This set of photographs shows a variety of transport options available to Swalecliffe and other local residents.
East Kent Road Car Company (Buses and Coaches)
The East Kent Road Car Company Ltd existed from 1916 operating bus and coach services in East Kent until it was acquired by Stagecoach in 1993. The number 5 service, which continues to run today, runs from Canterbury through Chestfield and Swalecliffe to Seasalter.
In the first photograph is of EFN575, a Dennis Lancet III coach built in May 1950 and withdrawn from service in December 1964. It was one of only 25 coaches of this type delivered to the East Kent Road Car Company. The bus is parked outside The Plough Inn in St Johns Road, Swalecliffe. The second bus, a double decker, GFN 933, was built in 1953 and was one of the 190 Guy Arab IV buses operated by the East Kent Road Car Company. The double decker bus is shown in The Broadway, Swalecliffe.
Air Transport
The aircraft pictured, on 28 June 1934 at Swalecliffe Aerodrome, was part of Sir Alan Cobham's series of flying tours of the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa which became affectionately known as ‘Sir Alan Cobham’s Flying Circus’; several decades earlier than that of Monty Python! These tours promoted aviation to the public and were a source of inspiration for countless pilots in the Second World War. Alan Cobham was a pioneering long distance aviator and technical innovator who became famous for his exploits in the interwar years by making aviation accessible and popular throughout the world.
The 'Flying Circus' was also at Swalecliffe Aerodrome on the 3 August 1935 having made an earlier appearance at Whitstable on 22 July 1933.
He learnt to fly while in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War and later went on to set many long distance aviation records. These include becoming the first person to fly from London to Cape Town and back in 1926 for which he received the Air Force Cross, and in the same year to be the first person to fly from London to Australia and back, for which he was knighted by King George V.