The Travel Picture

An East Midlands road movie: clocking up the miles with the Co-op through three counties.

With every spare inch of his travelling hardware van packed with useful items Ken Hollingsworth takes to the road from the Long Eaton Co-operative store following a circular route through South Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. Film maker J.H. Poyser takes the journey in the passenger seat capturing rural lanes teaming with more cows than traffic and an eager public ready to buy everything from chimney brushes to clothes airers.

J.H. Poyser filmed a series of promotionial and educational films for the Long Eaton Co-operative Society. A helpful map traces the route taken by the hardware van from Long Eaton via Castle Donington, Diseworth, Long Whatton, Sutton Bonnington, West Leake, Kingston on Soar, East Leake, Gotham, Barton in Fabis, Thrumpton, Ratcliffe on Soar, Kegworth, Lockington, Hemington and back over the River Trent to Long Eaton. This is an area that has drastically altered over the years as a result of new road building, including the A453 Nottingham to Kegworth road and the route of the M1 motorway.