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Mikkel

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I have a thing for GWR stable blocks.  The subject isn't systematically covered in the literature, so in a previous post I tried to obtain a tentative overview of the major types and styles. Since then I’ve been searching Britain from Above, Google street view and old online  maps looking for past and present traces of stable blocks. It's all a bit esoteric, but for what it's worth here is a selection of my favourite 'finds'.

 

 

Westbury

 

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It's 1929 and a plane soars over Westbury, capturing the photo above. The small stable block with the distinctive roof vents can be seen at the entry to the goods yard, a common and logical location for them (Britain from Above. Embedding permitted).

 

 

 

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The stable block at Westbury can be seen in this 1901 map.  The station and goods area was later extensively rebuilt, as can be seen in the photos below and in this map. The stables here were built in 1899, with capacity for three horses. Many of the standard stable blocks on the GWR were built around the turn of the century, when the GWR decided to rely less on agents and do more of its own cartage (National Library of Scotland, Creative Commons).

 

 

 

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A grainy close-up, showing also the cattle dock. There must have been a lovely whiff in this part of the yard! (Britain from Above. Embedding permitted).

 

 

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Toboldlygo of this parish has modelled Westbury stables, using the 4mm Timbertracks kit.

 

 

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Note the manure pit, a standard feature. Thanks to Toboldlygo for allowing use of the photos, there's more about the build in his thread.

 

 

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So, does anything remain of the Westbury stable block today? A look on Google maps suggests that there is in fact a building more or less in the location where the stables were situated!  (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

 

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But alas, it is only the signal box that was built later. Nothing seems to remain of the stable block (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

 

Basingstoke

 

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The stable block at Basingstsoke has had a happier fate. Well, sort of. Lost in a sea of cars, it is seen here on Google Maps in the guise of - appropriately - a car wash. Thanks to Western Star for the tip (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

 

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This 1949-68 series map shows how  the stables at Basingstoke were originally located at the perimeter of the goods yard, near the road. The structure does not appear in pre-1914 maps (National Library of Scotland, Creative Commons).

 

 

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The Basingstoke stable block in Google street view. Looks like the car park has been covered since the first photo was taken (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

 

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Details of the roof vents on the Basingstoke block, which appear to be in original condition (though not the colour!). The vents are often a useful distinguishing feature when looking for stable blocks in aerial photos etc (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

Chipping Norton

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The stable block at Chipping Norton was built in in 1904. In 1929 it was converted - like a number of other stables - to a garage for GWR motor buses  (National Library of Scotland, Creative Commons).

 

 

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Alan Lewis' excellent photo of the Chipping Norton stable block in 1983 (Copyright and courtesy Alan Lewis).

 

 

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The stable block at Chipping Norton lives on today, the only remaining building of that station (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

 

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There's a Royal Mail facility next to it, so the delivery theme hasn't entirely gone (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

 

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The stable block itself seems to be on private property now. It isn't much to look at from the road, but think of all the stories it could tell ! (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

 

Slough

 

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Moving on to the larger types, this is the stable block at Slough in 1928, again conveniently situated between road and yard (Britain from Above. Embedding permitted).


 

 

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The Slough stable block was a fairly large example of what I call the "Archetype" design. The large variants of this design were simply "stretched" versions of the smaller versions. Note the horse drawn vehicles outside. I wonder if they were parked there overnight  (Britain from Above. Embedding permitted).

 

 

 

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Like most stable blocks of the standard designs, the one at Slough had no windows at the back, presumably to keep things quiet for the horses. Prairies on the line!  (Britain from Above. Embedding permitted).

 

 

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Today’s, er, view. The stable block was approx. where blue container/lorry is (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

Park Royal

 

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An aircraft passes over modern day London NW. The red line below shows the extent of what used to be the main GWR goods yard at Park Royal (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

 

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Back in the heyday of the GWR, Park Royal had a 12-stall stable block  (National Library of Scotland, Creative Commons).

 

 

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The stable block at Park Royal was almost identical to the one at Slough, but had an extra door and room for fodder. It is seen here in 1930, illustrating how substantial these buildings were (Britain from Above. Embedding permitted).

 

 

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Here is the Park Royal stable block again in the 1950s, now a good deal shorter! Part of the building has been torn down and has been turned into a garage or similar (Britain from Above. Embedding permitted).

 

 

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My 4mm model of the Park Royal stable block. Details here.

 

 

Handsworth & Smethwick

 

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Multi-storey stable blocks were only found in the major urban areas, where space was in high demand. So far the smallest multi-storey block I have come across is the one at Handsworth & Smethwick, as seen on the Warwickshire Railways site

 

 

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The two storey stable block is seen at the bottom of this map, showing one of the yards at Handsworth & Smethwick. A single storey stable block was located next to it, and can be seen to the right in the photo above  (National Library of Scotland, Creative Commons).

 

 

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I was intrigued to find that the lower sidings of the yard can still be seen on Google maps at the time of writing, now apparently a scrap yard (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

 

 

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It's hard to be certain, but I wonder if the yellow structure top center in this view is in fact the cut-down and shortened remains of the old two-storey stable block? The location and door/window relationship fits - though one window on the left side is missing (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

 

Paddington Mint

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Lastly, a look at the big one - Paddington Mint stables. (Britain from Above. Embedding permitted.)

 

 

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The original stables here were built in 1878, but expanded and rebuilt several time since then.  I've often thought that the interior yard and ramps would make an interesting diorama. There's good info and drawings in Janet Russel's "Great Western Horsepower" (Getty Images, embedding perimitted).

 

 

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A modern day view of the Mint stables (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

 

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The stables now house St Mary's Hospital (Google Maps, Map data ©2019 Google, Google Fair Use principles).

 

 

 

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I found a 1922 view of Paddington Mint on  Britian from Above, and zoomed in. Two horses can be seen on the upper level, bringing life to the scene (Britain from Above. Embedding permitted).

 

 

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I tried to zoom in further to see the horses better. But it's a funny thing, the past: When you try to pin it down...

 

 

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....it slips through your fingers.

 

Edit: If the images re-appear following the Dediserve failure, see the following in the discussion below:

* Tim V's excellent photos of the stable blocks at Witney, Shrewsbury, Westbury, Shipston and Abingdon

* Methusaleh's find of the remaining stable block at Birmingham Hockley

* Ian Major's views of the stable block at Littleton & Badsey

 

 

Edited by Mikkel

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21 hours ago, Tim V said:

A better picture of Moreton in Marsh from 1979. 

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Very nice Tim. 

 

21 hours ago, Tim V said:

 are we sure this is a stable?

 

Reasonably sure. The fundamental design features are right, including the manure pit and the vents beneath the window (replaced in Tim's shot but see link below).

 

10 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

That building is present on the 1919 OS 25" map but was not there on the 1900 edition. Its location alongside the running line and rather remote from the goods yard (on the opposite side of the line and at the other end of the passenger station) does seem to make it rather unlikely as a stable. On the other hand, I can't see a good alternative candidate. 

 

The location is indeed akward. However, although the goods shed is at some distance, the yard itself is just across the tracks via the barrow crossing. Significantly, the exchange sidings behind the stables may well have needed horse shunting (access beneath the footbridge?), and the creamery may have had some deal with the GWR. All of which would mean the stable block was centrally located.

 

This photo on Warwickshire Railways - thanks Stephen - shows the stable block alledgedly in the 1930s: 

https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrmm991.htm

 

(note unusual way of applying two-tone livery to the door by the way, I wonder if the creamery had taken over the structure by this point).

 

There is also a nice overview shot here: https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrmm982.htm

 

An alternative explanation is that this stable block was built specifically to serve the exchange sidings or creamery, with another couple of stalls located separately in the main yard. The old tramway terminus where the yard was built had stables in this building: https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrmm978.htm

 

Edited by Mikkel
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Paris, about 1890 - another amazing restoration. Sharpness, speed corrected, colour and sound added. Almost spooky.... Anyway - lots of horses...!

 

 

 

 

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Many thanks for posting that. Beautifully executed, and many interesting scenes (including firemen at 3:40!).

 

It is also very useful in my current efforts to create the look of early macadam sans tar. The road surface at 1:50 is very similar to the very compact and fine surfaces seen in large British towns around the same time (which is often overlooked as we tend to associate the period with setts etc).

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It also serves to emphasise how little Paris has changed in the last 120 years (traffic apart) compared to most cities. Of course there are all sorts of reasons for that, that needn't be gone over. Splendid model boats too!

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Some things never change - like the umbrella prod to the boy who stood in front of the camera while watching the boats :)

 

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Mikkel;- Another one right up your alley. Reprocessed film from 1901. It's so good it's spooky. Great detail of the dress of working people in northern England in 1901. It's like looking through a time-travellers wormhole back a hundred and thirty years..... It's strangely addictive....

 

 

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Where is that? Boys' behaviour has not changed.

 

Now we need the one filmed in a Great Western goods yard...

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On 14/03/2020 at 09:10, Miss Prism said:

Paddington stables, 1936

 

Thanks Miss P, have only seen this with copyright splashed all over it. It is a lovely photo. Lighting arrangements seem rather limited!

 

 

2 hours ago, Methuselah said:

Mikkel;- Another one right up your alley.

 

Thanks again Methusaleh! Wormhole indeed. I couldn't help thinking: Am I looking at them or are they looking at me? The sound is pretty effective too, the murmur of time.

 

As you say, lots to learn from the clothing. No dandy boaters here...

 

PS: Nothing like a good fight to end the working day [4:58]:

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Edited by Mikkel
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Just noticed that the cart is getting ready for weighing - a shame the camera cuts away here:

 

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4 hours ago, Methuselah said:

....Reprocessed film from 1901. It's so good it's spooky. Great detail of the dress of working people in northern England in 1901. It's like looking through a time-travellers wormhole back a hundred and thirty years..... It's strangely addictive....

 

I was trying to see if the Passion Play poster gave any indication of location but couldn't spot anything.  Presumably it indicates that it was filmed around Easter, perhaps as the works was breaking for the holiday weekend.

 

Amazing scenes that feel much more immediate than regular jerky monochrome from the period.

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15 minutes ago, ChrisN said:

It is a Michell and Kenyon film.  It has where it was filmed in the original.

Now I see, it starts in Pendlebury Colliery, within Greater Manchester, and later in Rotherham.

Edited by MikeOxon
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Interesting to see people wearing clogs. Clogs seem to have lasted much longer in some parts of the UK. Very comfortable and nigh-on indestructible.... :-)

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8 hours ago, Methuselah said:

Interesting to see people wearing clogs. Clogs seem to have lasted much longer in some parts of the UK. Very comfortable and nigh-on indestructible.... :-)

 

Harold Wilson the British Prime Minister in the 60s and 70s caused an uproar by saying that when he went to school some children did not wear shoes.  He had to qualify the statement later by saying that he did not mean they were barefoot but that they wore clogs.  So this was Liverpool in the 1920s.

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TheQ

Posted (edited)

In the Hebridies when I first lived there in the 1970's a local parent was prosecuted (child cruelty I think it came under) for sending his children to school with out shoes. His defence was he went to school with out shoes and it did him no harm..

Edited by TheQ
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I never saw clogs in general usage, but in the 1950's and '60's, I commonly saw kids playing barefoot in very poor areas in the warmer months.  At the time of my grandfathers childhood in the late 1800's, this was common. Boots were expensive and saved for Sunday Best and church. At the risk of serious thread-drift;-  Jeremy Atkinson is the last traditional clogmaker in England, based in Kington, Herefordshire. https://www.clogmaker.co.uk 

A pal of mine still wears clogs made by Jerry about forty years ago.

Here he is explaining the traditional method of clogmaking. Fascinating ;- 

 

 

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3 hours ago, ChrisN said:

 

Harold Wilson the British Prime Minister in the 60s and 70s caused an uproar by saying that when he went to school some children did not wear shoes.  He had to qualify the statement later by saying that he did not mean they were barefoot but that they wore clogs.  So this was Liverpool in the 1920s.

To which Harold Macmillan reportedly commented, “If Harold Wilson ever went to school without shoes, it was because he was too big for them!”

I have seen people genuinely wearing them as everyday footwear. They were roadies for “New ModeArmy”.

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14 hours ago, Methuselah said:

Interesting to see people wearing clogs. Clogs seem to have lasted much longer in some parts of the UK. Very comfortable and nigh-on indestructible.... :-)

 

Messieurs Stadden and ModelU, are you paying attention? :)

 

Nothing wrong about wearing clogs to school by the way! This is rural Denmark in 1976.  They are traditional to rural Denmark and we wore them frequently. Of course these are more modern designs and in earlier days they would have differed from region to region. 

 

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Meanwhile, at Billingsgate Fish Market in 1930. GWR and LNER wagons in evidence. Note number sign at front of the former. 

 

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Getty Images, embedding permitted.

 

 

Edited by Mikkel
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Mikkel, Which one is you?

presumably the Billingsgate picture is incoming traffic to the market. You may care to remark the traditional fish porter hats, towards the left of the picture one being put to use with a box of fish on his head, another near the two guys in cloth caps, a bit like a bowler hat with a flat top in  leather.

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16 hours ago, Northroader said:

Mikkel, Which one is you?

 

The one in the broad striped sweater looking down. I remember disliking the picture at the time as it made me look like a 'softie' :)

 

16 hours ago, Northroader said:

You may care to remark the traditional fish porter hats, towards the left of the picture one being put to use with a box of fish on his head, another near the two guys in cloth caps, a bit like a bowler hat with a flat top in  leather.

 

Ah very interesting, I did a search and found this photo:  https://www.mirrorpix.com/?11808328521720195614&MEDIANUMBER=00477997

 

Who would have thought Peter Schmeichel worked as a fish porter!

 

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44 minutes ago, Mikkel said:

 

 

The one in the broad striped sweater looking down. I remember disliking the picture at the time as it made me look like a 'softie' :)

 

 

Mikkel,

Northroader beat me too it!  Always interesting to see photos of people and much safer, when on the internet,  to see them from years ago.

 

49 minutes ago, Mikkel said:

Ah very interesting, I did a search and found this photo:  https://www.mirrorpix.com/?11808328521720195614&MEDIANUMBER=00477997

 

Who would have thought Peter Schmeichel worked as a fish porter!

 

 

Well, he was always a safe pair of hands.

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2 hours ago, Mikkel said:

 

 

The one in the broad striped sweater looking down. I remember disliking the picture at the time as it made me look like a 'softie' :)

 

 

Ahhh, bless...

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More speed-corrected  Edwardian equine minutiae for your delectation Mikkel - and some very interesting characters fresh from your Farthing diorama.... :-) . I had to watch this several times - quite poignant when one reflects on the events of the Great War and the Spanish Flue bearing down upon them to change their world forever.

 

 

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Ah yes, that one I knew. There's so much of interest.

 

The horse at 0.01 seems to have a protective sheet/sack draped over its back? The method for fixing the tarp at 0:15 is also interesting. And the well-dressed standing driver (lad?) at 0:18. 

 

I think I might model one of the 'mobile hoardings' at 1:12 on my new layout, which has a public street on it.

 

As you say it is all very emotive. A reminder of what music can do. A bit of quick jazz would have  given a very different impression!  Does anyone know what the music is?

 

Edited by Mikkel
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