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Lawrence Hill


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This brings back memories, but for a different though related reason. Above the hut to the right of the 08 in the fourth picture you can make out the legendary Max Williams model shop, spent many happy times (and pounds) there.

 

Wally

Ah - happy days. Spent many a pound in there. They were ever so helpful as well.

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Ah - happy days. Spent many a pound in there. They were ever so helpful as well.

I suspect I may still have got some Kenline castings I bought there in the early/mid 1970s- certainly, there are some on wagons I built around then which still survive.

That long ago, Lawrence Hill was a busy little yard. The yard itself dealt with Aberthaw Cement in Presflos and vans (and possibly another manufacturer as well), along with block trains of bricks from Calvert, carried in former Pipe wagons. It also allowed access to the Blue Circle terminal and scrapyard at Avonside Wharf. The resident shunter was an 03, which stabled under the bridge which had carried the Midland line. One of the more curious sights I saw, when heading back from MWs towards Old Market (the Phoenix beckoned- is it stll there?) was a rake of 35t tanks lettered DAVSxxxx- they were stood on the only track remaining in what had been the Midland goods depot and Barrow Road shed. No idea what they were there for.

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Fantastic photos, I wish I had seen them when I built Pallet Lane which has a shrunken version of the Lawrence Hill cement terminal. The block of flats in the background will appear as part of the backscene on the extension which features the Bus depot also at Lawrence Hill.

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Many Saturday morning trips to Max Williams are amongst my happiest modelling memories to the sounds of I think, Stuart Henry on Radio one? Thanks for rekindling those memories, but please, not "Lawrence Hill", "Lornes 'ill" is the correct vernacular version along with Annum, Snanz and Portzed.(courtesy of "Krek waiters peak bristle")-that dates me!

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Since I first saw Lawrence hill I wanted to recreate it in model form. perhaps in 2 eras 50/60s with the good's shed in operation, and late 80's as I saw it.

 

Wouldn't that be a bit tricky given the vast difference in general upkeep and use between the 1950's & 1980's? Although I agree, Lawrence Hill in model form would be great to see: double points if you can fit in at least part of the Midland mainline.

 

Likewise I have very fond memories of Max Williams. Now there was a proper model shop!

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Fantastic photos, I wish I had seen them when I built Pallet Lane which has a shrunken version of the Lawrence Hill cement terminal. The block of flats in the background will appear as part of the backscene on the extension which features the Bus depot also at Lawrence Hill.

 

Thanks for these, believe it or not, my Auntie Flo used to live in that block. It commanded a fantastic view of the site forming what was Barrow Road, leading down to Dr Day's junction.

 

I missed out on the steam days, and all I can recall is the derelict wasteland left behind, but my Dad gazed lovingly from the 7th floor flat to what used to be the Bristol Midland mecca.

 

Does anyone recall the young lady who ran Max Williams' store after he retired. I think it was his (grand)daughter. I wonder what she's doing now?

 

N

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  • 3 years later...

Some photos of Lawrence Hill 25 years earlier in steam days

 

Always a great place to be, particularly on a Summer Saturday in the early to mid-sixties

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristolsteam/5213891185/in/set-72157632753638570

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristolsteam/5213891281/in/set-72157632753638570 (when the shunter was a pannier tank)

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristolsteam/5650193198/in/set-72157632753638570

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristolsteam/5400478773/in/set-72157632753638570 (at night)

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  • 5 months later...

This brings back memories, but for a different though related reason. Above the hut to the right of the 08 in the fourth picture you can make out the legendary Max Williams model shop, spent many happy times (and pounds) there.

 

Wally

Just looking through this thread. That would not be Max Williams model shop, the photo is showing shops on the other side of the road and about 100 yards further down the road. Max Williams shop would be about 50 yards to left of the station and on the left side of the road. The shop address was 5 Church Road, Lawrence Hill finished at the station.

The young lady running the shop after Max retired was his daughter, I believe her name was Buntie.

 

Regards,  Keith.

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Great to see these pictures brings back memories, buntie is not the name I remember for Max's daughter but at the moment I can't remember the name I used! There's still plenty of new unused old stock bits and bobs are still turning up at toy fairs around Bristol with Max Williams price labels on

The main thing these pics reminded me of is the cement terminal level crossing leading in to Avonside wharf in Avon Street, a fan of eleven tracks including points in one road crossing ,God you had to be awake on a push bike crossing that lot, believe the track was given to the avon valley railway when ripped out

,nice to know what the loco was after all these years as for some reason I only remember the blue circle presflos being shunted and not was pushing them

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Great to see these pictures brings back memories, buntie is not the name I remember for Max's daughter but at the moment I can't remember the name I used! There's still plenty of new unused old stock bits and bobs are still turning up at toy fairs around Bristol with Max Williams price labels on

The main thing these pics reminded me of is the cement terminal level crossing leading in to Avonside wharf in Avon Street, a fan of eleven tracks including points in one road crossing ,God you had to be awake on a push bike crossing that lot, believe the track was given to the avon valley railway when ripped out

,nice to know what the loco was after all these years as for some reason I only remember the blue circle presflos being shunted and not was pushing them

Thinking about it, could her name be Georgina ?

 

Keith.

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Sorry, should have read post 14. Doh!

So what's on/around this site now chaps? Is it a Tesco super store?

P

In the 2nd picture in post 14 that is the Midland line that the 4F is on; it's running down the embankment towards Barrow Road. The Pannier in the foreground is actually in Lawrence Hill yard.

 

It's now a bunch of warehouses and a Lidls, which has been built in the same position and orientation as the old goods shed.

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Thanks Vanders. It is just that I was in Bristol some years ago now, on a course in a private house. I was fairly sure that the old Midland line ran along the back of the house but am now not sure. It would have been north of barrow Hill. However, up the road was a new Tesco type development on what was a Station site I think. Can't remember where it was now - sorry.

P

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Thinking about it, could her name be Georgina ?

 

Keith.

It was a great shop: I was a regular customer there in the 1980s and 1990s. Max's daughter was known as 'Bunty'. I've no idea what her real name was, but she was a lot less intimidating than her father. Mind you, he was much friendlier once he decided you might have some idea what you were talking about.

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