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Roath, Cardiff


Pixie

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Just had a very quick 'catch up' with this fantastic thread, only one word can describe what you've achieved so far - WOW! Will go back and have a proper read through in a bit.

 

Oh - congrats on 'passing out' at last too, well done mate wink.gif .

 

Cheers Nidge! Really starting to miss Uni now, even though it got quite stressful near the end it gave me a good excuse to be a doss git for 11 months of the year!

 

 

One thing I did to my 25 that improved the look of it was to build up the nose height by IIRC 1.5mm. I copied it from an article in MRex by Pete Johnson. That huge gap between the nose and the central windowreally marks the model as a Hornby body rather than a model of a 25.

 

Thanks David - I knew there wasn't something quite right around the front end although I couldn't quite put me finger on it! I've not actually got Pete Johnson's article so I'll have to do some digging for a back issue.

 

You keep rolling out the piccies, I'll keep boring you with memoirs.

 

Deal! I've said it before, and I stick by it, but they're a great read Bri. Please keep 'em coming!

 

As for 'The Double Diamond Club' which closed many moons ago; before yours truly had passed his test he decided to treat his dear old mum by purchasing tickets for her to see the "Big O " at this Caerphilly establishment. This meant taking the train to Aber Jct. then undertaking a hike of Robert Falcon Scott proportions to the club. On the night of the show, dear old mum shared a table with Alan Evans (Treherbert) who at that time, together with Leighton Rees (Ynysybwl) were the two best darts players in the world !

 

Did you ever treat her to a trip to...?

 

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...or your Dad to...

 

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Go for a local (to Roath) builder such as J.C.Merrett IIRC he was in Alfred St. (Lane) ?

 

I had my eyes on these guys for a model - again the logo is very much of the time and they're based more or less where I assume 'my' Roath would have been.

 

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does the 'Rag Mag' have the infamous 'baked bean' story in it, the authors seemed to take great delight in re-hashing that joke year, after year, after year, after ......

 

I can't see it although having a read through some of the gags it's clear that race, religion and sexuality were not out of bounds back then!

 

This afternoon I took the chance to plant the demolished weighbridge hut and build up some of the rubble around it. It looks a little odd being so close to a running line but some of the photos I've used as inspiration shows that it wasn't out of the norm at the time. I guess health and safety laws were far more relaxed! I still need to add some more debris on the inside of the building but it's getting there.

 

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And finally an arty one from a play with my most recent new toy. This German stuff is niiiiiiccee... cool.gif

 

spadger019.jpg

 

OMS -

 

Pix

 

PS - I wonder where she is now?!

 

scan0003.jpg

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"Presented" seems to have had a different meaning back then - where's Dave's left hand?!!!  Mind you, the picture of Linda looks a bit like a different face rather badly cut out and stuck on another body!

 

Meanwhile, back at the other modelling - nice stuff.  I drop in regularly when updates.  Like the "scenes" in the other pics in the same posting - understated is probably the word I'm looking for.

 

Cheers,

 

26power

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PS - I wonder where she is now?!

 

scan0003.jpg

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She definitely has an interestingly shaped head and face; I imagine that is what Brian Blessed's head would look like, were he to shave his beard off and grow his hair long, glam rock style

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Never treated dear old ‘mam’ to a night at the “New Theatre†– I still pass it most days on my lunchtime expeditions to Smiffs and Ian Allan.

 

Around from 1970 for three summers I worked as a labourer for Cardiff City Council and one summer was spent on the refurbishment of the New Theatre, and gained an intimate knowledge of the building (a bit like that Phantom chap). One of my workmates at the time had been a former spotting chum and Dart Valley volunteer another was later handed a life sentence for murdering a neighbour by clubbing him to death !

 

Each summer the murderer and I would spend a couple of weeks working on “The Cardiff Searchlight Tattoo†an outstanding military spectacle of the time, held in Cardiff Castle – my father would build the scenery for mock battles on the side of Army Bedford trucks using a framework of scaffold poles, then wooden frames with hessian stretched over and the scenery painted on by council painters eg the farmhouse at waterloo, or the mission station at Rorke's Drift. Whereas my role was building the portable ‘bogs’ and cleaning the ‘Elsan pans’ !

On a more serious note, beating the retreat and ‘Sunset’ remain embedded in my heart as a result of this job.

.

Around 1978/79 the (new) bride and I considered buying a former GWR railway house near Llantrisant West level crossing a couple of hundred yards from “The Vale Country Club†which, by reputation was locally second only to “the cracker factory†in Beddau.

However, a nearby foundry and the alleged smell from the Staedtler pencil factory put us off. Within a short time both plants closed. !!

 

Entertainment ‘for the masses’ in Cardiff at this time was taken care of at “Tito’s†in Greyfriars Road, “Top Rank†in Queen Street, “Bumpers†in the Castle Arcade and for cabaret afficianados “The Ocean Club†on Rover Way.

 

As for the skip in your photos, during your time frame Cardiff City Council were using what we referred to as "Demspter Dumpsters" which was a large closed, almost square metal box, lifted by what looked like a garbage truck with the lifting arms on the front, and which lifted the 'dumpster' up, over the cab and emptied it into a compactor at the rear, similar to a normal 'bin wagon'.

 

The "Dempster" may have been a product made under licence by Powell Duffryn, but I'm not 100%. They were useful for catching and carrying away the sawdust from the sawmill and carpenter's shop at the Trade St. depot where I worked. A lot of waste was carried away on everyday tippers and disposed of at the council landfill tips then in use at (i) Bessemer Road and (ii) Ipswich Road. Here we would fight a constant battle with 'tatters' mainly Irish travelling types who would have the stuff away before it touched the ground ........ unless it was scrap cable, ferrous metal or fruit from Bessemer Road market, then it didn't get past the weighbridge !

 

And .. Dave Edmunds – “I hear you knocking†!!!

.

Brian R

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And .. Dave Edmunds – “I hear you knocking†!!!

.

Brian R

 

Not forgetting "Sabre Dance" by Love Sculpture of which Dave was one-third. John Peel liked that track so much he played it twice on one programme. His producer, the legendary Bernie Andrews, had anticipated this and structured the running order accordingly. That's what he told me anyway, at a party on the night that Kenneth Horne died.

 

This thread evokes more happy memories than any other on RMWeb!

 

Chris

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Brian,

Dempster Dumpsters are still about- I saw one of the vehicles equipped to handle them on my way to the cratch the other day. They're a very old idea (well, older than us, anyway..):-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dempster_Dumpmaster

Who were the other two thirds of Love Sculpture? Fond memories of hearing this at school bops in the early 1970s.

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Each summer the murderer and I would spend a couple of weeks working on “The Cardiff Searchlight Tattoo†an outstanding military spectacle of the time, held in Cardiff Castle – my father would build the scenery for mock battles on the side of Army Bedford trucks using a framework of scaffold poles, then wooden frames with hessian stretched over and the scenery painted on by council painters eg the farmhouse at waterloo, or the mission station at Rorke's Drift. Whereas my role was building the portable ‘bogs’ and cleaning the ‘Elsan pans’ !

On a more serious note, beating the retreat and ‘Sunset’ remain embedded in my heart as a result of this job.

 

 

I remember the Searchlight Tattoo very well - my cousin and I would get to go along, always a great treat, along with the fireworks at the end of Barry summer fete! (a fete worse than death, some have said).

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From Wikipedia:

 

"Love Sculpture formed in Cardiff in 1966 out of the remnants of another local band called The Human Beans[2], and disbanded in 1970, although Edmunds went on to enjoy solo success in the 1970s. The band itself was essentially a showpiece for Edmunds' considerable technical ability on the guitar. Love Sculpture mostly performed blues standards, slightly revved-up, but still largely reverent to the originals, releasing their debut album, Blues Helping with such songs as "Summertime", "Wang Dang Doodle" etc. They are best known for their 1968 novelty hit in the UK Singles Chart, a high speed cover version of the classical piece "Sabre Dance", by Aram Khachaturian, released on the Parlophone label (R 5744). The recording was inspired by Keith Emerson's classical rearrangements.[3] "Sabre Dance" became a hit after garnering the enthusiastic attention of British DJ John Peel[3]. In December 1968, the UK music magazine, NME, reported that Love Sculpture had signed a U.S. recording contract with London Records, guaranteeing £250,000.[4] The band were also given an invitation to perform "Sabre Dance" live, on the German Beat-Club television programme of Radio Bremen, being broadcast in monochrome at that time.

 

This was followed by a second album Forms and Feelings, with songs including: "In The Land of the Few", "Farandole", "People People", "Seagull (West Coast Oil Tragedy)", written by Paul Korda, and the equally fast cover of Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me". The U.S. version of the album also featured a recording of "Mars" from Gustav Holst's The Planets, but Holst's estate refused to license the tune for the U.K. version.

 

They recorded three times for BBC Radio 1's John Peel sessions in 1968 (twice) and 1969.[5]

 

In 1970 Mickey Gee joined the band as a second guitarist, and Terry Williams replaced Rob Jones on drums.[6]

 

Love Sculpture split up after a U.S. tour, having recorded two albums. Edmunds shortly went on to further number one hit success with "I Hear You Knocking", and collaborated heavily with ex-Brinsley Schwarz bassist Nick Lowe, eventually forming the band Rockpile with him."

 

Chris

 

 

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Aahh, Mickey Gee, another Cardiff legend. Sadly, he died last year. Former Tom Jones, Dave Emunds and Shakey sideman.

 

Seen here with fellow Cardiff boy (and "presenter" of errm beauty queens) Dave Edmunds, and Andy Fairweather Low who himself hails from just up the Rhymney valley.

 

It's great to see the clippings from the Football Echo by the way. Puts me in mind of Brains Dark and Clark's pies. Very evocative.

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She definitely has an interestingly shaped head and face; I imagine that is what Brian Blessed's head would look like, were he to shave his beard off and grow his hair long, glam rock style

 

Some of the runners up mugshots are 'interesting' in all, although one of them looks a hell of a lot like my old housemate from Cardiff.

 

scan0005kr.jpg

 

Each summer the murderer and I...

 

That sounds like the start of a slightly twisted fairy tale!

 

As for the skip in your photos, during your time frame Cardiff City Council were using what we referred to as "Demspter Dumpsters" which was a large closed, almost square metal box, lifted by what looked like a garbage truck with the lifting arms on the front, and which lifted the 'dumpster' up, over the cab and emptied it into a compactor at the rear, similar to a normal 'bin wagon'.

Brian,

Dempster Dumpsters are still about- I saw one of the vehicles equipped to handle them on my way to the cratch the other day. They're a very old idea (well, older than us, anyway..):-

http://en.wikipedia....ster_Dumpmaster

 

One of the metal bins would make a nice item to have knocking around the yard - I'll do a little digging and speak to some bin-men friends to see what I can find. Thanks for the heads up.

 

I would say that the weigh office remains are superbly dilapidated, if those words go together...ohmy.gif

 

I tihnk they go together very well - there's something about urban decay that a pristine street just hasn't got but thena gain I think a loco looks more inspiring in Barry condition than it does ex-works! A great site for inspiration on this kind of thing is http://www.flickr.co...57600246227329/, nothing special just evocative, porridge views of in and around Cardiff. The authors book is well worth a read too, although it seems to go for silly money at times.

 

(have you put a bit of plaster and whitewash on some of the bricks in the skip?wink.gif )

 

I have now wink.gif I also fancy doing some corner bits which seem to survive demolition quite well, I guess as they're a lot stronger. Only issue it trying to work out how to build them using the individual bricks and keeping them square... something to mull over.

 

 

Something topical for the Roath era from my collection.

 

Ah - ace, I've been musing over a logo for Roath Furnishings for sometime. A little bit of tidying up in Paintshop and I'll bung it on the transfer sheet!

 

I've not been looking forward to it but yesterday I decided to take the bull by the horns and start painting all the terraced houses. After reading Craig's article in the most recent MRJ, I though I'd try the military modelling method of starting with black and getting progressively lighter and lighter. I think the stone work is almost there now and the bricks just need a little picking out and the windows and doors painting. I'll also get to add some super-dated looking curtains at last from the old Hornby terraced house kits.

 

dscf2257.jpg

 

OMS -

 

Pix

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Anyone remember Monkey Dust which used to be on BBC3 about 5 years ago? I stuck it on while sorting some things out this afternoon and inspiration struck...

 

mrhoppy.jpg

 

MISSTTTEERRRRR HOOPPPPPPPPPPPPIIIEEEEE!

 

OMS -

(1:09 in if anyone has no idea what I'm talking about)

 

Pix

 

 

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PS - I wonder where she is now?!

 

scan0003.jpg

 

Well, in the Summer of 1976 a Linda J Mills married a Simon N James in South Glamorgan - so maybe she has now just celebrated her 34th wedding anniversary of being chained to the kitchen sink?

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Right Cardiffians - I need to pick your minds. When it was bin day, did the rubbish go out as individual black bags or in metal bins? Extra brownie points if anyone can remember the day of the week which Roath's collection was on in the summer of '71!

 

Haha ace though you need to draw the face on it wink.gif.

It's facing the wall wink.gif

 

Great! What is it made from?

 

Just a ball of filler and two bits of handrail wire. I'm amazed that Prieser or any of the figure manufacturers have produced one, especially after seeing some of the wierd and wonderful things that you can get.

 

Well, in the Summer of 1976 a Linda J Mills married a Simon N James in South Glamorgan - so maybe she has now just celebrated her 34th wedding anniversary of being chained to the kitchen sink?

 

It could well be - it'd be interesting to know what she's up to now. Unless she's married to an RMweb member she'll never know that she's been talked about!

 

OMS - Nothing.

 

Pix

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I never lived in Cardiff, so it may have been an exception, but I don't recollect seeing bin-bags around until the back end of the 1970s. Llanelli was still using bins (initially steel, then plastic) until then (the council even issuing trolleys to make them easier to bring out from the back of the house), as was Bristol. When black bags first came out, most people still used the bin, and lined it with the black bag- at least it put an end to scrubbing out the bin, one of the great South Walian customs, along with scrubbing the front step and weeding the pavement in front of the house... My take on 'cleaning the bin' was to put some rags soaked in para in the bottom and torch it- it b***ered up the bin, unfortunately.

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Thanks for the information on the bins chaps - I'll have to get hold of some. I've been given a bit of impetus to model my refuse lorry having some across this image (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ben_salter/4860692650/in/set-72157624526708361/) which has given me a suitable prototype - just got to find some drawings now! The whole gallery (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ben_salter/sets/72157624526708361/with/4912303035/) is must-view viewing for anyone into Cardiff in the early 70s, some seriously tasty and useful photos.

 

Pix

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Thanks for the information on the bins chaps - I'll have to get hold of some. I've been given a bit of impetus to model my refuse lorry having some across this image (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ben_salter/4860692650/in/set-72157624526708361/) which has given me a suitable prototype - just got to find some drawings now! The whole gallery (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ben_salter/sets/72157624526708361/with/4912303035/) is must-view viewing for anyone into Cardiff in the early 70s, some seriously tasty and useful photos.

 

Pix

 

Great link Pix but all those roads in Cardiff look seriously quiet for the 1970s!

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My suspicion Mike is that these were taken early (5 or 6 am early) on damp summer mornings which might explain the lack of traffic. I did a fair bit of cycling around Cardiff at that time of day last summer, the light - not to mention the apparent humidity - is familiar. The Shelvoke and Drewry dustcarts were the subject of a Dinky model I think, so if you can track down one of those and some leading dimensions an approximation of the body should be easy enough - the cab might be somewhat tricky (unless your name's Geoff Kent...).

 

Of more prosaic interest is a real '70s 'Brains' Bridge:

 

Windsor Rd

 

DMU crossing Windsor Rd

 

Adam

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