How Far Would You Go? Journeys To Events

[Guest WelshSoulBoyo]

Living in rural Wales, without a car, with friends who didn't have a love of Soul, meant getting to events could be a pain in the bum, but of course, always worth it.                                                                              One regular journey was to The Carlton in Morecambe. Two mile walk into town (The village I lived in only had two buses, one out at 7.30am and one in at 5.30pm), then bus from town to Rhyl. Train from Rhyl to Chester, change at Chester for Warrington. Warrington to Preston, change for Morecambe. Around 5/6hrs in all. Coming back though...(remember, it's Sunday in the 1980's) Bus from Morecambe to Lancaster. Arrive Lancaster 9am, no train to Preston until 1pm, no bus til 11am. Lancaster to Preston (usually bus) then the same journey reversed with longer waits for changes of train/bus, but hopefully a lift from town to home. Nighter finished at 6/7am, I was usually home for about 6pm.                                                                          Another to Queens Hall, Bradford. Walk to town/Bus to Rhyl/Train Chester/Train Warrington/Walk from one side of Warrington to the other/Bus to Culcheth/Lift to Bradford. Then the same thing back the next day with Sunday hours thrown in.                                                                                                                    I'm not complaining, I loved every minute (apart from sitting on windswept railway platforms in winter when all your changes of clothes are wet with sweat and any money you had for a cup of tea has been spent on records), but now, being able to drive, it's all so much more enjoyable. I'll be at Horwich RMI in an hour this weekend and half an hour from there, I'll be at Burnley Allnighter. The journey home will be nice and warm and I've got a holder for a coffee and a stereo full of tunes.                                                                           What's your most memorable/horrific/life changing/tedious journey to a Soul event? Whatever it was, I'm guessing it was one of the nights of your life. 

[Roddy]

LIVING IN SCOTLAND MOST OF THEM !!!!

Edited January 15, 2014 by Roddy

[Dde]

LIVING IN SCOTLAND MOST OF THEM !!!!

Got to agree with you there Roddy. I always take my hat off to the Aberdeen soulies - they have a hell of a treck wherever they go - even when staying in Scotland!! 

[Dave Rimmer]

Things haven't changed much since the 1980s.

 

Last weekend we were in Barnsley. the niter finished at 6am, the first train back was 10.12am. arrived back at mine at 12.45. jessica then had a quick shower and change, and went out again to go home to Wales, arriving at her house at 7.15pm. a total of 13 hours 15 minutes after the niter finished !

[Garswood]

Being in the army for most of the 80's and Germany from 84- 89 I would regularly drive from fallingbostel in west Germany near Hanover on Friday afternoon getting to uk via Oostende or Calais arrive home early sat morning, see me mum and dad , go for pint then keele allniighter, set off from keele sun morning back to Germany, mates thought I was mad, but was worth it...Phil

Edited January 15, 2014 by garswood

[Pete S]

I wouldn't go as far as my back garden nowadays but I remember back in 77/78 when we used to go to the alldayers at Tiffanies, Newcastle Under Lyme, we'd usually manage to blag a lift back home as the trains had stopped running by then, but this time we couldn't get one, so we walked the 40 miles back to Wombourne, other side of Wolverhampton, nobody stopped to give is a ride.  Amazing what you can do when you're 17.

[Simsy]

Being a soft Southerner and save for the beloved 100 Club, you have to head North for good music. There sure ain't no recognised 'Southern Soul' term/scene..

 

One of my faves was the Prestatyn trip a few years back. Saturday night only, lets head on up and see the Hesitations original line up! Only it wasn't the original line up, one was dead, one was a woman. After a brief kip in the car, we fecked off home.

 

Things we do for soul? 

 

[Back Street Blue]

Remember going to first Oldies Friday niter at Wigan, our train from Shaw to Manchester was delayed so by the time we got to Vic' station we had missed the last train to Wigan.

 

Thought that was that but my mate Carl managed to talk one of the cabbies lined up outside the station to take us there in his black cab in exchange for Carl's watch, I'd have offered him my ten bob timex but it wouldn't have got us as far as Salford 

 

Other than that, missing the last bus home from Sale and having to walk home to Shaw was about the worst journey home from an event for me.

[Gene-R]

I wouldn't go as far as my back garden nowadays but I remember back in 77/78 when we used to go to the alldayers at Tiffanies, Newcastle Under Lyme, we'd usually manage to blag a lift back home as the trains had stopped running by then, but this time we couldn't get one, so we walked the 40 miles back to Wombourne, other side of Wolverhampton, nobody stopped to give is a ride.  Amazing what you can do when you're 17.

 

Bloody hell Pete!  How long did the 40 mile hike take you?

[Pete S]

Bloody hell Pete!  How long did the 40 mile hike take you?

 

Well I got to work at 8 in the morning so must have been about 6am!

[Guest WelshSoulBoyo]

LIVING IN SCOTLAND MOST OF THEM !!!!

It would probably be closer to row over to a Norwegian Soul Night 

[Guest Matt Male]

Probably a coach to Scotland in the 80s. More recently down to Cornwall... for a soul night!

 

Nothing compared to those who come over from Australia though.

[Benji]

1995: 876 miles from Munich to Cleethorpes (one way). By car.

Edited January 15, 2014 by Benji

[Ernie Andrews]

Going to the 100 club a 4 of years ago- Plane was delayed at Prestwick  by 4 hours at 9pm so couldnt get abus from Stanstead until we pleaded with them to put one on to London then getting ataxi I arrived at  the 100 club at about 4.45am

Edited January 15, 2014 by Ernie Andrews

[Guest BIG H]

Aberdeen to 100 club is a hike but getting back from anywhere in the early 80's was a swine, I nevef used to get back til 9/10 o'clock with the Sunday sevice

[Steve G]

For a soul night my longest was drive to Preston from North London / Herts, and then drive back at the end of the night at 2 am……seem to recall Geoff was with me and the petrol bill was not funny. I've also done Prestatyn and back in a night (similar to Simsy), Wigan and back in a night in the 90s etc.

 

Back in the 70s went by coach to Wigan, once and once only…..well train from Kent to London, then coach from Victoria Coach to Manchester, then legged it to Manny Vic station and got a train to Wigan. Same in reverse coming back, except we stopped at Derby bus station and lost a passenger. When we eventually found him, and got back to London and got the train from london back to Kent it was 7 pm…..dinner in the oven, bed, then off to work next morning. 

[Guest Byrney]

Think the London lot: Tony Smith, Jo Brock etc did well travelling from that there London to Allanton / Shotts allnighters in Scotland. 

[Dave Moore]

Deepest Ukraine to The First Rocket Allnighter = Nightmare as only had 4 days to get there and back. Just made it.

US - To Prestatyn a few times.

Spain to Oz

Off to Madrid on 01 Feb to Soul Tiempo Allnighter on train. (1300kms round trip).

Do more non UK events than UK events now. Still like the travelling to gigs, all part of the crack!

Regards,

Dave

[SHEFFSOUL]

my first vist to wigan casino Apr 1974.4pmTrain -Skegness to Boston, wait-Peterboro wait -Doncaster-long wait-Crewe-Manchester..dash cross town missed last train to Wigan.Walked aimlessly trying to (thumb a ride) thru Salford..in no mans land.Walked back into Manchester..spent my last £5 record on a taxi to Wigan....finally arrived at Station Rd..approx 3am..phew...

[Northernjordan]

I regularly ride 300 or so miles each way for scooter rallies on an old

Lambretta... This year I'm planning in riding to Switzerland and back!

[Guest gordon russell]

Living in rural Wales, without a car, with friends who didn't have a love of Soul, meant getting to events could be a pain in the bum, but of course, always worth it.                                                                              One regular journey was to The Carlton in Morecambe. Two mile walk into town (The village I lived in only had two buses, one out at 7.30am and one in at 5.30pm), then bus from town to Rhyl. Train from Rhyl to Chester, change at Chester for Warrington. Warrington to Preston, change for Morecambe. Around 5/6hrs in all. Coming back though...(remember, it's Sunday in the 1980's) Bus from Morecambe to Lancaster. Arrive Lancaster 9am, no train to Preston until 1pm, no bus til 11am. Lancaster to Preston (usually bus) then the same journey reversed with longer waits for changes of train/bus, but hopefully a lift from town to home. Nighter finished at 6/7am, I was usually home for about 6pm.                                                                          Another to Queens Hall, Bradford. Walk to town/Bus to Rhyl/Train Chester/Train Warrington/Walk from one side of Warrington to the other/Bus to Culcheth/Lift to Bradford. Then the same thing back the next day with Sunday hours thrown in.                                                                                                                    I'm not complaining, I loved every minute (apart from sitting on windswept railway platforms in winter when all your changes of clothes are wet with sweat and any money you had for a cup of tea has been spent on records), but now, being able to drive, it's all so much more enjoyable. I'll be at Horwich RMI in an hour this weekend and half an hour from there, I'll be at Burnley Allnighter. The journey home will be nice and warm and I've got a holder for a coffee and a stereo full of tunes.                                                                           What's your most memorable/horrific/life changing/tedious journey to a Soul event? Whatever it was, I'm guessing it was one of the nights of your life. 

that made me laugh......the money you had for a cup of tea spent on records    ..........if it was now tea would be about £2oo-£1000  

[Guest gordon russell]

Distance is never an issue for us lot......always had to travel since the 70's......is does irk me sometimes when northern folk who only live up the road can,t be bothered...............always said   if the quality is there   it,s worth the travel.......the car journey is part of it    

[Emjaygee]

I remember one trip to Stafford from Gloucester with my then girlfriend before I had a car. It was the well reknown snow all nighter when it was fine when we all went in and arctic tundra when we came out. Football in the car park etc. When the trains finally started running it was well into the afternoon and when we finally got on a train we both fell asleep. Waking up as we pulled into Bristol. So we jumped off and waited for ages for a train going back the other way. Finally got home about 12 hours after the nighter ended.

Another classic trip was when the marks brothers went to a soul night in Cheltenham area. We were chatting to Brian Rae who was DJing at a nighter in the midlands somewhere but had drunk too much. So we drove him there so he could meet his obligation, but had no way home. So we walked and hitched from motorway services to motorway junction all the next day. Finally getting to a local motorway junction and walking back to his place about 5 miles. Finally getting there again about 12 hours after the nighter finished. We got into some trouble.

[Mal C]

I remember I did allot of walking when I was younger, I'd do the buses, trains etc, but because of the hours I'd get in I'd generally have to walk up to 5 miles home from the nearest town to my fathers, on top of beer, dancing and a long journey already, those 5 miles really used to get me especially as two miles of it was over a fly over and duel carriageway,  no footpaths...

 

Remember do's in and around Wolverhampton were always hard without a lift, as it was up to an hour just to get into Moor Street (B'Ham) from ours, across to New Street and out..If I had work (I was a chef back then), it really was fun, as that was between B'Ham and Cov, god awful place to get to for 6am,  really fun trying to cook breakfast for 300, off your head!!

 

I Love my Car...

 

Malcolm

Edited January 17, 2014 by Mal C

[kevinsoulman]

ME AND MY BESSIE OPPO RITCHIE DECIDED TO THUMB IT FROM POMPEY TO YATE AROUND 78 GOT AS FAR AS THE M4 THEN NO LIFTS FORTHCOMING ENDED UP WALKING INTO SWINDON FROM THE M4 THEN GETTING A TAXI,

GETTING ON FOR MIDNIGHT THEN ,BRILLIANT NIGHT ONLY TIME I WENT THERE ,

NEXT MORNING WALKED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE M4 FROM YATE HAD A FEW BEERS IN A PUB THEN THUMBED IT AGAIN AND GOT LUCKY, LIFT ALL THE WAY BACK TO POMPEY ,THOSE WERE THE DAYS YOUNG AND IMPETUOUS.

KEV

Edited January 17, 2014 by kevinsoulman

[Labeat]

As a young apprentice in the early 70's our steel wagons used to deliver to Stoke,

of course that's when the Torch kicked off! Well, me and a mate cadged a lift

(Major Lance by the way), when we got out the wagon our clothes were filthy,

we had only the clothes we stood up in.... young&daft in those days.

Needless to say, Major was brill

[Guest gordon russell]

I wouldn't go as far as my back garden nowadays

that shows in what you post (musically in a time warp lol).....things have moved on plus going out is fun mate

[KevH]

Distance is never an issue for us lot......always had to travel since the 70's......is does irk me sometimes when northern folk who only live up the road can,t be bothered...............always said   if the quality is there   it,s worth the travel.......the car journey is part of it    

 

Sometimes i get a lift to a venue,then palmed off onto another lift on the way back............... 

[ZootSuit]

Between 1968 and 1974 us Luton Soulies.......Smelly George, Chiefy, Soulcarp (who worked in Luton at the time)John Harris, Dougie Howlett, Rocco, Noreen and Efna, Neil Cowlie, and a few others used to travel up North EVERY week to either the

Torch, Blackpool Mecca,Catacombs(Wolverhampton, in fact we used to go over to the Torch after the Cats, usually arriving some time after midnight),Casino etc etc, OK, we had transport but I don't think I ever got home till 22.00 on a Sunday night,having to hold my strides up as I'd usuially lost a fair bit of weight weight (gear and dancing used to have that effect).

Can remember walking from Harbourgh to the M1 on a few occasions !!!

Edited January 24, 2014 by ZootSuit

[Steve S 60]

As a young apprentice in the early 70's our steel wagons used to deliver to Stoke,

of course that's when the Torch kicked off! Well, me and a mate cadged a lift

(Major Lance by the way), when we got out the wagon our clothes were filthy,

we had only the clothes we stood up in.... young&daft in those days.

Needless to say, Major was brill

 

Can't believe your mate Major Lance had to cadge a lift to Stoke.

[Guest]

I've been told someone's coming back from Australia to go to the Oddfellows reunion ?

[Pete S]

that shows in what you post (musically in a time warp lol).....things have moved on plus going out is fun mate

 

No need to change something that isn't broken...

[Guest gordon russell]

Sometimes i get a lift to a venue,then palmed off onto another lift on the way back............... 

try given em some petrol money......only joking......mind you who'd be daft enough to give you a lift  

[Guest gordon russell]

No need to change something that isn't broken...

Agreed!.......mind you knowing what l do now.........it wern,t quite right back then  (musically)

[Pete S]

Agreed!.......mind you knowing what l do now.........it wern,t quite right back then  (musically)

 

Having been into the music for over 40 years I can look back and seriously say that the only stuff I don't or didn't like was Modern Soul and Crossover (late 70's onwards, I liked the 74-77 new releases), that leaves me with up to 100,000 tracks I can and have enjoyed, it's always gone through phases, if you think now is the best then that's great but I can assure you I do listen to newies whenever prompted and I've not heard anything in a long time that compares to the stuff you say I should have left behind.  Is this really the most magical period?

[Guest gordon russell]

Having been into the music for over 40 years I can look back and seriously say that the only stuff I don't or didn't like was Modern Soul and Crossover (late 70's onwards, I liked the 74-77 new releases), that leaves me with up to 100,000 tracks I can and have enjoyed, it's always gone through phases, if you think now is the best then that's great but I can assure you I do listen to newies whenever prompted and I've not heard anything in a long time that compares to the stuff you say I should have left behind.  Is this really the most magical period?

not talking necsessarily about newies.......just different vibe...but thats another story..........also as has been said just listening to a tune at home ect is not and never will be the same........except of course  modern and crossover  which generally was mean,t to be played at home

[Labeat]

Can't believe your mate Major Lance had to cadge a lift to Stoke.

Right, that's it, will scrutinise your every word now.... ha ha

[Labeat]

Pete S. Honestly pal,try and get to the current venues (I know circumstances prevail)

Some of the rare stuff being found/played at various venues is so good and refreshing.

Even if you attended every so often I'm sure your opinions would change.

Like Gordon says listening to them out has a far greater impression

[Frankie Crocker]

Living in rural Wales, without a car, with friends who didn't have a love of Soul, meant getting to events.....One regular journey was to The Carlton in Morecambe. Two mile walk into town (The village I lived in only had two buses, one out at 7.30am and one in at 5.30pm), then bus from town to Rhyl. Train from Rhyl to Chester, change at Chester for Warrington. Warrington to Preston, change for Morecambe. Around 5/6hrs in all. Coming back though...(remember, it's Sunday in the 1980's) Bus from Morecambe to Lancaster. Arrive Lancaster 9am, no train to Preston until 1pm, no bus til 11am. Lancaster to Preston (usually bus) then the same journey reversed with longer waits for changes of train/bus, but hopefully a lift from town to home....Another to Queens Hall, Bradford. Walk to town/Bus to Rhyl/Train Chester/Train Warrington/Walk from one side of Warrington to the other/Bus to Culcheth/Lift to Bradford. Then the same thing back the next day with Sunday hours thrown in.                                                                                                                  

Good idea for a thread. I might have been on the train from Bangor via Llandudno Junction (hi Mike), Chester, Warrington Bank Quay then Wigan North Western - took half a day there and longer to get back on a Sunday. Did the Swansea, Cardiff, Crewe and Wigan journey a couple of times one summer, hooking up with Gloucester crew to break trip at Birmingham Locarno. At all the interchange stations there were soulies playing live cassette tapes nice and loud so you were up for it even when a 100 miles from Wigan. Best regular journey was the last train from Manchester Victoria to Wigan, all carriages packed with maybe 200 plus soulies in trenchcoats, often with two or three cassette players blairing away - possibly scope for a thread on this topic ...

[Geeselad]

national express from london to, bradford or blackburn was a regular grueller, it stopped at nelson, colne and god knows where else and took forever. 

[Guest turntableterra]

from newcastle to australia for a soul weekender 1999, 2000,2001, 2002, 2003, 2004. but in england probably would be aberdeen to preston grasshoppers, always a great soul night there. but its not unusual for us to travel 3000km to a do........................................ my mate kev hughes and i once did newcastle soul night, carlisle soul night and blackburn allnighter in one night.

Edited January 25, 2014 by turntableterra

[Guest]

Public transport n travelling from Aberdeen didn't mix,Burnley niter 6hrs down nothing wrong wi that,the return leg,an effing endurance test!!five different trains and home 15hours later,missed last bus home, two hour walk home,left Burnley 8am home 1am.!! Agree with the comment bout windswept train platforms in depths o winter, bloody horrendous.but a lot of us across the country did the same week in week out,hats off too all who have similar tales of hell, isalute you:-P

[Ian Parker]

I've been told someone's coming back from Australia to go to the Oddfellows reunion ?

I have a good mate, (ex Grantham lad) who sadly cant make it. Would be interested to know who is comin over.

[Ian Parker]

 Wigan back to grantham.....  Via train and coach ( train broke down) - 9 hours 

 

  Thankfully i only did that the once

[Guest]

Reiterate what big h said,12 to 14 hours home to Aberdeen not uncommon,17 hours too get back from Burnley was my own worst experience.with a crushing comedown.wanted too bloody cry!!haha

[Orotava]

If it meant that I could go to just one more WC Allnighter from the mid 70s then I would drive all day...

Edited February 22, 2014 by Orotava