Arkwright Street


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47 minutes ago, philmayfield said:

The car I learned to drive in at BSM.

60s Victors were possibly the most notorious rust buckets ever, did you have a new car for each lesson? The car I learned to drive in was Ben Siddon's workshop runaround, a well used Jowett Javelin.

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May i also tell a little story about Arkwright St shopping which remains with me to this day circa 1963 I went into" KEEVERS" (spelling may be wrong) to buy a scalextric for my young brother which was

Around 1969/1970 I ran a second hand book & record shop on Arkwright Street called "Moonshine". It was so phenomenonally successful that no-one on the planet apart from myself now remembers it. Wh

My aunty Grace went to live on Arkwright Street in February 1958 - she lived in a flat over the top of Jessie Robinson's fish shop, next door to a butchers which was on the corner of St Saviour's Stre

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I was taught to drive in a double decker. Never touched a car until 3 years after getting me full licence. Just thought I'd throw that in, don't know why?

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2 hours ago, Willow wilson said:

I'm thinking CT's pic is of a mkII or mkIII Reliant Regal of '56 or '57. I can find numerous pics of three-quarter front views and side views but none of a rear view.

 

I also thought of early Regal when I first saw it, but can't find many photos of that curved design.

 

This is the closest.....you can see the rear window through the side.   https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/File:Im19561115MC-Reliant.jpg

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I think learning to drive in a double decker is quite an achievement. I'm impressed! It's like learning to fly in a jumbo jet rather than a Tiger Moth. I bet you needed some space for the three point turn and the emergency stop must have been frightening.

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The instructor took me and me provisional licence down to Victoria embankment, showed all the basics and then stuck me in the seat to drive up and down from Trent Bridge to Wilford toll Bridge at 20mph. It was a pre-select gearbox just for me to get the hang of the size etc. After about a week I moved on to a crash box to get used to proper driving. Reversing was done at Trent Bridge depot and hill starts were on Westdale Lane.

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To be quite honest Phil, I was terrified. Never got out of 3rd gear at first, wasn't used to the extra speed. When I saw gaps I would hesitate and hold back and my wife would ask, "What's wrong, why aren't you going through". Kept forgetting I wasn't in a bus. Fortunately, I never made the mistake the other way round and try to squeeze a bus through a narrow gap. Hill starts on Westdale Lane, in a crashbox was the worst. Thought I'd never get it right.

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BK. When you said you did hill starts on WestdaleLane, I immediately thought of Freda Avenue which runs off there if I remember correctly.  Now that would be a VERY difficult hill start as I believe it’s the steepest road on the Nottingham area?  

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Morning Margie, with reference to hill starts, I should imagine that double decker buses wouldn't be allowed to do that manoeuvre on Freda Avenue, especially by wet behind the ears novices. Once tried it on Breckhill when taking a 'shortcut, frightened the life out of me.

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Do you know, Freda avenue has jogged me memory a bit more.

Once upon a time, when I worked at SPD, I went out on Birds Eye delivery run. I had a 'home freezer' drop at a private house on Freda, (we used to deliver to private homes on 'freezer drops). When I pulled away from the house all my bloody load tipped and fell against the back of the van. The load was all stacked in parcels by the night shift and each parcel had the docket delivery number. It took me ages to get the door open and the drops sorted out. The things you recall, when reminded.

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On 5/6/2021 at 5:19 PM, Beekay said:

Do you know, Freda avenue has jogged me memory a bit more.

Once upon a time, when I worked at SPD, I went out on Birds Eye delivery run. I had a 'home freezer' drop at a private house on Freda, (we used to deliver to private homes on 'freezer drops). When I pulled away from the house all my bloody load tipped and fell against the back of the van. The load was all stacked in parcels by the night shift and each parcel had the docket delivery number. It took me ages to get the door open and the drops sorted out. The things you recall, when reminded.

It  shouldnt happen to a freezer van driver ,  when's the book publish ???

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18 hours ago, radfordred said:

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 The car under the bridge is a Vauxhall Viva with L-plates. It's outside Trent School of Motoring where I had all my driving lessons - although not in that car.

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