Holiday On the Buses

Bus driver Stan Butler (Reg Varney) and his conductor Jack Harper (Bob Grant) eye up a Young Woman (Tara Lynn) waiting at the bus stop outside the garage. The exterior of Stage 5 at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire as seen in 'On the Buses'.

Cyril 'Blakey' Blake (Stephen Lewis), Stan and Jack stand in the pouring rain outside the employment exchange after all three are sacked from the Town & District bus company for causing a devastating crash. Likely to be a studio set.

An establishing shot of the film's 'Holiday Village' where Stan and Jack have found new jobs. Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park in Flintshire, Wales.

Mark Alford captured the building from ground level.

The crane shot continues panning from the previous image.

From ground level, a general shot of the main reception block and entrance road of Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park, Central Beach, Barkby Avenue, Prestatyn. With many thanks to Managers Hayley and Marie for allowing access to the location.

Stan and Jack arrive at the camp.

The camp entrance now by Mark Alford.

After the pair are kitted out with their new uniforms, they walk towards their bus with the Holiday Camp Manager (Henry McGee).

Again from ground level. Remarkably little has changed over the last 40 years!

The Manager sends the two on their first job, collecting holidaymakers from the station.

The same location now at Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park in Prestatyn.

Stan drives the bus towards the main gates.

Andy Barr took this shot of the closed gates at Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park which still retain the same logo.

To Stan's shock, Blakey appears at the gate explaining that he is the new Head of Security at the camp.

It would seem that Robin Wareham's "now" of 6/12/17 was wrong because Gavin shows here that indeed Blakeys guard house hasn't really changed at all. (RL)

Blakey calls to Stan to bring his pen back. Pontins Holiday camp, Prestatyn in North Wales.

This is the Gatekeeper, Phil, who closed the gate for this shot and recalled the role of Blakey. One of the many helpful members of the team at Pontins.

The Head of Security orders his staff to smile. Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park with the swimming pool in the background.

The same location now. Cut and paste http://www.pontins.com/holiday-parks/prestatyn-sands/ for more information about the park.

Blakey parades his staff.

Another lovely sunny day in North Wales.

Jack and Stan find out that Blakey is getting close with the camp Nurse.

Robin captured a quieter moment. (RL)

Stan's sister, Olive Rudge (Anna Karen) appears with more luggage as her husband Arthur (Michael Robbins) struggles to load his motorcycle combination. Kevin Bailey tells us that this is Malden Road, Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, near the studios, which was also seen in 'On the Buses', 'Mutiny On the Buses' 'Home and Away' and 'Love Thy Neighbour'.

Simon Edwards captures this view of numbers 2 and 4 Maldon Road showing that new housing has appeared to the right.

Arthur, Olive, their son Little Arthur and Mum head for the coast. Richard Coghill identifies this stretch of road as the A525 St. Asaph Road between Rhuddlan and St. Asaph in Flintshire.

Richard returned to the location.

As the family near the holiday camp, Stan returns from a tour with the bus. Station Road in Rhuddlan.

Robin found the bridge now occupied by bollards. (RL)

The bus passes the combination at speed. The bridge taking Station Road over the River Clwyd in Rhuddlan.

According to Robin's visit the filming was probably the bridges busiest time. (RL)

Stan sees a car approach as he overtakes, forcing him to cut Arthur up. Station Road in Rhuddlan, Flintshire.

The changes to the balustrade and the addition of bollards to protect the pedestrians is well recorded by Robin. (RL)

As the combination comes to a sudden stop, luggage is thrown into the river below. Station Road bridge, Rhuddlan.

Barely a ripple in Robin's shot. (RL)

Mum (Doris Hare) and Little Arthur (Adam Rhodes) hold on in the sidecar as Arthur and Olive remain astride the bike. Looking north east along Station Road, Rhuddlan in Flintshire until 1974.

Robin records that it would now be very difficult to park a bike there now. (RL)

Olive and Arthur retrieve their suitcases. Under Station Road bridge with Rhuddlan Castle visible through the arch.

A much greener river bank was captured by Robin. (RL)

Stan meets his family at the gate as they finally arrive. Looking towards Barkby Avenue in Prestatyn.

The gateway now by Mark Alford.

Bert Thompson (Wilfrid Brambell) talks with Jack before boarding the bus for a mystery tour.

Taken slightly to the left of the screen capture as greenery has taken over. Looking from outside the Main Reception towards houses on Highbury Avenue in Prestatyn.

The mystery tour gets under way. The now pedestrianised High Street in Rhyl, Flintshire with the corner of Sussex Street to the right.

Andrew Barr provides this up to date shot of the now pedestrianised High Street. (RL)

The bus drives along the sea front. The now demolished Pavilion stands to the left on West Parade, Rhyl, since 1974 part of Denbighshire.

Mark Alford captures the changed scene.

Stan's bus, a Crosville owned open-top Bristol Lodekka, passes another bus on the bridge over the River Clwyd, Wellington Road in Rhyl.

Taken from ground level by Mark Alford.

As the afternoon passes at their destination, Stan worries about missing his date back at the camp. Dyserth Falls, Allt-Y-Graig, Dyserth, Flintshire.

The days of "Du hav' a Dubonnet" have clearly gone according to Robin. (RL)

Jack starts rounding up the passengers as Stan tells his Mum and Arthur to return to the bus.

Robin Wareham could have done with "renta crowd". (RL)

Stan attempts to rush the passengers back on board. Dyserth Falls.

A similar view from Robin revealing little apparent change. (RL)

Blakey and the Nurse (Kate Williams) seem in no hurry to leave.

Robin visits at a quieter time of the year. (RL)

Jack and Stan are ready to depart after loading the bus but realise one person is missing.

According to Robin it would seem that the one person is still missing. (RL)

The last passenger, Olive, appears from the shop laden with sweets and candyfloss.

Travelling to Dyserth Falls, Mark Alford found the location still recognisable.

Jack suggests a short cut to Stan and the return journey gets under way. Here, Richard Coghill explains that we've returned to St. Asaph Road between St Asaph. and Rhuddlan seen earlier.

The background house almost hides from Richard's lens.

The camera pans with the Bristol Lodekka as it heads towards the holiday camp. The A525, St. Asaph Road advises Richard Coghill.

Richard continues to trace the journey.

Swinging off the main road, Stan takes the short cut. The A525, St Asaph Road between St Asaph and Rhuddlan in Flintshire. Richard Marum advises that, as so often with films, the bus is turning off into what is a dead end. (RL)

Richard Coghill found a change of colour for the background property.

Richard Marum provides this additional screen capture and the bus taking the short cut back to the camp, telling us that is just of the A547, on Allt-y-Graig Dyserth in Denbighshire. The bridge carried the Dyserth branch line of the London and North Western railway that closed to passenger trains in 1930 and to through freight services in 1973. (RL)

The bridge now by Mark Alford.

After being taken under a low railway bridge, the open top bus passengers suffer overhanging trees. Neil Rigby locates this as Allt-y-graig on Pandy Lane in Dyserth.

Mark Alford took a drive down memory lane to get this shot.

Another day at the 'Holiday Village' sees families enjoying the boating lake.

Gavin Wright provides the long awaited "now" that reveals the changed leisure pursuit whilst the distinctive buildings remain. (RL)

Blakey is about to be awoken from his nap as a boy creeps up to tie a donkey to his deckchair. Not in North Wales, as previously thought, Richard Coghill identifies this as the backlot at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire with numbers 29 and 27 Whitehouse Avenue in the left background.

Richard ventured into the car park at Tesco to take this comparison.

The two busmen watch as Blakey and the Nurse share a moment together after his injuries are tended to.

Robin shows that the corporate colour is now blue. (RL)

Jack tells Stan that he is also seeing the Nurse.

Just needs Stan and Jack to appear!

Blakey walks through the chalets moments before an explosion in the drains causes further injury.

An accurate shot from Gavin suggesting that the drain was really a prop. (RL)

The Manager has words with Blakey after a fight in the staff canteen.

As Gavin says "Obviously disability access has been added to the entry for the swimming pool." (RL)

Blakey confronts Stan when he believes that has been cavorting with the Nurse.

Mark Alford found the right location where the swimming pool is now obscured and the boating lake has become a go kart track.

After Blakey is caught with the Nurse he is dismissed by the Manager. Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park, Prestatyn.

Steve Shaw once worked at the camp and has been visiting for 40 years and provides this comparison of the same location.

Arthur, Olive and Little Arthur leave the camp at the end of their stay.

Sharp eyed Gavin says "on the left you can still make out the Bungalow with the house with a white gable end behind it and in the foreground on the right the now Victoria public house." (RL)

Olive calls to Arthur to stop when she recognises the bridge where they lost their luggage earlier, causing another loss of suitcases!

Robin captures a similar scene but without the drama. (RL)

Jack gets off the bus after the pair arrive from the station with another load of holidaymakers.

This shot from Robin suggests that perhaps it should now be "Holiday in the cars". (RL)

One evening whilst entertaining two new arrivals, Stan revs the engine while Jack, Doreen (Carolae Donoghue) and Betsy (Annette Long) attempt to push the bus when it begins to sink into sand at the beach near the holiday camp. Barkby Beach off Beach Road, Prestatyn identified by Richard Coghill.

Richard Coghill didn't get stuck in the sand.

When the two return to collect the bus the following morning they find that the tide has come in. Looking across Prestatyn Golf Club towards Marine Road and the Holiday Park. Flintshire, Wales.

Gavin finds that there is rather more grass on the dunes now. (RL)

After losing their jobs at the holiday camp, Stan ends up working on a demolition site. Bob Buchanan recalls reading that this was an old sound stage at Elstree studios. It was being demolished at the time the film was being made and was used for this final scene. Clive Turner believes that it was Stage 5 at MGM Borehamwood.