Whilst I cannot comment on the 'whys' and 'wherefores'' of this picture, I never cease to be amazed by the clarity and detail of many of these old pictures. I wonder what camera might have been used.

Further to the above, my memory was jogged, and I remembered a film many many years ago where the late Jack Warner - " Evenin' all " played the part of a railway engine driver. I don't remember the plot but I do remember that in the end he was promoted to Inspector or some such title and the scene faded out where he was proudly wearing his new badge of office. A bowler hat. In the photograph there are four types of hat. The cloth cap. The boater or straw hat. The bowler hat and one gentleman wearing a black Homburg. I wonder whether the particular hats were a badge of the persons' strata in society.

Add to the above. The film referred to was "Train of Events" made in 1949.

Just a suggestion: could the outing have been for customers of Ben Parker, Wine and Spirit Merchants, rather than an actual works outing? (The phrase "couldn't organise a p*ss-up in a brewery" comes unbidden to my mind, although this outing looks undeniably well-organised...)