September 1966
Isle of Wight Times:-
Sept 1st 1966: U.S. MARINES – American Marines will land in Ryde next week. They are the U.S. Marine Corps drill team from the U.S.S. cruiser Newport News which will be in harbour at Portsmouth. The team will take part with the Band of the Commander Striking Fleet Atlantic in a display next Wednesday afternoon at the Eastern Gardens. The 20 musicians and drill team of 25 will arrive in a boat provided by the Portsmouth Port Auxiliary Service. Newport News is the flagship of Vice-Admiral B. A. CLAREY.
Sept 1st 1966: ‘TUBE TRAIN’ – The first of the former London Transport underground coaches to be used in the Isle of Wight electrified service will cross to the Island today. It will be loaded on to a Pickford’s lorry at Fratton Goods Yard and is due at the Broad Street, Portsmouth, slipway at 10.30 a.m. After crossing by ferry to Fishbourne, arriving at 11 a.m., the lorry will be driven to Ryde St. John’s Road, where the coach will be unloaded.
Sept 1st 1966: ROOFTOP RIDE – Heavy traffic was streaming past P.C. Jim CARDWELL, quite a few cars had luggage loaded on their roofs, but one was different. Instead of luggage, there in the rack sat Alan GADD, of London. When the constable enquired (as constables do) why GADD had chosen a rooftop ride, the “live luggage” replied, “I was holding it to the roof because it is broken” and pointed to the rack. The car driver, of London, asked “Does this mean your nicking me?” It did. Both fined £5 by the Bench.
Sept 1st 1966: TRAPPED – Thirty-eight passengers who had boarded the SRN-6 Hovercraft from the Ryde terminal were in mid-Solent when the engine began to make strange noises. A radio message was sent to the terminal for help. Engineers found spare parts were needed. After quite some time it reached Southsea under its own power. The seasick passengers came ashore. “We’re so sorry the people felt ill” said a company spokesman, probably it was nerves as much as sea swell.
Sept 8th 1966: INDUSTRIES FAIR – When the third I.W. Industries Fair is held at Ryde Airport between June 21 and 30 next year, H.R.H. Prince Philip will perform the opening ceremony. The new venture in this fair will be a ship, boat and hovercraft show, plus a special export section.
Sept 8th 1966: PLAZA JUNIOR CLUB – During the Saturday morning film show at the Plaza Junior Club, a competition for the “best dressed batman” was held, with an entry of 20, the winners were: 1 Andrew BURGESS, 2 Garry YULE, 3 Debbie FARLEY (who was dressed as “Super Girl”).
Sept 8th 1966: NANNY – A 22 year-old Ryde girl left this week to take up an appointment as nanny to 18-month-old Victoria SELLERS, daughter of film star Peter SELLERS and his wife Brit EKLAND. She is Miss Carol PARNELL of Arthur Street.
Sept 8th 1966: ‘GHOST TRAIN TEST RUN’ – A passenger train made a 3½ hour trip, stopping at every station between St. John’s and Shanklin but no-one got on or off, although hundreds of spectators would love to have done so. Railways enthusiasts dashed from station to station to watch it go through its paces on a test run. This was the first London Underground “tube train” ever seen on the Island lines.
Sept 8th 1966: GANGWAYS – New mechanically operated gangways at Portsmouth and Ryde have cut the turn round times and the queues for Southern Region’s Isle of Wight ferries. During the peak holiday time has been halved—from 30 to 15 minutes. The twin steel gangways are much wider than the old wooden ones they replace, and are surfaced with a special non-slip material.
Sept 15th 1966: ‘ONE-UPMANSHIP’ – Mayoral “one-upmanship” is on display at Ryde Borough Council chamber. Among the 41 photographs of the town’s former first citizens lining the walls, one effectively steals the limelight. For only Alderman William RAMAGE, the 1964-66 Mayor, is in colour. In a gold coloured frame, his scarlet robes and shining chain of office stand out sharply among the comparatively sombre tones of the other pictures.