Bazzes belated home visit.

[BAZZER 10]

Well, I finally made my threatened visit to my hometown. It’s 39 years since I left, & only been back (in town) a couple of times since.

First day there, I drove around my old addresses from Haywood street where I was born, to Elford Rise, to Campbell Drive in Carlton & Newton Road in Gedling (featured very slightly in Shane Meadows: Once Upon A Time In The Midlands). I wanted to go to Burton Joyce (Roger Moore used to stay there some years ago. We worked on the bungalow that he used to rent). I wuz buggered when the main road was blocked off tho’. Had a drive down Linden Grove, where I lived when I took my pet Bear home, much to the chagrin of my new wife. A pair of faceless semi’s has since replaced that grand old property. In fact, they started to knock it down whilst I was still in bed ! The digger driver didn’t seem to realise – or care - that someone was still in there,,,, but I persuaded him in the end !!

The second day was quite wet, so had another drive round, & visited a couple of aunts at Bilborough, Wollaton & Strelly. As the day brightened up, I went to find the old gravel pits at Colwick that we used to play in as kids. I had a post on here some months ago about a tunnel that we used to go through, on a bogie truck. There was a very narrow gauge track running from (I think) the sorting/grading tower of the gravel works, down to and under the main railway embankment, to the gravel ponds themselves. I’m assuming that they dragged stone up from the pits, loaded it into the little trucks, & pushed/pulled them up to the sorting tower. We had come across the chassis of one of these trucks, and used to push it up from the ponds, almost to the tower, then we would cram as many of us on it as we could, & freewheel it down the track, through the tunnel & towards the water. The tunnel had a bend in it, as you couldn’t see daylight through it. Through the help of Google & Beefy, I found the spot & went down there. The day was now quite warm, and the maggot factory was in full swing. It stank awful. I climbed up to the fence around the ponds & walked along the path. From there I could see a couple of tunnels that looked ‘just about right’, but they seemed a lot bigger than I recall. In addition, none of them goes through the second embankment, to the waters edge. After a while, we wanted to get off the bank, & get down to the lower path. We found a place that didn’t look as steep as most of it, so my son led the way down. He had shorts on,,,, and the nettles relished his bare legs. Me ? I had sandals on,,, so my feet were stung to buggery. I tried the old ‘Dock leaf’ routine, to the amusement of my Son. However, you know the old wives about him that laffs last etc. The memories came flooding back of rafting and swimming in those dangerous gloopy waters.

Managed to locate an old workmate (Johnny Fry) & had lunch in the Plainsman - ‘up Mapperly. Nice enough place & food. On the way back to the digs at Beeston, we stopped for tea (or dinner if you’re posh) at the Grove at Abbey Bridge. Won’t do that again – that was the second worst steak I’ve ever had in my life.

The next day we met up with a mate of my Sons, who is getting married next week at Holme Pierepoint. We went in the Bee Keeper at Beeston for lunch. Same cut of steak as previous, but boy, what a difference. No Guinness on tho’, which threw me a bit. As our digs were close by, we went in there again at about 8:00 for an evening meal. We both had Curry this time, which came as a surprise as it was a “Curry & a Drink” night - for £4.99 night ! Very enjoyable. The female staff were very young, and surprised me by being polite & very affable. One girl even brought a bottle of sauce from the kitchen to show me, when I expressed my like for the coating on the meat. Would certainly go there again.

Overall, a pleasurable few days, somewhat marred by the town centre parking regime. As you may be aware, I am now disabled and as such have a blue badge. The first car park we went in was Milton Street. The first thing I did was ask one of the operators there how to use the scheme within their confines. He was very helpful, & explained that the blue badge can be used anywhere. As I am quite new to the blue badge scheme, & not used it outside Cornwall before, I had assumed that all Councils had adopted the Free Parking scheme, & going on what this chap said, it seemed to bear out my assumptions.

The following day we went into St James Street car-park, & for some reason, I decided to use the intercom there to ask about the scheme there, & was told in no uncertain terms that they don’t do a blue-badge scheme in there, but there are disabled parking bays and “what more do you want ?”. I didn’t stay. I went to the next park, but instead of driving straight in, I parked outside & went to the intercom and again enquired about the scheme. Basically, I got the same reply. I did note that these two parks are run by NCP – which I stupidly thought meant Nottingham Council Parks. I now realise that it means National Car Parking. I saw some metered parking in the street, so went to look at the notices on the meter. Whilst it did say that Blue badge holders are free, it didn’t say anything about whether to collect a ticket or not. There is a telephone number on the meter, so I tried to call it, to satisfy myself that I am doing whatever the Council requires. Try as I might, I could not get an answer from the number given. Sometimes it would ring, but not get answered,,,, sometimes it wouldn’t even ring. We tried three phones in 7 or 8 places, but to Noah Vale. As luck would have it, an oriental warden was walking up the street, so I asked him. He assured me – more in gestures than voice - that it is completely free and the 2 hours max does not apply. Be that as it may, I wasn’t able to enjoy my last couple of hours stroll around Nottingham, as I was expecting a clamp upon my return (very painful, having ones return clamped !).

All was well in the end though, & we set off for home. A great and all too late a visit - marred somewhat by the Councils Parking regime.

Now I’ve started, I realise that I have loads of other things to see – so, I’ll be back !

[firbeck 859]

Nice one Bazzer, it's good to go back and find old haunts, but are you pleased to be away from it all, don't you find it a bit daunting to be back in a big city and one in particular thats changed so much.

So the maggot factory is still up and running then, when I find them I'll have to put up the survey drawings that I did back in the days when you must have left, the worst survey that I ever did, almost on a par with Superdrug at Bromsgrove, but thats another story, I can still taste the smell of Colwick maggots in my nightmares.

Give my regards to Beefy, he didn't miss much at Duxford.

[BAZZER 10]

"it's good to go back and find old haunts, but are you pleased to be away from it all, don't you find it a bit daunting to be back in a big city and one in particular thats changed so much."

Yep, it certainly is. A lot of places that we went to, I hadn't visited since I was a kid, like the gravel ponds etc.

With my parents living out of town, when I visited them, I didn't need to go into town. I did spend a few weeks up there in '76, when I had a job at Rise Park. I did spend most nights in town then,,,, spending what I was trying to save !

I must say that I didn't miss the old place for a number of years,,,,, too busy living the life down here,,,, but recently got a teensy bit homesick (this is my home,,, & I'm sick of it !). Got too much time on my hands I s'pose.

I assume it's still the maggot factory ! Nothing else could smell like that (including Bitterlings etc). I actually drove into their drive, as it was leading to where I wanted to be, & a guy came out of one of the sheds, with a bucket of 'something',,,,, he explained about the path that runs around, & along side the ponds etc.

Not seen Ian yet,,,,, am expecting a call any time. Does he take a laptop with him ? I sent an e-mail after he left,,,, but no reply yet. I'll tell him about Duxford, but I expect he's read up on it.

cheers

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

Baz, Linden Grove, Burton Joyce, recall the feller, I think next to the bottom right house, who made model steam locomotives and had track laid around his garden?? My Gran used to live next door to him, I'm sure the bottom right house, been a long while.

[BAZZER 10]

No, I don't recall a set-up like that,,,, and I would have if I'd seen it. The place we lived at was almost at the bottom, on the left. It was an old 3 story place, with veranda/balustrade things at the front,,, and the open field s to the rear. We wern't there that long - twould have been mid 68 I think.

Talking of gardens 'made over', does anyone recall the front garden on Cavendish Road (just below the twitchel to Rusher) ? It was a small triangular garden completely built up in concrete & painted etc,,,,, it had water courses etc, but I can't recall the actual theme. Have just Googled it & it seems to be 1 Nursery Drive,,, opposite Belper Avenue.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

No Baz, a long time before that, try mid 1950's. Gran didn't live down there for long, she felt isolated being so far from town, buses back then were about every couple of hours and they didn't have a car.

[Scriv 168]

Bazzer, one of the locomotives from that little railway has been preserved; on the Welsh Highland Railway at Porthmadog.

As you can see it's been restored to its Hoveringham livery.

My old man worked for Hoveringham as a fitter all his life, and it's quite possible that he'd have laid some of that track.

[Beefsteak 305]

I remember the garden in question but I think that the water courses had long been allowed to dry up , I used to pass it twice a day , on my way to school and back.

I also remember another garden you may have seen Bazzer, opposite Carlton Central School was a bungalow with loads of marbles pressed into the the concrete wall

[BAZZER 10]

Hiya Beefy,

Hope you enjoyed your 'holiday', despite the housing problem,,,, any way,,, a great excuse for another trip.

I'm not sure if I saw that garden before going to Cavo school, or not, as I used to play all around that area beforehand. I went to Cavo in '59. I only saw actual running water in there a couple of times at the beginning,,,,,

don't recall the one near my old school tho'.

Popped in the local cemetery (wed) on Cavo whilst there, looking for my brothers grave. I couldn't find it, so called the office that runs it. The lady there was as good as gold, but couldn't find it in her ledgers either. She said that she'd put someone on it the next day & call me (I was coming home later that day), but it never materialised. I'll drop 'em a line before my next visit,,,, maybe in another 40 years !

My Son is up there at the moment - went to a wedding yesterday (Wed). We said that our trip was a bit too fleeting, so I want to try getting up again a,s,a,p. With better planning, should get better dig's. I did enquire at The Jury's Inn. I was amazed when they want guests to park in the railway station car-park !

BAZ

[BAZZER 10]

Bazzer, one of the locomotives from that little railway has been preserved; on the Welsh Highland Railway at Porthmadog.

A smashing loco. I only ever saw one at the gravel ponds, and as it was covered in ,,,, I suspect stone dust, so I never did see what colour it was.

Maybe your 'old man' chased us off at some point ! I recall a couple of times being chased away,,,, but judging by the times we went there, it didn't deter us.

[Beefsteak 305]

If my mum can help re your brothers grave Baz let me know (She lives smack opposite the cemetry, and we know the girl there, Jane , I went to junior school with her.) My mum could pop over any time for you / us.

I shall be back down your way in October (Half Term) and will try to get over to you neck of the woods this time .

[BAZZER 10]

It would be great if your mum could pick up a card from there Ian, it has the telephone number of the main office on it.

I can then call them to see if they did manage to look into it for me.

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Sorry to hear about the house being sold down here,,,,,,,, mind you,,,, there are lots of others,,,,,, (anybody want to buy 2 new flats at Bodmin?).

I assume you'r on the lists of Agents down here. If you like, I can send you a newspaper.

The Cornishman is basically for West Cornwall. West Briton is North Cornwall & the Guardian seems to cover a mid/north section.

Good Luck mate

[Beefsteak 305]

Any thing mid / north would be great to I'll PM my address

Phoned mum and left a message on her answering machine.

[BAZZER 10]

Cheers mate.

The papers come out on a Wed (Guardian) & Thursday (Cornish & Briton).

Cornish no good then, so will grab Guardian on Wednesday & pop it in't post,,,,,,

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I look forward to getting the tel number of the Cemetery.

c ya