Author Topic: Red Garages  (Read 27755 times)

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Offline DaveR

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Red Garages
« on: September 08, 2010, 08:25:27 am »
I had an email from Jackie asking where the Red Garages thread had gone, so I've tried to reassemble it here.

An old photo of staff at Red Garages c1950. Recognise anyone?

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Left to right, I think its Jock then ken, I think, as I remember the two guys who also worked the pumps. Ken I think his name is, lives at the back of Asda I think, and Jock definitely passed away if it is him. I was only little when they were about, but I remember Jock would always wave, wink, and put a thumbs up, cheerful couple of chaps.

I used to love seeing what was in the red garages showroom, I have seen Formula One cars, championship rally cars, film cars, and even a Red Arrow plane at one time.
Gerald
« Last Edit: September 08, 2010, 08:48:50 am by DaveR »

Offline DaveR

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2010, 08:30:52 am »
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Whereabouts was Red Garages? I remember the name but not where they were. My dad always used Jubilee Garage.
Chris

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Where Kwik-Fit is now, the showroom for the cars was on the main corner of the street where finneys is now.
Gerald

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Oh yes! Of course! I do remember now. Thanks.
Chris

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Anyone remember the kiosk next to red garages cant recall the name but it seemed to sell everything the shop was so small you could just about turn around.
Pobo

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I thought Red Garages was across from the BT Exchange/old Social Security Place and next to the Army Training Headquarters?
Craig

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Red garage was on the the front were finneys and the garages down to the drill hall was used by royal red and creams coaches i think
. Pobo

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Red Garages was where Kwik-Fit is and carried on around the corner to where the drill hall was for the T.A s.
They also kept some cars on the land where Finneys is now,but set back a bit off the road.One entrance into the where the cars where parked ,was next to the little kiosk, already mentioned
. Dave Hinton

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What was it called, Dave, so you can put one or two of us out of our misery?
Bri Roberts

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Wasnt it just called the kiosk.
Pobo

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It was just called 'The Kiosk' but my dad always referred to it as "Emrys`s" not sure if it was owned by someone of that name or maybe he worked there
. Gerald

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The name Emrys Owen spings to mind at the Kiosk.
Waffagolf

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the little kiosk next to the post office was emrys jones' kiosk (he was an uncle of mine ) ithink it was always referred to by that name long after it changed hands
Raj


Offline DaveR

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2010, 08:35:31 am »
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Alongside the Kiosk was the Royal Red booking booth. When the booth was open there were always hand-painted boards standing on the pavement outside, advertising various coach excursions to destinations around North Wales.

Royal red coaches were taken over by creams tours who in turn were taken over by Alpine coaches who were still running some of the old creams coaches for several years after. Alpine also have one of the original guy chieftan buses used by llandudno district council on the great orme scenic tours.

The vintage bus that Alpine operates is a Leyland Tiger Cub. The only Guy's that the UDC ran were Wolf's and Otter's.

Sorry i stand corrected the tiger cub is the one they still use on the tours the guy they keep for special hire and for shows and it may well be a wolf but im sure it has the chieftan head radiator mount on it.

The Red Indian Chieftain's head was the logo of Guy Motors and had their motto 'Feathers in our cap' inscribed across the headband. It was fitted above the grille on their lorries and buses.
Do you remember when 'Creams' used to be parked alongside the Odeon/Astra on the Deganwy Ave side? The booking office was around the corner on the Gloddaeth St side. The Brierley family started the business.

I remember doing a get in for wno at the astra on a very windy day and having to struggle around coaches with huge scenery flats it was the one venue i hated.
?

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Did you have to take the scenery up that huge concrete ramp on the side of the building?
Trojan

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They used to try to get the trucks to the bottom of the ramp and drop the tailgate onto the ramp.
Pobo

Offline DaveR

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2010, 08:36:17 am »
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HI...YES THE GUY WITH THE GLASSES ON THE FAR LEFT AS YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE IS MY UNCLE( now passed way)....HARRY WILLIAMS..HE LIVED IN DINNAS ROAD.HE WAS THE MECHANIC INCHARGE IF I REMEMBER AND WAS AT THE RED GARAGE IN WEST SHORE. HIS SISTER WAS CALLED BEAUTY..WHO WAS MARRIED TO JIM GAWLEY...WHO OWNED THE OLD LLANDUDNO GLASS COMPANY.. THAT WAS OVER IN DUFFRYN ROAD. HIS BROTHER WAS EMRYS WILLIAMS..WHO WAS A POSTMAN IN THE TOWN..AND WHEN RETIRED WENT AND DID THE BOOK KEEPING FOR OLD MR WAGSTAFF..IN THE SHOP OF THE SAME NAME.
Mike Thomas

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« Last Edit: September 08, 2010, 08:49:14 am by DaveR »

Offline DaveR

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2010, 08:48:07 am »
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The Red Garages opened in 1907 and was originally called the Llandudno Motor and Garage Company Limited. They started with five charabancs which made up their 'luxury' fleet of tour vehicles. In 1911 Mr Frank Wilkes was hired to manage the business, and he was there until his death in 1958.
Trojan

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Offline DaveR

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2010, 09:20:29 am »
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Hi trojan, did another 'wilkes' take over from Frank? I worked in Red Garages and then years later when it was Peugot garage, I,m sure I worked with a mr Wilkes, same time as colin mack, you have a better memory than me, thanks Karen
Karen-Derek

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I think it was G A F Wilkes (Known as Geoff) who followed.
Alphaline

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Possibly Frank Wilke's son?
Trojan

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Interesting website all about Royal Red, with lots of photos:
http://www.welsh-transport-heritage.co.uk/royalredllandudno.htm
DaveR

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I remember seeing the showrooms full of brand new Hillmans, Humbers and Sunbeams. I saw the brand new Sunbeam Rapier on display in late 1955 - it was Honey Beige and Pearl Grey, and next to it was a new Humber Hawk Estate in Silver Gun metallic. My uncle was a commercial traveller in those days, living in Roumania Crescent, and he had a Humber Hawk saloon.We stopped off to see these new cars. He described the Rapier as 'fussy', but I loved it! Still do!! There are now only five roadworthy examples of this early car known to the Club.

Besides being a Rootes Group enthusiast I have a small collection of Llandudno-related books, one of which is a book of coach tours published by Red Garages for the 1915 season. Named the 'All-Red' route it's a handbook of coach tours with details for visitors. The longest tour was well over 100 miles through Snowdonia...all these on rough roads with solid tyres and a canvas roofed charabanc! They bred 'em tough in those days. If anyone requires any information from this book please contact me
Son of Eirion

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My Uncle drove a Singer Chamois originally from Red Garages in the late 60's. I remember Red's being a Chrysler garage as they took over Rootes ('63 - '76), then it became Talbot.
My favorite Humber was the Super Snipe - a big car by British standards.
I always remember seeing the estate version of the Hillman Imp in the showroom - the Husky.
Trojan

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Hi Mike

I think I may be related to you!! Although I can;t see the picture, the Harry you describe sounds like my grandfather !! One of his sisters was called Beatty ~(also known as Jackie like me) her and Jim's son was Don. My dad was Brian Williams, married to Maureen, also from Dinas Road. I'm trying to get together a family tree so it would be great to hear from you as it's proving a bit difficult to put together pop's history

Take care
Jackie
Jackie

Offline Michael

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2010, 10:09:32 pm »
Dave, you say that Royal Red was taken over by Creams. Well you are quite correct that both companies ended up as part of Alpine, but I doubt very much if Creams ever took Reds over. If they did, it must have been for only a couple of weeks. Reds had got into such a state that no one would have taken them over, apart from the name which at one time in the distant past was very respected. Mike

Offline DaveR

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2010, 10:18:47 pm »
Thanks for the info, Mike. How did Reds get in such a state?

Offline Michael

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2010, 08:27:01 pm »
Now, thats a question which I am pretty sure I could answer----but on a public forum for anyone and everyone to read,--- that might be a bit dodgy. However, I will, in a vague sort of way, say what I THINK, and no doubt others ma
y think differently.  Reds was a very old firm going back to at least the 1920's. Respectable, conservative ( not politically, but you will get the gist) not subject to follow fashions.  Really a bit similar to Rootes which Red was a part of.  Jump forward sixty years, put in a new boss, born into the ruling family, Manchester business school educated, lots of business theories.  Business times were hard, very competitive, times had changed, the old gentlemens business world had long gone, and decisions were made which might, just possibly, been o.k.in theory, but in practice ???  It takes years and years to build up a solid business, but not long to destroy it.  Mike

Offline DaveR

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2010, 08:47:06 pm »
Thanks, Mike, always a shame when an old established business like that goes down the pan...  :(

Offline DaveR

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #10 on: September 12, 2010, 08:50:54 pm »
Red Garages - Then:
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Red Garages - Now:
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #11 on: September 17, 2010, 10:17:24 pm »
Corner of Conway Road & Vaughan Street - the Royal Red Coaches Booking Office, with a glimpse of the Red Garages Peugeot showroom at far left:

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Offline Trojan

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #12 on: September 18, 2010, 01:37:35 am »
There's also The Kiosk newsagents, tucked away in the corner in-between the booking office & the Post Office.

Offline plas penmon

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #13 on: January 28, 2012, 09:50:51 pm »
Great picture together with all the gen from Reds. I remember the Kiosk, really small sweet shop and I remember a very jolly man who used to put the petrol in the car in Reds.(I think he was quite 'round'!)

Offline Bri Roberts

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Re: Red Garages
« Reply #14 on: January 29, 2012, 10:23:27 am »
That sounds before Ken 'pumps' then.