fogrider

Bit of a 'senior ' memory moment. it was the A614, not A164, Blaxton Quarry, South of Hatfield Woodhouse.

I remember those same Leyland "LAD" cabbed Hoveringham wagons on the A164 around Hatfield, near where Robin Hood airport is now. Hoveringham had a quarry there , always sand on the road and clouds of black smoke behind them as they were pulling way. Small engines, overloaded, the old days ! Saw one at a rally about 3 years ago, total restoration, looked fab.

Good old Commer, clearly in Centrals' yard. What a great find Ian. Must have been very early 50's as the Commers had gone before I joined in early 68. Except the Emergency Tender, that survived until around 1973. Like that little red van !, we did have a red van, a Commer personnel carrier, us recruits were delivered to Birmingham for the initial training course. Only went in it once and it was disposed off. I went to Brum each week on my DBD34 Goldstar, wish I still had that ! I assume the Nottingham red van in the photo is somewhere in America (red flashing light ).

2 fantastic photo's !, the main one shows two pre-war Leylands, the guys covered in foam, the guy in the middle shouldering a No2 foam making branch. Protein foam compound smelled FOUL !.Brewed up, apparently, from 'bulls blood and bollocks'. It expanded 9 to 1 with water for use on petrol/oil type fires. Could be after 1941 as the length of rolled up hose is the Canadian type, bought in after British manufacturers got together to put the price up, screwing the Home Office in their desperation for hose.! The lower photo is a Bedford heavy pump unit, the crew have AFS cap badges,

The Heart Church is a replacement for ' The assemblies of God'.. That was formed of 102 to 114 Talbot Street, Victorian Terraces called Belmont Terrace. 116 was the western part of Belmont Terrace and, for whatever reason, was not demolished when the rest was. Belmont Terrace was under demolition at the time of the Dakins fire in January 1969. Presumably to create the Heart Church, unless there was a name change after the new building was put up. 116 is still there, looks like a private house, easily seen on Google street view as the orange-looking bricks stand out. If

In those dismal Victorian factory days,they would certainly feel treated like slaves !

Neville King once joined us in the bar at Central (after a Black and White Minstrels show at the 'Royal). Early '70's. We had no idea what he was up to, out comes the dummy he referred to as Norman. His opening , after a stunned silence from us - Norman had been scanning around the room at us, "What do you think of all these fireman Norman ? "Fuck 'em ! " He had us in stiches.Never laughed so much for so long...…….

A few more classics- Nina and Frederick, saw them live doing "hole in my bucket" at the villa Marina on the Isle of Man, (1961), precious memory Hans and Lotty Hass, TV documentary, I was fascinated by the underwater footage and Armond and Micheala Denis, another TV documentary about the Kalahari desert, incredible to who was just a young village lad at the time

Thanks Clifton, just spotted your post. It's amazing what keeps disappearing. A couple of months ago I visited Talbot Street and took pictures of how it all is now, but on the Dakins side, ie Bowman House which is on top of the Dakins site. The buildings you show were all in use still ! For some reason, 116 Talbot Street remains, the West end of the Heart church, part of Belmont Terrace that was being demolished at the time of the Dakins job. That's going to end up one of the only old buildings left along there ! Regards

Thanks Ian, I didn't move to Nottingham until early '67 so I guess I missed it, loved that old library, magnificent inside and out

Well, I really didn't remember seeing those carvings !. Mind you, firemen were not to use the main entrance. We entered via the yard , even the upstairs was "not allowed" as only office staff went up there. Many happy memories of the old place, was amazed to see it was still there when we visited a couple of months ago, I thought the whole idea was to demolish Central ? Anyway, the B+W photo above confuses me, what was that factory building ?, I can only remember what was the fabulous old main library, now Uni, I think. Right opposite the Victorian fire station which, I believe, is allow

No, I'm sorry but I don't remember them, I know there were various features of Central in the external stone work- the fireman on the main entrance corner , the two lions inside on the bottom of the stairs in the main entrance, that marvellous City Crest laid in Marble - main entrance again, did I miss something at Central ? or are they on the old Victorian Station on South Sherwood Street ? Can't wait to hear what ?

We had a similar thing 2 days ago, Asian-sounding guy saying he was from Microsoft and our service had been compromised. He was VERY persistent and all that same rubbish about codes to check he was genuine etc. I told him it was a well known scam and he could "go away". Put the phone down, it rang again 2 minutes later , same guy, saying we were risking losing everything etc etc, . Rang our broadband provider who assured us it was a scam . I reported it to Microsoft, who haven't acknowledged even though we dialed 1471, giving them the number he was ringing from ! ( a Bradford number !) What a

I think the name I painted on that sandwich board that was Esquire, I don't think the shop lasted very long. One of his services was called ' shampoo and friction', friction being some sort of perfume. Any hairdressers remember friction ? Or was it just a sixties gimmick ?

I once did some sign writing for a fellow fireman who had an upstairs barbers on Clumber Street. (Harry Todd). It was black on a white sandwich board. When I delivered it , he was just throwing out a youth with long hair and wearing what was trendy at that time , a long army trenchcoat. He gave the lad a right mouthful about respect for military veterans and long hair and uniform etc. Harry was a WW2 merchant navy man I believe. The lad walked off without a word. Strange, what we remember !

Just had another view of that St Anns video and another video called Poverty in St Anns, 1969, popped up. It's tragic to watch, those poor people I'm thinking, then a young chap on £14 a week, in poverty...……...hang on, I lived a bit further up Woodborough Road in 1969 and was on £12 a week in the Fire Brigade !! ( I still have the pay slips). How life has changed, the perception of poverty is on a different level now. They were tough days, but it was just how things were, unpleasant video, I'll stick to Victoria railway station clips in future !

Thanks Clifton, have had another look and stopped it at various points, just a bit too grainy to make people out really well but I think I recognised two. What the occasion was I'm not sure , but it's clearly an exercise , I suspect it's new BA sets, those sets came out around 1960 I think, Fascinating, Regards all

Chimney fires were a regular call in the City Brigade. I once went to 17 on one day shift. We had to be crew-relieved at lunch time to get some grub ! Someone was always sent into the attic "to check it hadn't spread through faulty brickwork". Partly true, but we would write the date , out of sight on the chimney breast, when we arrived, the officer would ask "when did you have the chimney swept?"...……... "oh , only 2 months ago ", the officer had already been told what date was on the brick and put her right (was always a woman in the house), sometimes there was 2 or 3 dates on t

I went to that Dakins fire. Was on one of the first machines to attend. I have clear memories of most of it, especially the Salvation Army feeding us corned beef sandwiches with tea in white enamel mugs , a scene straight out of a WW2 film ! ,that was around 6 am. The heat from Dakins smashed all the glass in Berry and Underwood on the opposite side of Talbot Street, 100 ft away. The student flats, Bowman house is on the same site. Did'nt go to Moons, I think that was before I joined. Regards all...….

Amazing footage ! Being ex City Brigade, I was very surprised to see the Dennis F12 (UAU 999) doing a "live" rescue from a building, using the wheeled escape. The old breathing apparatus sets , "proper" fire tunics etc. Great days !. Obviously just an exercise, soon to be outlawed after a fireman died in Birmingham about the same era and doing the same sort of thing. Did'nt recognise anyone, it was a bit too quick for me, brilliant to see though, Thanks for posting it

Well, I've had a thorough look through the website and facebook pages, there really is an incredible range of photo's, most of my questions answered. Would still like a peek inside to check some dimensions etc. to make sure my drawing is fully to scale. Something to progress, but it has pretty well completed my report into the Dakins fire, can't believe it's 50 years next January since I was at that fire and I didn't even engage warp drive ! Regards all

Thanks both, not a fan of facebook but it sounds it will be very helpful, I'll have a go..... The features of that North wall ,above the cars, is , in every detail, the same as the Dakins building. I read the listing details and it ties in exactly with Dakins so I assume it's the same builder. Where would we be without Nottstalgians ? Regards, Terry

This fantastic Nottingham building is clearly by the same builder who erected a similar lace factory at 100 Talbot Street, demolished in 1970/71 after the fire.(Dakins) It would be brilliant to have a quick look inside to confirm details of floor construction etc. It is listed, written stuff about it online, but to actually look inside...………….. Anyone connected with the main building ? Coffee and cakes on me ! (got to drive back to Hull) Regards, Terry.

This is a subject that can really drag you down...…………...

Only just seen this Seagrave photo, fantastic thing, the older yankee fire trucks always impressive, many were volunteer departments thus able to buy what they wanted and "tart" them up as they pleased. No such thing in the UK as they belonged to the local council, under control of the Home Office. Wash, polish, repair when needed, remained as factory. One concession was when registered, Cities like Nottingham retained 999 numbers for the fire appliances. This has reminded me of the first "decent size" fire I went to , around summer, 1968, on Leengate, Dunkirks area.