One example is July of 1870, almost the entire factory of the Great Western Railway’s carriage and locomotive works set off on their hols on the same day. Nearly 6,000 of them left Swindon station for their various destinations.
Some headed for the bright lights of London, some for the bustling city of Bristol, a few even ventured to Swansea.
An unlucky few were left behind at the works to keep things ticking over at the factory.
That week nigh on 1,500 men, women and children swarmed into Weymouth on the special trains that were run to carry them.