Sunday, 23 August 2020

Blackpool Illuminations from the North Pier- Vintage Postcard

 Currently trying to sort through my large postcard collection and came across this interesting one by Valentine & Son of  Dundee, Scotland. Titled Blackpool Illuminations from the North Pier and printed in an artistic painted style.



The card is dated from 1933 by it's serial number 221812 and has never been posted, it's quite worn but for a card aged around 87 years old it looks well.

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Sunday, 16 August 2020

The Crossley Pavilion at People's Park, Halifax then and now. A vintage postcard and a modern look.

I recently added the bottom postcard to my collection, it shows a view of Peoples Park, Halifax looking from south to north towards the Crossley Pavilion. I thought I'd go take a look at the same view now a couple of weeks ago and the top picture shows the modern scene. The park is now more tree lined and covers the spire of the Park United Reformed Church, which stills stands across the road from the park's north western corner although I am told is now a business centre.

The postcard I recently purchased.

A comparison shot from a similar position.

The rear of the postcard. It gives no indication of when it was posted only wishing best wishes to its recipient, a Mr & Mrs Butterfield of Leeds.

The modern comparison picture.

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Saturday, 15 August 2020

Lockwood Railway Station

 In 2015 I set out to picture the railway stations along the Penistone Line between Huddersfield and Penistone, on the day I managed to picture Berry Brow, Honey, Brockholes, Stocksmoor, Shepley and Denby Dale, missing out on Penistone and Huddersfield which I still haven't visited, and Lockwood as the time got away from me. Recently in Huddersfield I decided to visit Lockwood and finally picture that stop, these pictures were taken on the 25th July 2020.

Lockwood Railway Station opened along with the line on the 1st July 1850 as a double platform twin track stop. Located just south of the Lockwood Tunnel approx. 1.5 miles from Huddersfield . The station became a junction stop in August 1868 when the Meltham Branch line opened to goods traffic, passenger transport commencing in July 1869, until the line was closed in 1965. Lockwood Station was staffed until the 1960's and after the closure of the Meltham Branch spent many years as the subject of closure speculation along with the entire Penistone Line. In the 1980's the decision was made and the line was to remain open, although it would now be a single track. The remains of the closed platform can still be seen at Lockwood although overgrown, the connecting tunnel blocked by a door.

The station has minimal facilities with a small car park, step free access, a basic small shelter. In 2018/19 it was attended by 40006 passengers at an average of 769 per week. That's a drop of over 11000 passengers compared to 2015/16, but despite this drop the line remains popular and is growing steadily year on year. Lockwood Station is served hourly in each direction daily.

Immediately north of the station is the 255 yard Yew Green Tunnel, better known as Lockwood Tunnel it has been the scene of a couple of incidents. The first tragedy to effect the tunnel occurred before it opened.   In July 1849 the tunnel was complete although the railway line was, a group of men had been drinking at a nearby inn, when they challenged each to a race through the tunnel. Upon completing the race they realised one of their number was missing and tracked back through the tunnel until they came across the body of John Godly, who it was said had tripped and broken his neck whilst racing through the tunnel.



 The tunnel was the scene of a rail crash in March 1869 when a passenger train and a goods train collided in the tunnel, the driver error resulted in 3 people being injured.

To the south of the station lies the Lockwood Viaduct, I'll try to return to picture that but was short on time on this occasion, between the viaduct and station are the remains of the coal drops. The set of 8 former coal drops still stand, now being used as a car park. They also feature a tunnel connecting both sides of Howarth Lane.


The pictures were taken using a Nikon d3300 on the 25th August 2020, they can be seen un-watermarked and higher resolution on Clickasnap by clicking any image. Link will open in another window.





Clicking any image will open a link in another window to the un-watermarked higher resolution version on Clickasnap.

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All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.


Sunday, 9 August 2020

Happy Birthday Mollie - Vintage Postcard

 In my collection of celebratory postcards I have set that were sent to Mollie from various family members over a number of years, I thought I would start by sharing this one from her Dad which she received on the 14th September 1936.


The rear of the card is simple with only her name Mollie Stuart and signed as from Dad and the date showing. I will sharing more cards from the Mollie collection over the next few months, some have a bit more to say and some include the postal address.


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Saturday, 1 August 2020

Vintage Postcards - Ellingham Church, Ringwood

This post features another of the postcards I have collected. It shows Ellingham Church, Ringwood and is a Judges of Hastings card. The card has only a postal address and King George IV stamp which was released in 1937. 


The church is St Mary and All Saints Church and is approx. 2 miles north of Ringwood in the village of Ellingham.


Obviously the person who sent the card was a person of few words, with only a deliver address provided, with no information of who the card was from indicated in the text.

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Through a Glass, Darkly: Hebden Bridge Railway Station in Negative

 There's something hauntingly beautiful about old photographs, especially when they're presented in a way that flips our perception....