odom
Junior Member
Posts: 48
|
Post by odom on Dec 24, 2008 0:55:28 GMT
I'm sure you must all have gotten the I SPY books and used to go on the platforms at both Euston and the Prom Stations to spot the different trains. Remember when the Queen came to the Prom Station? Any one know what year that would be the first time? Around the fifties? We played on the sands by the clock tower until we heard the crowds cheering further down the prom. My Aunty Betty grabbed her two year old and strapped her onto the top of the Silvercross pram and started to run with her other baby new born in the pram. I rushed up from the sands as she called us and clung to the handle running with her and I tripped. Skinning my knees and crying she picked me up as the Queen passed by and then my Aunty proceeded to give me a whooping as I had made her miss the Queen when she had sat under the clock tower for several hours. Dear Elizabeth was not at the top of my hit list for a long time after that. Anyone else have memories of that visit? I also was playing the Alhambra Theater the day it caught fire (In rehearsal I think) and the Moby Dick burned down. We were doing a show with Ronnie Coyles. Ended up doing anothre show at the Heysham Towers holiday Camp for the Summer and a play with Archie Collis at the Central Pier. Odom in America.
|
|
|
Post by accykeef on Dec 24, 2008 15:06:47 GMT
Unfortunately I only came to Morecambe quite recently. My family often told stories about their visits here and tales of early morning walks to Heysham were common around the Christmas meal table and other times of the year. There are many tales to be told about Morecambe's past and this forum is just the place. Thanks for thje memories and a Merry Christmas to you and yours.
|
|
trevnhil
Part of the Furniture
Posts: 2,768
|
Post by trevnhil on Dec 24, 2008 15:52:18 GMT
As most of you will know. Morecambe Promenade Station was the terminus for the electric trains from Lancaster. They travelled from Lancaster Castle station down the incline to Green Ayre station, at th side of the Lune. The driver then walked the length of the train to the cab at the other end, and set off across Greyhound bridge for Morecambe, via Scale Hall Station. At the very end of CHAPTER ONE in this article, are two very interesting pictures. www.forbeslindsay.org.uk/Contents/Chapter_1/body_chapter_1.htmlThere is a picture of the electric trains with the Pantograph collector. And there is an early picture of Green Ayre Station. There are other pictures in the OTHER CHAPTERS that may be of interest. I have used the 'link' method for the pictures, so as not to infringe the copyright. Regards. Trev..
|
|
|
Post by accykeef on Dec 26, 2008 22:30:20 GMT
The building which they say is Green Ayre station looks like the West view of Lancaster Castle station. I always believed Green Ayre to be a much smaller building.
|
|
trevnhil
Part of the Furniture
Posts: 2,768
|
Post by trevnhil on Dec 27, 2008 8:55:29 GMT
Hi Keith. I must admit there seems to be a lot of forecourt in front of the station. I will look into this and get back to you.
Cheers. Trev..
|
|
trevnhil
Part of the Furniture
Posts: 2,768
|
Post by trevnhil on Dec 27, 2008 10:46:43 GMT
And after a bit more research (internet of course) These two views show what a big forecourt Green Ayre had. Cheers. Trev..
|
|
trevnhil
Part of the Furniture
Posts: 2,768
|
Post by trevnhil on Dec 27, 2008 19:08:53 GMT
Here's a picture that I have found of the old Midland Station, when it was at Northumberland street.... Now we are going back before my time..... Honestly Trev..
|
|
|
Post by accykeef on Dec 28, 2008 11:36:14 GMT
All these are back before my time buit local history is interesting. You are right about the Green Ayre station, I always understood it to be a tiny thing but the pics tell a different story. I assume that some of the lines were to the quayside for goods transport. Was the Greyhound bridge widened when it was made into a road or is that its original width?
|
|
|
Post by accykeef on Dec 28, 2008 13:31:49 GMT
|
|
trevnhil
Part of the Furniture
Posts: 2,768
|
Post by trevnhil on Dec 28, 2008 18:22:42 GMT
Whilst I have been looking at railways today, I have been looking at the railways on the old map of Morecambe. Below I will be adding a plan of the Euston road railway station, which as you know is now a builders yard. Also of interest are the tram tracks that are marked on the plan. From Right to left they go past the station and along Euston road. But they then turn left and right to go up Cheapside past the Royalty theatre to Victoria street. The Royalty theatre and Cheapside are no longer there. You may also notice that there is no 'Euston Grove, and therefore no way through to West end road. And the bottom of Queen street does not join up with Euston road near 'sparrow park' These old maps really do fascinate me. Regards. Trev..
|
|
trevnhil
Part of the Furniture
Posts: 2,768
|
Post by trevnhil on Dec 28, 2008 20:07:19 GMT
I have been looking at the TRAM lines on the old maps of Morecambe and Heysham. According to the maps like the ones in the last post, the tram lines from Lancaster did not join up with the ones on the promenade. The lines from Lancaster came along Euston road past the railway station, and continued up Euston road to where Barclays bank is. Another branch went up Cheapside but stopped at the top where it joined Victoria street.
The trams that went along the promenade went from Clarence street, to the Strawberry gardens in Heysham.
There were two tram depots. One at the Battery, and one off Lancaster road where the Netto supermarket is now. I think the tram depot was later the Ribble bus depot.
A bit more potted history for you.
Regards. Trev..
|
|
|
Post by accykeef on Dec 29, 2008 11:08:25 GMT
Thanks Trevor. All this history should be recorded for future generations. I too found the maps interesting and I have downloaded them for future reference. The area where we live is on the 1890 one but it is hard to pinpoint it exactly because it was just a field/marsh then. Does anyone know the history of Kings Street and Wellington Terrace which just seen to be in the middle of nowhere.
|
|
odom
Junior Member
Posts: 48
|
Post by odom on Dec 29, 2008 15:45:42 GMT
I lived on Pedder St. My mum and dad had the fish and chip shop on the corner of Pedder and Nelson until I was 6. My friend Maris, her parents (The Leveys) had the fish and chip shop lower down on the alley next to the pub by the sea cadet hall. The sea cadet hall was then Ms. Nelson's School which I attended until I went to Euston Road. You are right there have been lots of changes in that area. I remember we grew ruhbarb by the railway lines inallotments after the war and other veggies. Loved to climb on the coal slag heeps and climb up onto the gas tower when it was low. Daft stuff that kids do. My gran and grandad lived next door to Thora Hird on Sunnyside off Cheapside I think that road was down off the post office, when her dad Jimmy was the manager of the Royalty theater. All those houses at the bottom used to get flooded every year. I remember them being in a couple of feet of water. The Salvation Army Hall was down that way and they had great jumble sales. I liked to cut through all the little alley ways that ran behind all the streets back then. Jean
|
|
trevnhil
Part of the Furniture
Posts: 2,768
|
Post by trevnhil on Dec 29, 2008 16:44:24 GMT
Hi Jean. So your memories have been well stirred up then. I lived in Heysham in 'the old days'. But of course I came down to Morecambe. I remember the car accessory shop and maybe a garage near the bottom of Cheapside. And I can remember the Salvation Hall in that area. If I remember rightly there was closed up Police station on that street as well. And of course I went to things at the Royalty theatre. I remember seeing 'Toad of Toad Hall' on a trip from Sandylands school. All good memories. Regards. Trev.. PS... I have now found a picture of the bottom of Cheapside. And I see one of the houses has got those new fangled hinged opening lights. I can't see them taking over from sliding sashes..... never. They'll be wanting to make windows out of plastic next ;D
|
|
|
Post by accykeef on Dec 29, 2008 18:56:00 GMT
So the reference to Wellington Terrace is just a marker for comparison. Another isolated street is George Steet which just exists in the middle of nowhere. What was there arouind Euston Road Station which required the station to be sited there? It's a pity Google Earth wasn't around back then, comparing then and now would be fascinating. Who knows what will be around in another 100 years.
|
|