Title: Southdown in Austerity
Author: Colin Druce
Publisher: Capital Transport
ISBN: 978-1-85414-437-9
Specification: 280mm x 215mm, 232pp, hardback
Price: £35
The third of Colin Druce’s histories of Southdown Motor Services from Capital Transport takes its title from the sacrifices Britain made in the immediate postwar period, when living standards were curbed by rationing, materials shortages and the need to rebuild damaged and worn-out infrastructure.
The times may have been austere, but the Southdown he describes from 1946 to 1952 upheld its high prewar standards when it could, investing in some fine vehicles, developing new routes and expanding its coach tour offer to include continental European holidays for the better off.
As with Southdown in the 1930s (Reviews, July 2017) and Southdown at War (Reviews, June 2015), he sets the scene with an informative overview, describing the creation of the welfare state, public house building and the birth of new towns, the importance of cinemas and theatres in a pre-television age, harsh winter weather, power cuts, periodic dock strikes, the diversions that were the 1948 London Olympics and 1951 Fest…
