Lewis Coaches

Covered End

For the benefit of @Lewis Coaches, on here. I saw a decent looking WHITE Lewis coach today.

First Lewis coach I've seen for donkeys years. I thought they'd disappeared.

(boring I know, but the older guys will know what I'm on about).

Any Lewis coach stories ?

superchrissypowell

Fuck my life

Lewis Coaches

Never boring good days of travel,must write about it sometime.It,s your shout Eddie pint of bitter please.

Baldybonce

In the 70's usually 3 coaches went to away games. Usually 1 would break down.
A bloke called Tom always needed the toilet 10 minutes after we'd left somewhere.
Being chased at Pompey and jumping onto the moving coach, 5 seconds later a brick came through the back window.

CyrilDavies

And someone holding a piece of hose together, in the middle of the coach, to make sure we could get home from Plymouth?...
Carlisle away, stop of Blackpool for lat night of lights .Home for breakfast Sunday. Believe we left Friday night for that one.

CyrilDavies

Sorry last night of lights.

Addickted

Lewis Coaches said:

Never boring good days of travel,must write about it sometime.It,s your shout Eddie pint of bitter please.

To be honest, I'm surprised you can remember most of them.

E_cafc

Plenty of brilliant days out on Lewis coaches. First trip outside London for me on Lewis was the 5.5 draw at Eastville. Next a 3.0 win at Oldham in the snow when we didn't even know if the game was on when we arrived there and had to stand on the side terrace next to the players tunnel as the open away end was closed because of snow. Was I glad I wore a thick parka with a hood on it that day.

Remember the convoy of coaches going up to Ipswich in the FA Cup 5th Round and also when we went down to Plymouth in an earlier round of the cup when one of the windows fell out of the coach on the way there. Bloody freezing inside that coach. We had to go to a pub after the game and wait for the coach to get repaired and come back for us. Didn't mind too much as we had come from a goal down to win 2.1 after a brilliant performance in goal from Nicky Johns in the first half and then goals from Colin Powell(straight from a corner) and a classy Derek Hales header from a pinpoint Paul Walsh cross won it for us.

Just realised I could go on forever about the days out on the Lewis coaches so I will end it there and let others chip in here with their memories. There was always a buzz about away games then and the memories of having a good old sing song on the coaches especially after an away win were brilliant.

Many, many great days out with great people. Don't regret a second of any of it.

Baldybonce

That was meant to be a like instead of a lol but my rather large son just jumped on me.

Baldybonce

Yes, loads of memories.
Like asking my dad when crossing the Liffy into Cardiff why they put their cars in the river.

Hastingsaddick

Only went by coach when I was a school boy, remember it was the 'lads' who went on the Lewis coaches I went on the supporters club coaches mainly older fans on those. Left school at 16 and haven't been on a coach since (to see Charlton) being an Addick I much preffered to go away by train.

Acab

First experienced Lewis's for my first away game out of London Easter Monday 0-0 draw at Birmingham 68/69. Remember Chris Slattery falling of the coach while going round a roundabout entering Brum. Next season used lewis's for the away game at Huddersfield. 0-4 Chris again in the limelight holding off all the cowshed on his own. Next on to Bolton, surprise surprise 0-4 Charlie let one through his legs and then we got chased back to the one and only coach just in time to see the side window disappear due to a hail of rocks.
For a thirteen year old i didnt know at the time but these experiences would put me in good stead for the years to come following (never a dull moment) Charlton.

I remember the old Woolwich office opposite the Equitable building as well as the Greenwich one. Great chalk adverts for forthcoming matches, expertly drawn.

Oggy Red

Good memories of 'Big Ed'..... Eddie Cecil, our regular coach driver and Chris Slattery on the return trip taking the mike, "I'm your 'appy courier" before reading out some of the football results coming through on someone's transistor radio.

And Les Turner leading the singing at the back of the coach.
Les knew all the words to each and every Charlton song.

We'd stop at the motorway service station and have a half hour kickabout match in the car park.
LAC Rovers was formed as a result.

Happy Days.
Seems a long time ago now.

floydroadfaithfull

The Hastings ramblers deff need a face-lift or at least a clean

RaplhMilne

Remember a blackboard being outside the office in Woolwich (general Gordon Square) and in Greenwich, that used to advertise the away trips. You would go in the office and pay and get a hand written ticket from a book, with the old carbon paper copy.

WrightCharlie

Warren Lane la, la, la, Warren Lane la, la, la.

Thank God we're back, now we can get 'ome!!

Crusty54

They've just bought two double deck buses (06 plates)

addick05

Can't really comment on Lewis coaches -although I have heard some great stories. We used Redwing for most of the Junior Reds away trips.

cabbles

And now the vessel of choice is the DJ coach.  I started going by coach during the Redwing days in the mid to late 90s.  Had a brief period on the trains for away games in the first season in the prem, before returning to the incubation of the DJ coach.  I now take my position as an irritant, often in the heart of the regulars (I am by no means a regular), badgering John from Larkfield.  

I know a lot of people enjoy the football away days for the booze etc, and there is obviously no booze allowed on the coach, I do find it always a great trip up with some very decent people and I’ve always laughed a lot at the end of the day when we get back to anchor and hope lane.  Might not be everyone’s cup of tea but I’ve got some good memories on those coaches and will always be grateful for them 

DaveMehmet

Had some epic away days on Lewis coaches, used them all the time back in the 80’s.

Booze was allowed and you could even get away with a herbal cigarette if you were careful.

Used to go with @1905 and his mob, including @Steve Dowman

Always had a card school on the go.

The best thing ever though was when they started using coaches with a toilet on board.

No more crossing your legs until you got to the Blue Boar services.

Johnnysummers5

Loved away games with Lewis Coaches, until the booze was banned it was like going on a pub beano

lolwray

Oggy Red said:

Good memories of 'Big Ed'..... Eddie Cecil, our regular coach driver and Chris Slattery on the return trip taking the mike, "I'm your 'appy courier" before reading out some of the football results coming through on someone's transistor radio. And Les Turner leading the singing at the back of the coach. Les knew all the words to each and every Charlton song. We'd stop at the motorway service station and have a half hour kickabout match in the car park. LAC Rovers was formed as a result. Happy Days. Seems a long time ago now.

Some lovely memories..bless em all 

Lewis Coaches

This has to be updated and added to if anybody has photos of the old awaydays off the 1960s or 1970s with Lewis Coaches fill free to share with others please do.
The only photos i have from this time are the passport booth photos when we would stop at the services stations and see how many of us could get onto one photo.

Back seat of coach in my day always sat Maurean born in The Falklands and her husband ,Graham i think.
Betty and Joyce would always be sat with oneanother. 

Do have a photo taken in Exeter about 7 years ago with afew of the guys and girls will have to find it.