Willow wilson

A small bicycle shop on the corner of Bridlington street/Alfreton road, sold Jack Taylor bicycles.

Interesting subject, Oztalgian. Australian Road Trains. I just read up on it all on Wikipedia and it seems with regulations, types of road permissions, driver training, qualifications etc it's a separate and unique culture. They seem to use mostly Kenworth prime movers, are these imported? Here's a video I found to get a flavour of it all, not a full size train but gives me a good idea of what it's like behind a 1000hp turbo Cat V8! (Sorry about the departure from Nottingham hauliers)

Why has the trolley bus got a radiator and engine at the front.

For me the Ronnettes own this song Although Carl Wilson's immaculately clear wistful version is a close runner. But then again, Kathy Troccoli sings it with an emotional confidence and involvement which I find quite compelling. To be honest, I like all 3, it's such a good song.

Zabadak, Justified and Ancient, Intro-Outro, (Bonzo Dog). Who'd-a-thought-it, hits. Still listen to them. Here a couple I like which read well without the tune; Big Bad John, by James Dean. A sullen, quiet mystery man not to be messed with, 'broad at the shoulder narrow at the hip and everybody knew you didnt give no lip to Big John'. Again; 'He didnt say much, kinda quiet and shy, And if you spoke at all you just said Hi To Big John.' (I like it when the rhyme and meter is completed before the end of the dialogue line, there must be a word for that technique). A badman who made good in the end but it cost his life. Uncomplicated but efficient poetry, a complete story, good feeling at the end. Ode to Billy Joe, by Bobby Gentry. Told as a day to day homely dialogue, the verses rhyming perfectly, (which appeals to me) telling in a mundane narrative about everday countryfolk's daily chores, doings and gossip and encompassing Billy Joe's sad demise. At the end we're still non the wiser about Billy-Joe, it's an open ended mystery, but

This picture would be taken after 1929 (Western boulevard built) and before 1936 (when Saint Margaret's church was built on Aspley lane). I remember that field in the top left of the picture having cows in it in the late 40s. Mother took me past there when we went shopping on Aspley lane during the late 40s. The block of allotments in the top centre of the pic has a dense line of trees down the left side. This was a tree lined footpath which we knew as Black Pad which originally went on to Radford bridge road. The new Chalfont drive bisected Black Pad in my early years when we went round there on our family walks. The left half of that allotment block had housing built on it in the 50s and 60s as did the field where the cows used to live adjoining Aspley lane across the top. Beechdale road was built as a dual carriageway but initially the north carriage way (further from the camera) was left partly unfinished, I remember it being mostly rubble and weeds for a while. This meant that the southern carriageway took 2 way traffic, which considering the lighter traffic in those days would be manageable. Also I recollect the buses on that route were (I think) 1937? Regent 1s, laid-back body and only 7' 6" wide. (Does that sound correct?). I seem to recollect i first spotted Punjab (Jubilee) and Dibatag (B1) along that railway line when I was first into (1950s) trainspotting. I think it was there that I saw them. Where Western boulevard crosses Aspley lane the fences bordering the allotments on the four corners of that junction were set well back to clear the sight lines for the approaching traffic. This left 4 large ovals of grass, one on each footpath corner. At the centre of each grass oval was a stout concrete and timber bench set back and facing the roundabout. Sometimes on a summer evening in the early 50s my dad and I would stroll up there and sit on a bench in the evening sun and we would count the passing vehicles and discuss their styles and makes.

When we went to Mablethorpe in the late 40s there were B25s (?) bombing the stuffing out of a pagoda thing with a red ball on it miles away at Theddlethorpe or was it Donna Nook. They flew out seaward over M'Thorpe and came back in over the target. Flash, then about 10 secs later, blamm, the detonation. I dont know who operated the aircraft, maybe an RAF or Canadian unit.

Here is a butterfly video

Outside.

Brew, I'm thinking in the simplest way, that a resistive loop and short circuit by a train would show a section occupied by stationary traffic, whereas a coil would only show movement, or to detect stationary traffic would need an ac excited coil but that would only work if it were covered by said stopped traffic. The loop system monitors all the rail length. BTW, re signals, on the line to Hull they still use semaphore signalling.

Looking at these I've just rediscovered Woolie's old building and Sawyers Arms (pic 16.) It seems the upper frontages above the ground floor have been preserved, full in their unique Architectual splendour. Which is a Good Thing. Trouble is they can't be appreciated because of the trees. Which is a Not-So-Good Thing. But we need and we like the natural trees. Which are Good Things. Still very impressive buildings, though.

No pedals on this one

The old police station with air raid shelter and no railings. Looks like the trees have been pruned too. The new station was a grey concrete building (typical 60s style) with a flat portico. They used to put an illuminated Christmas tree on it for the duration of the season.

I had a "drive" along Gregory boulevard using Google earth for comparison (with Nottingham Post) and the overall impression of some of these houses shows that above the normal mundane, parked-car-strewn, busy-busy eye-level the elegant Victorian building details and decorations are largely intact, proud, everlasting and confident, still watching over the human machinations below. So it's not all doom. (Architectually speaking).

In the 50s and 60s my doctor's surgery was on Gregory boulevard next to a bank on the corner of Radford rd, number 45 I think, a large Victorian semi with a stone eagle statue atop the gate pillars. It was very old and basic inside. The Mary Potter 1960s building across the road further down was far more appropriate being purpose built. Externally those houses in those days were of their original appearance but imo they've been unsympathetically altered for commercial use since then.