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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2011 18:44:38 GMT 1
Most people will not have heard of this town, it is quite beautiful The river Roach used to be dead of all forms of live though industrial pollution, but know it back to it former glory, full of fish and wildlife. youtube.com/watch?v=xi21JVieKoU When was a young boy I loved to watch the steam trains on go by on the railway bridge, now steam trains have once again run to Heywood. www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8E_7aarVIkHope you found that interesting. |
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Post by patsie on Jan 18, 2011 22:14:49 GMT 1
Milkhope - Thanks for that reminder of the steam trains, I always loved watching them. Our house backed onto a farm, and beyond that was a railway line - where we could see the trains. I can also remember going to the coast on Sundays (big deal in those days) on the old steam trains. Then, of course, the electric trains took over, and the magic was gone.
Best wishes.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2011 10:17:43 GMT 1
Yes, there was nothing like standing on a platform when I was just a kid waiting to go for a day at the seaside with my parents. Them all of a sudden a huge magnificent steam belching animal would appear. shaking the ground. Thanks to the East Lancs Railway those days have return. I'm posting a link to the E.L.R. for you and anyone else to have a look at. www.east-lancs-rly.co.uk |
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Post by Jazz on Jan 19, 2011 11:46:27 GMT 1
As a boy, us kids used to walk up & down "the bank" from our homes in Howdon to our primary school in Willington Quay passing the railway line (Metro now, but old electric trains then). Steam engines carrying coal would also use this track & we would race up the stairs of the wooden bridge (no longer there) & revel in the delight of the pressurised steam forcing its way through the cracks in the planking! Simple pleasures that kids perhaps would think a bit "beyond them" now, or maybe not, I don't know?! It was also quite fascinating to see the signalman working the levers in his signal box & giving us kids a wave as we passed by. Howdon station then had a staff of at least 3, maybe 4, not including the signalman. A roaring coal fire was provided in the waiting room on cold winter mornings & you got your tickets from a small window to a cosy wooden floored office. Everyone knew the railway staff by their first names & on talking to people now they still remember them with affection. A different world!   One of the ticket collectors/porters was obviously gay & very "camp" rather like Sean in "Coronation Street"....he was rumoured to be an amateur ballet dancer, I've never had my ticket punched in such a graceful manner...ha, ha, ha!  As a postscript to this...a little of my criminal past comes to light.....there was a "Trebor Refreshers" machine on the wall in the station & by a little bit of jiggling with the control knob, after putting you're money in, you could empty the machine!! Twenty or so packets for the price of one!! The whole of the boys school knew about this.....it must have put a dent in Trebor's profits.....ha, ha, ha! ;D |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2011 12:45:48 GMT 1
I don't know about kids today enjoying simple pleasures, many are gone but I've travelled quite a few time on the Heywood to Rawtenstall line on the stream train. On a sunny warm day there's always lots of kids waiting for the stream train and waving at the driver and passengers just like we did at that age.
I hope "had my ticket punched" Isn't a euphemism. ;D ;D ;D
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Post by Ann1 on Jan 20, 2011 12:57:55 GMT 1
My dad worked for the railway, so we had free passes and travelled everywhere by train We had a bridge (called Station Bridge - very inventive the Welsh  ) and as kids used to stand on it and wait for a train to go under and get covered in steam - and smuts!!!! There was a distinctive smell to it. He had his office in the "loco shed" - where the engines went to be repaired and cleaned etc - and as a kid I used to love going there and seeing the engines close up! There seemed huge then, I must have been about 8/9 and there was only a narrow path to get to dad''s office, which was right at the end of the shed. I used to like the engines with "ears"! It was like a real life Thomas the Tank Engine there!!
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Post by Jazz on Jan 20, 2011 13:52:13 GMT 1
I don't know about kids today enjoying simple pleasures, many are gone but I've travelled quite a few time on the Heywood to Rawtenstall line on the stream train. On a sunny warm day there's always lots of kids waiting for the stream train and waving at the driver and passengers just like we did at that age. I hope "had my ticket punched" Isn't a euphemism. ;D ;D ;D No, no, no Milky!....I've just added a bit more to that post......"twiddling with the control knob" has no other hidden meaning...ha, ha, ha!!!  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2011 18:55:46 GMT 1
We lived on the main road (around 6/7 years old) and my mother in the school holidays saw me across the road and I set off on my three wheeler bike 500 yards up the road to a level crossing with a footbridge. We all used to be on the bridge watching the train from there. I also has my Micky Mouse Timex watch on, because I had to be back at a certain time and I dare not be late because my mother was waiting to take me across the road.
Sounds like that conductor had much in common with a stream train.................always had a tender behind. ;D ;D ;D
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Post by patsie on Jan 20, 2011 23:30:10 GMT 1
Jazz - I lived in Howdon, and remember the station and the bridge that you described. Can't remember a school down the bank in Willington Quay though - so must be a lot older than you. I went to St. Aidan's RC School - along the "black path" behind Howdon station. Also remember the Stephensons (sp?) school on the other side of the station, my cousin went there.
Where did you live in Howdon - sorry, maybe I shouldn't ask on here.
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Post by Roma on Jan 20, 2011 23:42:25 GMT 1
:'(You are all making it sound very nice and interesting, if you have photo's of them day's why don't you put them on here ;D
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Post by Fairscup on Jan 21, 2011 9:10:13 GMT 1
As a boy I had trainspotting as a hobby (before film makers gave the word a whole new meaning). Spent hours at the Central Station recording numbers and names of all the engines, steam and diesel that passed by.
There was a special area for us, right at the end of the platforms and close to the diamond crossing which at the time was the largest in the world.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2011 11:33:27 GMT 1
:'(You are all making it sound very nice and interesting, if you have photo's of them day's why don't you put them on here ;D I do have but I'm not sure how to post them, could you tell me how on the "How do I............?" thread. In the mean time I'll get in touch with the local paper and see if they have and vintage photos of the town. |
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Post by Jazz on Jan 21, 2011 12:18:30 GMT 1
Jazz - I lived in Howdon, and remember the station and the bridge that you described. Can't remember a school down the bank in Willington Quay though - so must be a lot older than you. I went to St. Aidan's RC School - along the "black path" behind Howdon station. Also remember the Stephensons (sp?) school on the other side of the station, my cousin went there. Where did you live in Howdon - sorry, maybe I shouldn't ask on here. Patsie, yes I lived in Howdon from 1945 onwards to about 1970....then moved to Tynemouth where I am now. The school "down the bank" was the Addison Potter which is no longer there...now knocked down & sheltered accomodation in its place. I did start at the Bewick School but we moved house, hence different school. The Bewick is also gone & a medical centre now stands there. My senior school was the "Stivvies" ie Stephenson Sec. Mod. & I remember well the "black path" to St. Aidans....again, vanished from the scene! Stephenson School was demolished but a new primary school of the same name is there now. I think we are the same age & I did know one or two people who used to go to your old school......small world! |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2011 9:29:50 GMT 1
Not Heywood but some old photos of Bolton (8 miles from Heywood)
Having seen old photos of Newcastle, on allot of these photo it's hard to tell which city's which.
The music is the Ashokan Fairwell (Jay Unghar) Written as a tribute to Abraham Lincoln.
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Post by Shadow on Feb 24, 2011 23:10:42 GMT 1
Just found this thread-blimey how did I miss it  My dad also worked on the railway for 25 years-first as the coalman on the steam engines then as a driver.And my parents house also has the main East coast rail line at the bottom of the garden so I've almost grown up around trains.Christmas parties at the railway mans club in Gateshead was a regular event for my sister and me as well as visits to Gateshead Depot with my dad Just opposite our house we also had another track-where Sainburys Team Valley now is-and I remember seeing the steam engine chugging round it-I think it supplied the pits in the areas. Did the trainspotting too-I used to know so much about them-from both my dad and from books. I have a very vague memory of being taken in the old guards vans with my dad too.And we got the free passes too Travel by train has changed so much.These days its more like being herded onto a cattle truck and paying over the odds for the experience.Things went downhill with the introduction of the HST. |
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) and as kids used to stand on it and wait for a train to go under and get covered in steam - and smuts!!!! There was a distinctive smell to it. He had his office in the "loco shed" - where the engines went to be repaired and cleaned etc - and as a kid I used to love going there and seeing the engines close up! There seemed huge then, I must have been about 8/9 and there was only a narrow path to get to dad''s office, which was right at the end of the shed. I used to like the engines with "ears"! It was like a real life Thomas the Tank Engine there!! 
I've seen Newcastle United win silverware!
