Book about growing up in Radford

[Willow wilson 894]

On 4/27/2016 at 10:21 AM, Cliff Ton said:

 

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.

 

 

[Cliff Ton 10,459]

I've now repaired the photo which WW had quoted. It had been ruined - along with many others - by the Photobucket Blackmail Dept.

 

WW, I'm impressed that you could identify anything on it when it was blurred. Now that it's readable again you might be able to add a few more comments.