Recent content by alan bartlett

If my memory serves me it was about half way down Rookery Road on the right. Was called the Rookery Cinema in the day but it became a dance hall and played some fantastic soul music. It was set back from the main road with steps up to the entrance. Today I believe there is a mosque there. We...

I remember the Metro underneath Snow Hill Station and the brilliant Handsworth Odeon. Our local club was the Carlton.soon to become Mothers, in Erdington.

OO, you naughty boy.

Yes, that is correct. A very strange thing.

A good friend of mine Steve Young worked in the garage working on the lorries, mid 60's. Commer 2 strokes if I remember.

That is correct, who was your father, Raymond or David?

I only knew Steve from school(Warren Farm) and occasionally in the College. I believe he has passed away now.

Welcome, we are family.

Was it Needless Alley where the German Beer Cellar was. That was down stairs, Good beer aswell.

Yes it was indeed rough. We drank similar in Torquay on our many weekend visits. Very strong stuff, you could not drink too much of it, fire water. Do you remember the Aussie White wine from Yates Wine Lodge in Corporation street. That was a good primer before going to Rebecas.

Ha Ha. Good on you for doing that. Do'nt think it would have worked with some of us, we had a job to stand up straight. The bouncers would not let you in if you were bladdered, and we were as a rule. Someone mentioned the cider, I had forgotten about that. Stella of it's day.

Cert were long queues down the side ally. If you did'nt get there early enough you could not get in, full up. You needed ear defenders when you walked through he doors at the top of the stairs. Great days.

Great story, it must have been such a busy depot in the early 1900,s. Always had more atmosphere than Aston, Saltley or Tyesley.

Yes you are correct with the 3E code, the depot was recoded 21E on 20/6/60. A further recode took place in september 1963 when it became 2H. Closure was in march 1967 and was demolished during 1968. I have an excellent book about the depot by Tony Higgs, well worth a read if you can find a copy.

I was a regular visitor to 21E Monument Lane in the early sixties, when the the 2P,s were stored there. On the opposite side of the main line was the DMU/ carriage shed. You could hear trains coming up the tunnel from New Street, they made a deep booming sound then burst out into daylight...