Search results

Hi Dave, it was in Aston Church Road where the road passes over the derby line. The stetchford line ran parallel with the road on a separate bridge. Its still possible to get down there, in fact the spur off into the old carriage works is still in frequent use today. If you were a Stanier man...

We used to ride on top of the coal in the barges going along the Witton Canal, they were mostly pulled by horses then, but the posh ones had engines. Also we would feed the horses at the locks, Oh to be young again!!!!

Does anybody remember Henry Joiners, of Short Heath Road. I used to stand by their gate watching the lorries going out and moving about in the yard. Probably accounts for my 40 years truck driving, but they were real lorries then. There was a firm down by Bromford Bridge, they took their trucks...

Probably was, you never forgot Ada, very loud. She stopped working behind the bar in her later years but was allways in there for a drink, that would have been in the 70,s. I think she passed away late 70,s early 80,s.

Classic shot Ray. I see a Type 4 there on the "diesel serviceing roads", what a joke that was but at least Aston tried to keep it a bit clean for the diesels.

Such an imposing building, what do they use it for now?

Hi Mike, its great you remember Grassy Banks, not many spotters knew of it. We used to stand the New st side of the embankment, next to the old Saltley carriage shed, opposite the banker sidings. If a fireman came out of the hut to make up a fire you knew a train was on its way. Watching those...

Thanks for that, I remember it now, there was a nice little model shop down the New st. end.

Ha Ha, very good.

Ex photos, such a shame the collection in town was broken up and sent to different locations. I remember the write up for the crab now, it was a spider crab, caught off the coast of Japan. Its still out there!!!!!!

Cheers Frothblower, its good that you remember Ada, she was as you describe her but a lovely women. Her mother and my mother, her sister were very similar but Ada had the edge. Who else did you know round there, did you know Adas husband Fred?

That Polar Bear looks familiar

Cant believe you don't remember that crab Maria, remember the Grizzly bear. I used to stand about a yard away from the glass case, it looked so real. I will never forget the eyes and the fangs of that tiger. Imagine walking round there about 3 in the morning!!!!!!!. Sweet dreams. Only joking...

Dead right Stitcher, spent many a night at Alex,s in my biker days. There and the Double Zero in Digbeth.

It was Me too, fantastic place, Tho Geno Washington seemed to on quite a lot.

On the subject of back street pubs, does anyone remember the Beer Kellar, It was off of new street up a narrow ally. What a place that was.

We used to go in there from time to time but eventually it became a "no go area" so that was end of our visits, but there were plenty of other decent clubs in town.

The crab was about 4 foot across its legs, horrible looking thing but I always had to see it every time I visited. Car Crash viewing or what. I spent hours in the bird section, I didn,t realise seagulls could grow so big, though to be fair there were not many in Brum, I was only about ten.

Cheers Postie, that would have been it, high wall round it if I remember. It was very popular in its time but as you say was left to rot.

Cheers nick, during our cleaning duties someone would shout out, "open the doors, its Stan Cottrell" it was like watching royalty arriving. He would regale us with tales of his latest tour then disappear off into the darkness. Classic.