By Coach to France and Switzerland Again
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AGOOD example of the speed of our recovery from international strife and economic paralysis is provided by the reintroduction of coach tours to the French Riviera and Switzerland.
From Victoria Coach Station it is possible to board a Red Line coach, travel to the coast, cross the Channel, enjoy a period of trouble-free holidaymaking and luxdry motoring, and then return in the same comfortable vehicle. Red Line puffinan coaches, which have Leyland chassis, are ferried across the water, and provide all the transport necessary on the other side.
A tour manager accompanies every trip and attends to all formalities and to the smallest wishes of the travellers.
Reinforcements Coming Red Line Continental Motorways, Ltd., is now housed in 335, Portobello Road, London, W.10, with the vehicle garage in Kensal Road, nearby. By virtue ot the determination of Mr. John F. Brennan, who was in the Royal Navy during the war and owns the concern, it was not allowed to be broken up when war made it impossible to continue its function. With a muchreduced fleet, and against great odds, Red Line coaohes were put on the map of Europe again and have justified their master's optimism sufficiently for him to order reinforcements.
As soon as the international situation becomes freer, too, Mr. Brennan means to send his coaches to Germany, Italy, and other European countries.
Entry was made into continental touring after the Red Line double-deck buses—" pirate," and proud of it—disappeared with the forming of London Transpoh in 1933. The company already had extensive coaching experience in England, and after careful planning, went into the continental business. "1 went over myself and fixed up all the necessary arrangements," said Mr. Brennan. The ground was thoroughly explored and a series of tours evolved, embracing all the main European countries. By 1938 the 1,000-passenger mark was approached, and 1939 would have seen even more ambitious tours.
Available to-day are a I5-day Riviera tour and a 14-day tour of Switzerland. The route of the former is by Beauvais, Fontainbleau, Avignon, Juan lea Pins, Antibes, Cannes, Nice, the Route des Aloes, Grenoble, Dijon, and Paris. The route of the latter is through Rheims, the Vosges, Zurich, Lucerne, Montreux, Geneva, the Jura Mountains, Dijon, and Paris.
In each case the Channel crossing is by first-class steamer to Calais. All hotel reservations are of the luxury type. A certain amount of sightseeing is on the schedules and English-speaking guides are employed. The fleet consists of a dozen Leylands, which are maintained in optimum trim by Leyland Motors, Ltd. On order are 11 new Leylands, which will be oil-engined Tigers, with the latest 9.8-litre engine and 4.8-to-1 back-axle ratio. This combination is ideal for continental touring.
The manager is Mr. H. J. Henesey, who has 20 years' experience of coaching behind him. A 14-day tour involves something like 2,500 miles of motoring, but breakdowns are almost unknown.
"The Southern Railway Co. has always been most helpful to us," said Mr. Brennan," especially as regards the shipping of the coaches on S.S. 'Autocarrier.' Useful to us, too, has been our membership of the Royal Automobile Club, for suitable contacts."