Hayes Gateway To London

A Memory of Hayes.

What a great picture of Hayes High Street - brings back so many memories. I lived in nearby Coney Hall from 1953 to 1976. As a child it was 3d to get to Hayes Station on the 138 bus. I recall Woolworths (bottom right) had one of those big red weighing machines outside that dispensed a picture card ( a series on steam engines I think) with your weight printed on it.

My mum bought me the first yoghurts I ever sampled from the Express Diary shop on the left going down the street - these came in a jar and were unsweetened so I used to mix in sugar. I can still taste them.

Hayes Station was also the place to get the train to London (Charing Cross) and I can still pretty well list all the stations on the route - West Wickham, Eden Park, Elmers End, Clock House ..OK I won't bore you with the lot.

Great cars in the picture as well .. Morris Minor, Rover, what looks like a Hillman Californian coming up the road, and on the other side a Vauxhall Cresta, Hillman Minx and another Morris.