Touring in Britain 1955
 

Came across this video made by the British Rail Film Board on YouTube. I'm trying to identify some of the bikes. This is part two -although I meant to post the first part. A great piece of nostalgia of a gentler time.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyz5d3entBw

A+

Fantastic. In many ways, things haven't changed!

Where do I find a group like that to ride with?

It says right at the end of the film that they're doing it again in May '56!

My group certainly isn't like that. They're not a "competitive" group, but they drop the hammer to the first bar, BS for an hour or so, and casually ride back. ;)

Where do I find a train like that?

Ale, reynolds 531 and sturmey archer proto-brifter set ups. An ideal sunday?

What a great little video! While I was cycling across Scotland this summer I came across countless cyclists - so many more riders on the road than here in the Midwest states. And on a couple of occasions I encountered groups quite like those featured in the video. Like everyone I met in the country, they were abundantly friendly and always willing to share a glass of whatever the proudly brewed local ale happened to be. On Arran Island, one group of riders were a bit "long in the tooth." Sitting outside a pub on picnic benches, I joined them for a chat and a pull (or maybe two...) - me with my rented POS touring bike leaned against a stone wall, and they with their collection that included a beaten Raleigh Pro, a Nigel Dean, a vintage Flying Scot, and several other British worthies.

Here are a couple of photos from that chance meeting and which documented my little game of "find that vintage bike":

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5155/...1b9f2009_z.jpg
Nigel Dean Touring bike and the proud owner, "Actually, it's my wife's bike...have you've heard of 'Nigel Dean' bikes, have you? Is it famous? Is it worth anything?"

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6020/...16048e7e_z.jpg
Nigel Dean Touring bike. And no, I hadn't ever heard of the marquee until that moment.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5115/...b88fe199_z.jpg
Five speed Carlton road bike... appears to have been badly rattle-canned with a home made yellow fade.

Thanks for sharing a very cool video. It brought back very fond memories!

I'd like a symphony to accompany our next group ride!
http://www.stjohnonthedesert.org/musical-notes.jpg

FABULOUS!! OH just try and get a special car, whit rubber covered hooks, let alone a special excursion train, these days

Try to get a train period! And I live within 20 miles of an Amtrak station that is fortunate enough to have FOUR trains a day! Two northbound and two southbound, god help you if you want to go east or west :P

Aaron :)

Rubber hook? I hardly know her!

Srsly, it's like they travelled forward in time, plucked the social, aesthetic, and technological fantasies out of my head, then made a docummercial out of it.

I encountered a group of tourists like that the other day at my favorite watering hole along my usual trail. Sharing beers and stories for half an hour was good!

The young lady in the salmon-colored short pants is something of a dish, what?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmTczaVvfJc

These people are drinking beer and none of them are wearing helmets. OMG!!!!!!

And they are having FUN. The outrage!

Yeah, she's a swell dame. "Who wants to go Rugby?"......ME!

Here's part one in case you didn't see it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyz5d...eature=channel

What a wonderful time... whereas now Amtrak only recently began carrying bike racks, 3 per car (wow!) and I have to bring multiple locks so my pedals or seat won't get stolen. Ah look at all those fenders and bells, and wool... want...

Thanks for posting, enjoyed both parts. If only it were possible today.

Darn, this is SUCH a good video. The narration, the cinematography, everything.

Here's a screengrab showing one of the bikes up close... Does that say "Phillips"?

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13487871/screengrab.jpg

Yes. And is that a chain stain on the right calf of the cyclist?