Rugeley PWMC outing to Rhyl, August 1961

In the late 1950s through to the 1970s, the Rugeley Progressive Working Men’s Club organized an annual children’s outing to Rhyl. Two steam trains were chartered, departing an hour apart from the original Rugeley Town Station. This film documents the outing of August 1961. Each child was given a bottle of Ricci fizzy orange, a packet of crisps and a brown envelope with spending money and everyone was given a ticket for a ride on the miniature railway around the Marine Lake. The Rugeley day-trippers are shown arriving at Rhyl station, then at various locations around Rhyl, including the beach, the clock tower, the bicycle circuit and the Pleasure Beach, before heading back to the station for the journey home. The weather seems to have been mix of sun and showers, with several people wearing their Pac-a-Macs and rainhoods, but the overall enjoyment is plain to see, with plenty of smiles for the camera. The film was shot by Mr Clifford Barham. This copy was kindly loaned by Lorna Walker to enable it to be processed for showing on YouTube.