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we used to play on trent lane park,up on the big slide with concrete all round the base,also spent alot of time in the park keepers hut,imagine that nowadays,also over the railings were some allotments and we would climb and jump over the 6 foot metal railing and scrump fruit from the allotmants,also as kids we would go off into colwick woods early morning,get our water from the spring if we were thirsty no cans of coke for us,there was a cottage in the woods at that time,can you remember it,but best of all we would be out all day and come home when it got dark,i dont think anynne worried about us to much,as long as we bought no trouble home

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i also played on monkey park on our way down and back from pleasure parkwe always called it monkey park because of the kids climbing on thebig climbing frame reminded us off the monkeys at twycross zoo.spent many a happy hour on there. but spent most of my time plaing on the muck hills were morrisons store now is in netherfieldloop rd also goes through them too sledging in winter collecting hazel nuts in the autum making densin summer holidays jumping the dyke so messy if you did not make it so much oil from railway sheds.walking in colwick woods netherfield end mostly .down trent fields or jackie bells fields .in the evenings we did not venture far played ball games or skipping in the st snobs hide and seekchasing games.

thought i had better add a few of my own memories of playing out.

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When we lived in Netherfield I don't remember venturing too far from home, other than hopping over the dyke which ran at the bottom of our garden and going up to the Burton Road playing fields, but we did used to build dens and dams in the dyke. Seemed to spend a lot of time playing marbles, hop scotch, whip n top and skipping! At the age of 8 we moved to a new house in Arnold which was surrounded by a building site. I was just about the only girl up there so had to play with the boys and became pretty good at football and cricket! We'd play on the building site, climbing scaffolding, until the watchman caught us but that was all part of the fun, making sure we didn't get caught. I loved roller skating and had a Triang scooter that someone nicked when I hid it under a hedge while playing. I was given/lent a bike by a lady on the road, I loved that bike and rode all over the place, one time I went into town and was so proud of myself! We'd play down on the fields where Brookfield Road now runs, and egg each other on to crawl through a concrete pipe that took a stream through to Killisick somewhere. Nobody ever dare do it! We'd also spend many happy hours 'down Jonah's'. This was a dirt track that led from Sandfield Road down over a stream to the old railway line, not being a train buff I have no idea which line that would have been when in operation. This dirt track became Greendale Road. There was a railway tunnel that none of us would go in further than a few yards, it was so dark! I seem to recall being taken down there for a Nature Walk whilst at Kingswell School, collecting different leaves and wild flowers to draw and write about in our nature books! Yes we had a great outdoor life in those days.

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We'd also spend many happy hours 'down Jonah's'. This was a dirt track that led from Sandfield Road down over a stream to the old railway line, not being a train buff I have no idea which line that would have been when in operation. This dirt track became Greendale Road. There was a railway tunnel that none of us would go in further than a few yards, it was so dark! I seem to recall being taken down there for a Nature Walk whilst at Kingswell School, collecting different leaves and wild flowers to draw and write about in our nature books! Yes we had a great outdoor life in those days.

Wow! Now you have jogged my memory, Lizzie. I recall us kids talking about 'Jonah's tunnel' in Arnold so that must have been where you are referring to. Can't quite reconcile the memory with the exact location but the railway line you described must be where I walked the other day doing a bit of re-exploring. It was the line from what was Daybrook Station, behind the B&Q store on Mansfield Road, over an embankment and through a cutting which travels under Arnot Hill Road very close to its junction with Sandfield Road. It lead on to Gedling via Mapperley Tunnel.

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Yes Stu, you're right. I remember a railway bridge going over Thackeray's Lane but can't remember Daybrook Station at all. The line went under Arno Vale Rd and then along to this scary tunnel. From there I have no idea where it would have gone and us kids weren't brave enough to find out!

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Yes Stu, you're right. I remember a railway bridge going over Thackeray's Lane but can't remember Daybrook Station at all. The line went under Arno Vale Rd and then along to this scary tunnel.

If you went under Arno Vale Road and then to a tunnel, it would've been Mapperley Tunnel which went under the crossroads at Mapperley Top

This show it all in the 1920s (probably before your time!). Daybrook Station is the red dot on the left, Arno Vale Road is under the words 'Arnot Hill', and I've highlighted the tunnel

arnold1.jpg

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There's quite a bit of info on here about this line and Daybrook Station. The latter was not in my time but I've been learning about it recently and apparently the last train passed through there in 1960 so I am informed. It was approximately where the large Homebase store is just south of Daybrook square.

The line went west, up to and under Mapperley Plains at it's junction with Gedling Road/Arnold Lane. Another line (Nottingham Suburban Railway) branched off and travelled over the Thackerys Lane bridge and on to Woodthorpe Park.

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We'd also spend many happy hours 'down Jonah's'. This was a dirt track that led from Sandfield Road down over a stream to the old railway line, not being a train buff I have no idea which line that would have been when in operation. This dirt track became Greendale Road. There was a railway tunnel that none of us would go in further than a few yards, it was so dark! I seem to recall being taken down there for a Nature Walk whilst at Kingswell School, collecting different leaves and wild flowers to draw and write about in our nature books! Yes we had a great outdoor life in those days.

Someone writes about Jona's Fields, Sandfield Road and the railway line here (on page 3)

http://www.nottsbirders.net/downloads/0701.pdf

Just learnt a little about the name 'Kingswell' last night. Known by most for the school of the same name situated on Gedling Road, Arnold, apparently there was originally a 'Kingswell Farm' in the area.

The name of 'Kingswell' as one might suppose comes from an actual well, one whose waters were said to have healing properties. There is no direct link with any actual king, it alludes to a 'King's touch' which some may have believed to have special or healing powers. I believe there is still a water course of sorts which runs adjacent to Castleton Avenue a little further down the hill towards Hallams Lane and the centre of Arnold.

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Just learnt a little about the name 'Kingswell' last night. Known by most for the school of the same name situated on Gedling Road, Arnold, apparently there was originally a 'Kingswell Farm' in the area.

Or something very similar......

well1.jpg

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talking of tunnels bought back more memories,one long tunnel was at the junction of carlton road and porchester road,classed as thorneywood,as kids we used to go in there and frighten each other rotten,so then screamed and ran to get out at the other end,also played on the mounts which is in the same area,just remember we were proper scruffs with lots of grazes and bruises especially on our legs,once again happy memories

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Or something very similar......

well1.jpg

That's interesting, Sandfield Road was called Hicklings Lane. How long ago would that be Cliff?

Stu, Thanks for the Jonah's article, my memory isn't too bad after all.

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Sneintongal, the cottage in Colwick Woods was used as football changing rooms in the late sixties. You got changed in there, not very nice, then walked up the hill through the trees and came out at the football pitches that were situated off Greenwood Road, opposite Jesse Boot School.I played for a team called Colwick Rangers at U12 age level, we were managed by Bernard Cram. Spent a lot of time at Monkey Park on Trent Lane. If I remember right the park was triangle shaped with the slide in the point of the triangle and there was a metal roundabout. The empty Virgin offices are now on this site.

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My eyes are probably playing tricks but it looks like a Boy Scout (or Cub Scout) standing next to a horse!

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Off St.Ann Wells Rd.in the early 70's ,some good intended hippies ran an

adventure playground of sorts on the rough clay & bricks slopes.

I recall we sledged down a bank in a lorries front wing or similar.

Found this snap...knew I ain't gone batty...yet!front-cover-2.jpg

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On 1/20/2018 at 1:11 AM, MargieH said:

My eyes are probably playing tricks but it looks like a Boy Scout (or Cub Scout) standing next to a horse!

Maybe its the rag n bone man !

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