Notts Lad oop North

Was Zaks club opposite Midland Station actually the Bier Keller in the mid 70's? Seem to remember the main singer in the German Oompah band was called Kurt too?

I stand corrected and you absolutely right - on checking my archive I find I have the same pic but in colour. 61131 did work a special in August 66 though hence my confusion. It was a great pity that neither 61131 0r 73 were Colwick locos and the shed did still have some working at the time despite being absorbed into the London Mildand Region. The two special B1s came from somewhere in Yorkshire. Nice clear shot of that tank at Eastleigh too. I think technology will only go improving and I am waiting for software that will convert B/w shots into colour ( dont laugh - it will happen!) I just

More great pics Firbeck and I cannot get enough so if you have more keep em coming. The pic of 61131 is not taken on the last day - it also worked a special in August 1966 taking over from 34002 Salisbury. I have a great shot of 70054 like yours but with the whole train on - absolutely was 1965 and this was the last year of namers in the Vic working the semi-fasts but on this occasion its working empty newspaper vans back to Marylebone. Enjoyed the shot of Colwick - I always got kicked out of there by the Shed foreman but Nottingham shed was always easy to bunk - any pics from there? Sad to

Absolutely superb set of shots on that infamous last day Firbeck - eps enjoyed the Weekday Cross shots and dont recall seeing any before from that side. Its really good you confirmed the last York Bournemouth was hauled by D1572. I have lots of pics taken inside the Vic that day inc a number in colour - will go up onto Photobucket now and see if I can make a slide show work on here ... here goes ...see you later hopefully,

AYUP - Notts Lad here. A potted history follows......... Born in Derby General Hospital in June 1953 - very nearly with a silver spoon in my mouth ( just missed the Coronation!) have spent the rest of my life just missing things too! Lived in Long Eaton for the first year of my life Parents bought a house in the Meadows ( Pyatt St) so moved there next and went to Collygate Infants and Trent Bridge Juniors. At the age of 10 I had to transfer schools when my parents bought a bungalow in Carltion ( Douglas Avenue) Went to Parkdale primary which I loved and passed my 11+ there Next went to

TRENT PONDS & THOSE TUNNELS I have edited Beefys pic to id where I believe the famous tunnel is that Bazzer and myself played in all those years ago - blue arrow points to it. On the other side of the tracks I have tried to mark the water -course. Believe it or not this stream comes in from Netherfield BUT I think it actually comes from Carlton and issues from a sewage/ manhole thing in some woods at the bottom of Douglas Avenue! In pink I have marked where there used to be another much bigger wider tunnel that was half filled with earth in the 1960's . Its much nearer the Trent and look

Ok I am going to try to put an image into this message. Here is a two tone class 47 D1541 working a Bournemouth to York service at Nottingham Victoria and it might even be the final one in 1966. Here goes.. It works bejabbers!!!

As we seem to have a few ex-scholars on here, I have recalled come of my memories of the pleasures of dining at Trent Bridge Junior School in the early 1960's. WHO WOULD LIKE THE SKIN? In my first year at Trent Bridge I noticed something strange about school dinners. They were not cooked on site and usually arrived at about 11.30 in great big steel ( or aluminium) containers. The school hall which doubled as the gym also doubled as the canteen, was set out with tables and chairs. From memory I think there were two sittings. Also strange was seeing odd chairs tipped up against a table - these

Hi Firbeck - you are right - the last York- Bournemouths were 47 hauled having taken over from 37's. I have a colour pic of D1541 in two tone green taken at the Vic - its my late Uncles photo so I am not sure but it may have been the famous last working. I think I have figured out how to add photos so will come back later and try to show you some amazing shots. Really would be good to know if D1541 did work the last service too. Its carrying headcode 1N83 but that was also used by the Bournemouth to Bradfords was it not?

BACK TO TRENT PONDS Hi again Bazzer. My first ever visit to what we called Trent ponds at Colwick/ Netherfield would have been 1965. At that time the ponds were quiet and not being worked indeed you could tell by all the grass and vegetation that they had been left for a fair few years. I recall there was a great big skip thing half sticking out of one lagoon - it looked like a WW2 landing craft and it was the only man made thing visible to show these were gravel pits and not natural ponds. The tunnel with track must have been for taking gravel and sand under the railway lines to Hoveringham

Yes I can confirm the York - Bournemouth and return workings did indeed run until the very end of the Great Central's days - last service was Sept 3rd 1966. I was on the Vic as a 13 year old trainspotter that day and recall the 37 hauling the service south whilst we waited for the last day special to come back. Have lots of photos of the Vic and indeed this last day and when I work out how to add images I will post them!

Agree that modern Pork Farms Pies are crap - not surprising really as they are no longer made in Nottingham. Believe the meat comes from Wiltshire and it just isnt processed the same - it was that blend of spices that made the taste - same as Pork Farm sausages.

Hi Beefsteak - yep you are right - those birds were Terns - we thought they were Arctic Terns but we were no bird experts. And they were nesting there as we saw young - definitely 1965-69 era. At the same time swans were nesting on another island in another lagoon - we got too close a couple of times only to be driven away by a big angry swan! The water level has risen in the big lagoon now so the island is no longer visible. Baz - I recall watching a young bloke "tapping" a phone in a box at the top of Douglas Avenue just in front of the Coop supermarket. We thought he was messing about but

MORE ON TRENT PONDS.. Hiya Baz - yes I can recall the tunnel under the railway with its lines intact. Me and my mates ( mostly the Linekers or Smiths) found this tunnel and we decided to explore by walking on the rails. We could see at first the tunnel was flooded and were terrified of falling off as we were convinced like you that it had to be neck deep in water at least. As you got further in it was pitch dark. Of course the track lead through to the other side of the railway where there used to be be a huge lagoon ( long since filled in) plus the maggot factory and Hoveringhams massive gra

I went to Collygate infants school in the 1950's but attended two infant schools in the Meadows, both very close by each other. I had my first year in a very old building actually in the same grounds as Mundella. For my final two years I moved to more modern buildings close to the library. Now which one was Collygate? I know both were still standing - the first had become a community centre and the second was some kind of store for the council - full of canoes of all things last time I checked - and I hate to admit that was 18 years ago! From the second infants school I went on to Trent Bridg

There was a strange chap in the early 70's who would take three paces forward and then immediately two back... and so on.. Took him ages to get anywhere. Last time I saw him he was heading down London Rd by the canal .... very slowly of course. No this really happened and I am not making it up!

Its not a ferry - its a steam boat taking people on trips down from Trent Bridge to Colwick Hall. These were hugely popular and there was a landing stage at Colwick Hall ( think its long gone) There was also some kind of pleasure park at Colwick Hall too and I think they used to light it up at night with glass lights filled with small candles. Its hard to believe now but there were still steamers offering trips down to Colwick Hall in the early 1960's ( round trip - you didnt get out) plus there were tons of rowing boats for hire. Whats there now? Nowt!

I used to live in Carlton ( Douglas Ave) but we were very near Netherfield and for the best part of 7 years ( 64-71) I used to transit through Netherfield on my way to the dreadful Carlton Le Willows Grammar School. I have a lot of memories of the place and this thread has brought back a few. We used to get the "smells" even in Carlton but the sewage works was the biggest culprit esp in summer. If I recall there was also a company called "Bitterlings" at Stoke Bardolph and it was responsible for the very worst smells. The Maggot factory? Yep I recall that down the track past Hoveringham gravel

If pics of Nottingham Vic float your boat - check this out - and many more where that came from ! http://railway-images.fotopic.net/p38251091.html

I was seriously looking to buy a property in Florida in retirement but it seems it aint that easy - from what I have read you can only stay for a max of 6 months a year so what do you do with the other 6 months? I am too old at 55 to get a job stateside and get a green card so it seems my dream move will not happen forcing me to look at Spain.........

OK in the early 1960's I was living in the Meadows and I recall two sets of bubble gum cards we collected MARS ATTACKS AMERICAN CIVIL WAR Am sure they were American and there was some concern about gorey images eg soldiers impaled on spikes. Best of all each card came with a sheet of pink bubble gum as big as the card itself. Dates? 1961-63 for sure. PS we never collected cig cards then - I just dont recall these despite heavy smokers in the family.