MEMBERS of the Astley Bridge Theatre Church are in high spirits before boarding the coach for London’s West End back in 1973.

They were due to perform “Ride! Ride!” at the Westminster Theatre after their premiere was such a big hit.

Members of the enthusiastic cast were pictured as they set off for the capital.

The show celebrated the evangelical career of John Wesley, showing the horrors of London life in the 1730s in head on collision with Methodism and the established church.

There was a celebration marking the 250th anniversary of Wesley’s conversion and the group was set to perform extracts from the show which was directed by Ernest Dawson who was one of the original cast.

This was a big event and a major coup in the life of Bolton Theatre Church.

As we can see from this picture the coach they were travelling on was typical of those used in the 1970s — perhaps you remember the little curtains that used to pull across.