To Europe For Steam

To Europe For Steam

Does anyone remember this organisation? Used to be run by someone called Bill Alborough and was based in Loughborough - IIRC he was a manager for ICI or similar worldwide company. I was a member for a few years in the late 70’s/early 80’s and went on one trip to Saalfeld in East Germany when it was still behind the wall.

Just wondering how long it carried on for and what happened to the organisation.

Buckeye

 

I travelled with TEFS quite a few times, and found them better organised than some groups in the late 1970's.
I think Bill worked for Fisons chemicals. The last trip I did with them was 1984 to Turkey, but I used them for travel insurance for odd trips to Switzerland and Austria up to 1988.
I did hear that they organised reunions for some years in the 1990's, but with a young family I never really took much notice.

Cheers, Neil

 

Did two tours with TEFS. Poland 1990 and Cuba 1992.

 

I went with TEFS eight or nine times between 1979 (Austro-Hungary) and 1990 (Portugal) including the Easter 1984 Turkey trip. ISTR Bill was still running trips throughout the 90's but on a lower key for his 'regulars' latterly. He had a re-union on the IoM in the late 90's. By and large Bill's trips did "what it said on the box" and a lot of his business was 'repeat trade' so he must have been doing something right. I've attached a couple of photos taken on TEFS trips to Turkey and Sudan.
Ray.

 

I travelled with TEFS many times, starting with East Germany and Poland in 1985 when still behind the Iron Curtain. Other tours included China (twice), Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines (twice), Zimbabwe, Australia and many parts of Europe. After starting as To Europe, it had become To Everywhere For Steam! Bill's tours were always enjoyable and run at a reasonably relaxed pace. The second tour to the Philippines was to be life changing for me, when like quite a few tour participants to that wonderful country (including Bill himself), I fell in love and subsequently married a Filipina!

 

Bill providing the motive power for a run-past at Hawaiian Philippines Sugar Mill in the Philippines.

 

Fantastic photos, Ray.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

 

My Girlfriend and I frequently went on holiday to Germany with National Holidays. 3 or 4 years ago, I got talking to a chap on the coach, and he gave me a Tramway magazine featuring Trams in my hometown of Halifax. It turns out it was Bill. I didn't know his background, other than that he said he had run a travel company. but did some research after we returned home. He was a very pleasant chap to speak with - I think we bored the pants off the "Normals" on the coach with our in-depth Railway conversations!
Here's what I found online anyway...
https://companycheck.co.uk/company/03205143/TEFS-RAILWAY-TOURS-LIMITED/companies-house-data

Richard.

 

Thank you all for the information.

 

So lovely to read all the comments about my father Bill Alborough.
Unfortunately I have to say he passed away overnight.
He loved steam railways all over the world, and I think he has left a lot of people with happy memories of tours that he organised.
Please continue to post your stories.
Thank you

 

Very sad to hear that. My condolences to you and your family.

 

Sorry for your loss, David. Bill was a 'larger than life' character and will be missed.
Ray.

 

Very sad to hear. My sincerest condolences.

 

So sad to hear the news. My condolences to you and your family.
Thanks for all the memories and fantastic trips.

Neil

 

Very sorry to hear that David, your Father was a very interesting and knowledgeable man.
My condolences to you and your family.

Richard.

 

Very sad news. He will be missed. I knew of him for many years but only finally got to meet him when I returned to the UK a few years ago. We used to sit together at the RCTS meetings in Nottingham until lockdown put a stop to them earlier this year. My condolences.
Robin Gibbons

 

Deepest condolences to you and your family David. One abiding memory of your dad was on the Aeroflot flight back from Havana in March 1992. I was sat next to your father and we were talking to a Russian lass. The chap in the seat behind was out of his skull on alcohol but the Russian cabin crew did nothing about it. Eventually the guy got up and made a lunge for the Russian lass. Me and your dad sprung to her defence, got him in a hammer lock and shut him in the loo. Didn't have any more trouble from him after that. Rest easy Bill.

 

David
I was very sad to hear of Bill's passing. Deepest condolences to you and all your family from me and Julie.
Nigel Menzies

 

I've just joined this forum and found the posts about Bill.
The attached photographs maybe of interest to those that knew him. My last trip with him was to the Ji-Tong Railway in China in August 2004 when these photographs were taken.

 

Hi Ray... new member signed up cos I was trying to find out if TEFS were still operating ..sadly not! I noted your comment that you were on Bill's 1990 tour to Portugal, as was I! I was the Kiwi onboard ;-) I'm currently planning 12 days in Portugal in September hence my query... was looking at where we went on that tour in 1990 but I now have more question that answers! Think we used a tour coach between rail travels!?! I had this scribbled down... not sure it was right tho...
1/6/90 London - (Oporto) - Fermentelos
3/6/90 Fermentelos - (Aveiro) - Alberghia a Velha - Fermentelos
4/6/90 Fermentelos - Oporto - Lousado - Fermentelos
5/6/90 Fermentelos - Nine - Viana do Castelo
6/6/90 Viana do Castelo - Valenca - (Darque) - Viana do Castelo
7/6/90 Viana do Castelo - (Oporto) - Regua - Vila Real
8/6/90 Vila Real - (Regua - Mirandela) - Braganca - Mirandela
9/6/90 Mirandela - (Oporto) - London

But I'm sure we did a rail trip to/from Braganca ...just can't remember where exactly we started & finished the rail parts of the tour. Any chance you can fill in the blanks?