founded 1911

The Swiss Tour  - 1935:

by W.J Skinner.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

The tour to Switzerland that lad boon talked about for some lime had now become a reality, and to those who took part in it, there will be an unforgettable memory impressed on their minds. .What we sat, What we heard, and the way we were received and treated was so grand, that It almost seems like a dream when we think about It, 1 to got suppose tiers was on* of the party who look part in the tour, that bat tot read, or had been told during. his school days the story of 'William Tell* and the country he was so proud of.

Ills to some of the party, was looking back over 50 years, and yet all were to *nor as a lot of ~ school-boys to #to that country and Its associations, that they had so often read about, low It bat be** made possible by thin tour, to go and see this country and Its people. lot only from the historical point of view, and the pleasure aid* of the tour, but we were going to see 01* Of the foremost nations12 the world in electrical, and of course in tie clock and watch making.

They have shown the world, by their engineering feasts in making use of the natural water supplies, in harnessing tic water, and tits using It by assist It through turbines gad generating clectrietty.bott tor light and power purposed, they do sot feel tie lack of coal. U* whole of the railways are worked by It& trams, and the works ail over the country are using this power. fie cleanliness of everything, buildings, houses et#. as well as the *bolt country has to he seen, to fully realise what Is achieved by doing away with smoke and grime from the use of coal

the party of 100 act at Victoria Station at 4.0pm on Sunday May, 26. to commence their journey to Switerland and with a good  e send off from our friends, we left at 4.30.pm.for Folkestone and arrived there at 6.15pm. W* & were soon on tie boat, and at 6.55 we loft togs for Boulogne on the S.S. Casterbury.

 The sea was a bit choppy, but we had a good croming, and arrived lit Boulogne at 8.10.pm and were moo on the train, and loft there pawed through places that bat been impressed on our  alad~miuwrtot the great war. Amiens Laon. and arrived at Belport  at 4.35. an. It hat been raining twas dark most of tie way, god most Of tic party bat been trying to act a little sleep

After a short stay, we *or* soon away again, and after another good run, arrived at Basle at 5.56 am, right on time. Here it was beautiful sunschine, and the town and the country looked very nice and clean, and everything looked fteokll paint*& Basle to a very important juaction, trains meeting ant going to all parts of Europe Here c* changed from the steam engine to Electric and after having bad time for a cup of coffee and a refreshment we wore zoos on the move at&,&"

During the journey from Paris to Basel we had a practical demonstration of the communication chain being pulled, with the brake whistle sounding the train was brought to a stand.

We passed through a long tunnel soon after leaving Basle, 5 miles long, taking some 9 minutes to get through.   Soon after we stopped at Oulton, but in a few minutes we were away again.

As it was now daylight we were able to see the beautiful country as we passed through it.  We had also left the steam engine at Basle so there was neither steam nor smoke to obstruct the view.  The electric engine was very quick at getting up speed and we were often touching over 60 MPH.

The valleys were very flat in some places and every bit of land seemed to be cultivated.  The slopes of the mountains were well wooded and every now and then we got a view of the snow-capped peaks looking very pretty as a background for the valleys.

The houses we passed were nearly all standing in their own grounds looking clean and fresh, as if they had just been painted.  A good many were built of wood, with a brick foundation and the usual veranda running right round the house.  We also noted that most of the houses had a good stack of wood piled up close to the house, ready for the winter fuel supply.

Electric wires and pylons were seen all over the place and some of the large railway yards seemed a maze of wires.   We also saw a view steam shunting engines in some of the depots.

All the main line express trains are worked by electric engines which are very powerful, weigh 120 tons and have 8 wheels geared.

Some of the electric engines look very peculiar when moving and at first glance you think the wheels are skidding and the side-rods on the coupled wheels seem stationary.  What is actually taking place is this: the framing over the wheels is so built that you cannot see the wheels and framing is coupled together and this part looks like the side-rod coupled onto the wheels, so giving the optical illusion.  Two men are present on the footplate of the express trains, but only one on shunting locomotives and less important trains.

It was also very noticeable how nice the discipline was amongst the railwaymen.  The porters, shunters all seemed appreciative of their own job and got on with it.  The uniforms of the staff were smart, the porters and platelayers wearing long dungaree smocks.

To some extent the scenery reminds one of the West Highlands of Scotland, but the mountains are higher and more snow is seen.

We arrived at Lucerne at 8.33 am.  Everybody was feeling very much in need of a wash and brush up and was getting hungry as well.  We were soon on our way to our respective hotels, our party going to the Hotel Cecil were we arrived at 9.0 am.

Here breakfast was soon served and soon after that was over we were taken around the city by a guide to see the places of interest including specimens of 15th Century buildings and the famous sleeping Lion of Lucerne.  This is a piece of sculpture carved in a big rock over an ornamental pond in memory of fallen Swiss Soldiers in an early war.  It was a wonderful bit of rock sculpture and is in very good condition.

We were then shown some fine specimens of old buildings.  Then we were taken to the Chapel Bridge, this is a lovely old bridge crossing the River Reuss.  It was built in 1333 as part of the City’s fortifications.  On the roof of the bridge are some beautiful paintings by the Swiss artist, H. Wegman in 1611 representing stirring needs of men of the Swiss Federation and the martyrdom of St. Leger and St. Maurice, Patron Saints of Lucerne.

The water tower close to the bridge was once used as a torture chamber, but it is now put to better use as the location of the town’s archives.  The station buildings are on a very grand scale and the approach very fine with view of Mount Pilatus forming the background of the view.

The chestnut avenues of the shores of the lake are also very fine.  They are kept well trimmed and it is lovely walking along the shore under these chestnut trees in the cool of the evening.

Lake Lucerne is 28miles long and 4 to 5 miles wide in places.  There is fine fleet of steamers and plenty of small craft on the lake.

After lunch, the party met at 2.30om and were taken for a trip on Lake Lucerne.  The steamer was a paddle boat, about the same size as a Loch Lomand steamer, very clean and smart in appearance.   We had a very good trip, and saw some beautiful scenery from the boat including the Tell’s Chapel, the Schiller stone in memory of the famous dramatist from Horsham, the wonderful Elevator and the aerial railway and the town of Vitynau looking towards the snow capped Gersanerstock Mountain.

We arrived back at the pier at 6.00pm, having being some five and a half hours on the lake – giving you some idea of the size of Lake Lucerne.  The lake is 1400 feet above sea-level and the mountains around range between 4,000 and 5,000 feet.  The plants on the shores of the lake seem almost tropical, however the peaks beyond are covered in snow.

After dinner we were invited to Kursal where a British programme had been arranged in honour of our visit to Lucerne.  The Union Flag was hung in a prominent position and the concert was opened by singing God save the King.