We’re all going on a summer holiday..."Where are we going? To the airport, kids. Not, to the airport and then to somewhere else. Just: to the airport. Because in those days the airport was a holiday. A treat. An adventure. When you got on to the plane, you were treated like royalty "would you like a sweet to stop your ears from popping on take-off, madam?" and to get to the plane, you were put on this cute little train so that you felt you were on holidays already.
(In the interests of balance we should point out that in those days, an airline ticket – to anywhere – cost a king's ransom. So the royalty treatment was, actually, spot on.)
Still, coming across this wonderful image in the archive transported us instantly to the land of nostalgia. The caption says: "The Dublin Airport 'train' was kept busy yesterday taking visitors, particularly the children, around points of interest."
Given the decorative theme of elephants and chickens and giraffes, not to mention the jolly candy-striped roof, the "Airport Express" was clearly aimed at clients of a youthful persuasion. In our picture, however, the on-board adults appear to be having an absolute ball.
One lady has really got into the holiday spirit by putting a flowerpot on her head. And look at the chap at the back he's so delighted with the whole thing he might take flight at any minute, without the aid of any aeronautical equipment at all.
The kids appear to be a little more sceptical. Indeed, despite the restraining hand of an adult on his arm, the child in the bobble hat may well be saying: "Stop this train: I want to get off".
Which is how many of us feel nowadays, when being shunted around airport security - though not in Dublin airport which (compared to many we could name but won't: Charles de Gaulle, you know who you are) is thankfully pretty civilised. Though not, alas, this much fun.