The hidden world of Filey Butlins holiday camp

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Mon 26 Jan, 2009 1:03 pm

I'm sure there will be a few secret Leeds guys and gals who remember having a holiday at Butlins in Filey. It was the largest Butlins holiday camp but closed in 1983. Today there is no trace of the place, but over the road to the former camp are the railway station remains, despite it been closed since 1977.Search a little bit harder in the undergrowth and you will find an old abandoned subway that was used by a road train to transport passengers and there luggage to the camp.Inside are a few relics from the Holiday camp. Although i'm not exactly sure what they are.The piccies and history of the place are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn ... 07/detail/

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 26 Jan, 2009 3:16 pm

Fascinating stuff Phil, and thousands of folk must have very happy memories of "getting away from it all" at Butlin's in a totally unpretentious way. I never stayed there myself but did have connections with it in my job.While I worked at Wallace Arnolds (1963 - 9) we had a direct sevice from Leeds on Summer Saturdays and took the passengers past the entry booths and right into the complex. We also ran a daily service which I loved driving - it was officially called "SFB service." We left Leeds and went first to Scarborough, then to Filey (calling outside the camp) and Bridlington and parked for the day before returning in reverse order at 6.00pm, Scarborough 6.52pm etc etc. Also I also once took a party of kiddies from a primary school in Roundhay Road - seemingly you could simply pay to go in and enjoy the facilities just for a day. They all had a whale of a time, but the day was somewhat marred by an incredible plague of black sand flies which penetrated everywhere - I imagine this was only an occasional phenomenon. The trunk East Yorkshire service bus route from Hull to Scarborough (number 12 in those days) passed by the camp, which was specified on the intermediate destination blinds :-DRIFFIELD BRIDLINGTON BUTLIN'S CAMP FILEY.East Yorkshire was always a top notch quality bus company and still is, even in the shambolic operating conditions of today - top marks to them.

Post by **chameleon** » Mon 26 Jan, 2009 7:48 pm

Phill_dvsn wrote: I'm sure there will be a few secret Leeds guys and gals who remember having a holiday at Butlins in Filey. It was the largest Butlins holiday camp but closed in 1983. Today there is no trace of the place, but over the road to the former camp are the railway station remains, despite it been closed since 1977.Search a little bit harder in the undergrowth and you will find an old abandoned subway that was used by a road train to transport passengers and there luggage to the camp.Inside are a few relics from the Holiday camp. Although i'm not exactly sure what they are.The piccies and history of the place are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn ... 07/detail/ I only went there once Phill, just for a day for a national event being staged there.Your piccies show it far greater glory than I remember it! My enduring memories to this day are of -High fences with enough barbed wire to defend the entire beach.Uniformed guards blocking the gates, looking supiciously at everyone and everything - never saw the guns but I'm sure they were there.The canteen filled with wooden chairs painted bright green, red, yellow or blue. Made Wollies cafe look like Schofields!The underpass you found is obviously the escape tunnel dug by those who couldn't stand it any more

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Mon 26 Jan, 2009 8:06 pm

Ha ha that's sooo funny you've put about the tunnel been an escape route. A lady friend has made the same comment on this picture here lol http://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/3228673332/

Post by **chameleon** » Mon 26 Jan, 2009 8:09 pm

Phill_dvsn wrote: Ha ha that's sooo funny you've put about the tunnel been an escape route. A lady friend has made the same comment on this picture here lol http://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/3228673332/ Great minds eh? Really though, that is my honest memory of the place - glad I didn't have to stay

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Mon 26 Jan, 2009 10:30 pm

I never went to Butlins Filey, but I went twice in 1963 & 1964 to Skegness - by train from Leeds Central. I must admit I always thought that Skegness was the biggest Butlins - but I could be wrong. For the group of five lads I was with, the weeks were an opportunity for illicit under age drinking with no questions asked and sexual experiments in various girls' chalets - we all thought we were God's gift.

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Mon 26 Jan, 2009 10:34 pm

BLAKEY wrote: While I worked at Wallace Arnolds (1963 - 9) we had a direct sevice from Leeds on Summer Saturdays and took the passengers past the entry booths and right into the complex. I hadn't realised you also drove for WA. Did you ever operate the Morley Feast services? They used to run out of King Steet on the two Saturdays of Morley Feast - they also ran an overnight from the Queen Hotel in Morley to Great Yarmouth. Left at 10-30 on Friday night, called at Sun Lane Wakey. Stopped at Bawtry, Newark, Sleaford and Swaffam and got in about 6-30 am Saturday morning

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 26 Jan, 2009 10:55 pm

Trojan wrote: BLAKEY wrote: While I worked at Wallace Arnolds (1963 - 9) we had a direct sevice from Leeds on Summer Saturdays and took the passengers past the entry booths and right into the complex. I hadn't realised you also drove for WA. Did you ever operate the Morley Feast services? They used to run out of King Steet on the two Saturdays of Morley Feast - they also ran an overnight from the Queen Hotel in Morley to Great Yarmouth. Left at 10-30 on Friday night, called at Sun Lane Wakey. Stopped at Bawtry, Newark, Sleaford and Swaffam and got in about 6-30 am Saturday morning No I never did the Morley Feast run. I didn't do the overnight to Great Yarmouth either, but something far far worse on Friday nights.Leeds (depart 5.30pm) Torquay/Paignton arrive 0705 Saturday morning. Quick cold shave in the gents if we wanted to risk running even later than we invariably were - out with 40 overloaded suitcases, in with another 40 even more overloaded ones - set off back immediately - due in Leeds 10.00pm Saturday night but usually around Midnight, and a mutiny on board over all the last buses to here there and everywhere having gone. I think it was around 330 miles each way via Wakefield, Doncaster, Leicester, Coventry, Warwick, Cheltenham, Honiton etc etc. - not an inch of motorway had been built then (on that route anyway), and few if any town by-passes. Without doubt that was the worst ordeal in all my career and I would hate to have to do it again. Two drivers, one of whom had to "rest" on the seat behind the actual driver - amidst all the snoring, grunting, screaming kiddies, family arguments and so on and so forth - and the most "senior" coaches on the firm - past their best.Oh I do like to be beside the seaside." Sorry to deviate from the Filey topic

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Tue 27 Jan, 2009 12:56 am

BLAKEY wrote: Trojan wrote: BLAKEY wrote: While I worked at Wallace Arnolds (1963 - 9) we had a direct sevice from Leeds on Summer Saturdays and took the passengers past the entry booths and right into the complex. I hadn't realised you also drove for WA. Did you ever operate the Morley Feast services? They used to run out of King Steet on the two Saturdays of Morley Feast - they also ran an overnight from the Queen Hotel in Morley to Great Yarmouth. Left at 10-30 on Friday night, called at Sun Lane Wakey. Stopped at Bawtry, Newark, Sleaford and Swaffam and got in about 6-30 am Saturday morning No I never did the Morley Feast run. I didn't do the overnight to Great Yarmouth either, but something far far worse on Friday nights.Leeds (depart 5.30pm) Torquay/Paignton arrive 0705 Saturday morning. Quick cold shave in the gents if we wanted to risk running even later than we invariably were - out with 40 overloaded suitcases, in with another 40 even more overloaded ones - set off back immediately - due in Leeds 10.00pm Saturday night but usually around Midnight, and a mutiny on board over all the last buses to here there and everywhere having gone. I think it was around 330 miles each way via Wakefield, Doncaster, Leicester, Coventry, Warwick, Cheltenham, Honiton etc etc. - not an inch of motorway had been built then (on that route anyway), and few if any town by-passes. Without doubt that was the worst ordeal in all my career and I would hate to have to do it again. Two drivers, one of whom had to "rest" on the seat behind the actual driver - amidst all the snoring, grunting, screaming kiddies, family arguments and so on and so forth - and the most "senior" coaches on the firm - past their best.Oh I do like to be beside the seaside." Sorry to deviate from the Filey topic Interesting nontheless (well to me anyway)

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Tue 27 Jan, 2009 1:03 am

I love the great recollections also.It's comment stuff like this make my own flickr pics so interesting for myself and others too.Keep it up guys!