready. Then the coach owner applied the finishing touch—conveying the party back to Port Sunlight.. Thus ended what was described by4,all passengers as "a perfect day."
." Treasure Trove" picnics conjure up visions of the romantic. The New Brighton Co. have organized several of them this year, and with the arrangements which they made for alfresco catering, they have been thoroughly enjoyed. All passengers on joining the coaches in which they are to travel are presented with a typewritten itinerary. They are expected to read this, so that when the coach stops at an appointed place they may quickly get on the track
of the hidden, treasure. Needless to say, the "swag " (a treasury note) so eagerly sought ifor by so many, on no .single occasion eluded observation.
. Of course, the arranging of these picnics involves a preliminary survey of the land, but when they are so well patronized, and there is apossibility of winning a prize, they are well-worth theetrotible of organizing.
Alfresco catering ,makes an appeal to passengers in good weather, and the New Brighton Co. have been very responsive to the desires of parties in this direction. A few days ago they conveyed a party of 150 to Llandegia Moors. Seven coaches were commissioned for the journey and when the top of the Llandegla Mountains was reached a halt was made for lunch. The meal was contained in neatly packed little cartons stowed away
under the coach seats. These surprise packets contained veal, ham and egg pie, assorted sandwiches, jelly and cream, cheese biscuits, luncheon cake and fresh fruit.
Coachowners sometimes hesitate about arranging alfresco meals because of the loss of cutlery and spoons and breakages. Each of the cartons served by the New Brighton Co. contained a Picnic spoon made of bamboo, which is thrown away after use. For this outing, the preliminary scour of the land revealed the
presence of fresh-water springs in the locality. The coach owner, when the party set ern, in the morning, put "aboard" a few cases of glass tumblers and the raw ingredients for lemonade. When the party was half-way through the luncheon supplies of fresh water were tapped, a slice of lemon and essence put in each tumbler, and a much-enjoyed ice-cold drink served round.
"Can alfresco meals be served as. cheaply as sit-down meals in a café or hotel? " we asked Mr. H. Kingham the managing director of the New Brighton Coach Co.
"Undoubtedly," replied Mr. King ham, who was .convinced that as good and as substantial a meal could be served in the open for is. 6d. as would cost 4s. in a legitimate catering eStablishment. The company have also organized combined motor boat and motor coach outings, especially to destinations down the River Dee. They convey the party to the motor boats, and hailing seen the passengers safely aboard, the coaches move off to meet the party at the landing place, and then, after loading up,. :continue the journey. "Keeping motor coaching fresh should be the aim of every coach owner," said. Mr. •Kingham. -"From the experiences we have had with our own clients there is not the slightest doubt that they prefer the outings in which unexpected and surprise elements occur, rather than the ordinary run :pure and simple, without the introduction of unusual features. Combined boat -and coach trips also promise to become popular:"