Memories of Victoria station

[loppylugs 8,429]

A bit like you Michael. I met my late wife at the YMCA Moday night dance. I offered to see her home and it turned out she caught the trent bus to Gedling at Huntingdon street. So did I. We walked through that walkway above the station that went from Mansfield road to Huntingdon street. The beginning of a pleasant walk that lasted 35 years.

[catfan 14,793]

That platform clock will be in FLY2s shed !

[carni 10,094]

Mid 1964 to the end of 1966, we spent alot of weekends travelling from Notts to Birmingham and back, but for the life of me I can't remember the station. Chris seems to think it was mainly Midland, as he thinks they were already working on closing Victoria?

Michael and Loppylugs, a group of us girls used to go to the YMCA occasionally in the early 60s and we used the walkway over the station to get back to Huntingdon St Bus Station. Chances are, we all went at the same time?

I bet we can all remember walking over the Victoria station walkway at sometime in our youth and getting engulfed in steam (or smoke).

[Commo 1,292]

Catfan, I had the same thought as you, though I reckon it must be in Compo`s museum!

Fond memories of getting the train to Grantham in the school holidays for watching the traffic on the mainline with my Ian Allen Combine and snap in my duffel bag. I once was able to afford a Day Rover and went up and down to Donny and Peterborough, biggest adventure in my rather mundane childhood!

[Cliff Ton 10,467]

This is by the well-known Nottingham photographer Frank Stephenson. It sums it up perfectly.

[siddha 825]

At the weekends got on the ramblers trains up to Derbyshire with my girlfriend.

We liked Millers Dale best of all!

Despite all the muck from steam engines Victoria Station was a wonderful place.

[Smiffy49 590]

#17 Commo, you may be interested in a new magazine that has come out all about the railway scene at Grantham.

I was amongst the many hundreds of kids who would travel from Nottingham Vic to catch a glimpse of the pacifics on the mainline and also try and bunk the shed, happy days indeed.

All proceeds from the magazine go back into the "Return to Grantham Project" which operates on a not for profit basis.

Details of how to get a copy on the website www.returntograntham.co.uk

[loppylugs 8,429]

Carni. #16. That walkway was pretty dark as I remember it. If it existed today it would probably be the favorite haunt of your friendly neighborhood mugger. When I think back I'm amazed that so many parents let their attractive daughters go into town alone at nights. It sure was a very different day. We never even thought of anything bad happening.

[carni 10,094]

You are right there Loppylugs about not thinking anything bad could happen. My Mam and her family grew up in that part of Nottingham.

As a teenager I still had Aunts and Grandparents living around there. Major Street (Not far from the YMCA), Vicarage Street, Alfred St, Woodborough Rd, Liecester St.

This is the area my Mum and her Sisters lived in and would have spent their teenage nights, out dancing and what ever else they had for entertainment in the late 30s/40s.

They also lived through the war in that area. I suppose knowing the area so well, gave mum some kind of sense of security in us going to town. We were never alone,always in a group.

[BulwellBrian 107]

Both the trips to Birmingham and to Millers Dale would have been from the Midland Station.

[Guest]

Hey Carni : who lived on Major st? I might know them- lived next street down from'60- '73.

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

The Great Central Railway was the HS2 of its day, The London extension was brought about by a man with vision - Edward Watkins. He saw trains of the future travelling from Liverpool and Manchester through the Channel Tunnel to Paris. It was built to the larger continental loading gauge with small gradients and gentle curves. Nottingham Victoria station was a majestic cathedral of a station. Projected to cost around 400 thousand pounds to build it ended up costing a million. But what a beautiful place. For our family it was the preferred way to travel to London, even though my grandfather drove trains on the Midland. I absolutely adored being on the platform at Victoria, just soaking up the atmosphere, some of my visits being with fellow Nottstalgian - Firbeck.

Sadly, this futuristic railway was sabotaged by people who should have known better. A very expensive railway put to waste, which is probably what will happen to HS2 if it is built.

[sue B 48 1,226]

#19 Siddha I remember catching the ramblers train to Derbyshire on one occasion with a group of friends.

One of us thought it would be a good idea but I'm not convinced it was our thing we were all ill equipped.LOL

What sticks in my mind is how busy the train was people were sat on the floor because all the seats were full

there was lots of banter and laughter between everyone. There was one lad who started to sing The Lion Sleeps Tonight

he had a great voice.

That would be in the early sixties, it wasn't you was it Siddha.

[siddha 825]

Well it might have been..................................

I doubt it as I would have been too shy to break into song in public.

Anyway I was far too interested in the girlfriend; I found it very difficult to put her down (If you take my meaning)

We did go with other mates mostly from her school Haywood Bilateral.

[carni 10,094]

I remember going hiking with the school Sue, we must have been impressed if we went again. I don't think it was the walking that we were interested in. More likely to be the Lads on the train.

Not really a good idea going hiking in slip on shoes and pencil skirts aye. (Not really) Still. The train journey was worth it. I love the escapades you keep reminding me of.

[Guest]

Bilbra: i can't believe it was only 67years old when they Murdered a beautiful building.

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

In one of the local transport publications it quotes an elderly man (of the time it was printed maybe in the late 70s, who told of his childhood watching them build the railway, and later of his ability of being able to travel to almost anywhere in the country, then of seeing it closed and destroyed. All in one man's lifetime.

[Guest]

Unlike vic centre!!

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

Shopping centres? The new churches of an age old religion. Shopping.

[Guest]

Walked that tunnel umpteen times to carrington- has it been filled in??

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

Ian, I used to think things were done for the good of the people. Then I think of what happened to Nottingham Victoria Station and the GCR, and here they are now wanting to build another one. I don't think for one minute it will be for us. I smell a nice little earner here for one or two politicians.

I must say I am biased. A lot of people think industry was mucky and ugly. I just loved all that muck and ugliness.

[FLY2 10,108]

As someone stated previously... HS2 , we had one, the GC and the so called experts demolished it !!!!!! They should have been publicly dismembered.

I bet Sir Edward Watkin is turning in his grave.

[Guest]

I understand that steam was to be replaced--sadly!--but to pull down that building- never forgive the planners etc.. Give 'em a ride on Clun Castle and they might have changed their minds!

[barclaycon 569]

The GCR was superbly designed and built.

It benefited from all the latest technology - steam navvies and steel bridges, and was at a time when building railways was something the Victorians really knew how to do well.

As well as the Berne loading gauge, it only had one level crossing all the way from Manchester to Nottingham.

But like the planned HS2, it didn't go through places of great importance. The first stop of any real significance from London was Rugby. (Aylesbury and Charwelton not being particularly busy).

That I think will be the downfall of HS2.

The fact that it would be a fast link between London and Birmingham - but nothing really inbetween.

Unless they reverse the culture of transporting freight on the roads- rather than the railways, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

I've always said that Beeching was an axeman with no real vision. The GCR and magnificent structures like Victoria were closed because the government didn't want to take responsibility and they lacked any long-term strategy.

I doubt very much that HS2 will ever be built.

The money should instead be invested in improving the woeful, expensive service on the existing network.

[FLY2 10,108]

What about the Windcutters or Runners as they were called. Fast freight, two trips a day sometimes.

Also, one could travel virtually anywhere North, South, East or West. Not any more !!!!!