please empty your brain below
|
|
Now you are in my former neighbourhood. Back in the 70's 'Aces' used to sell car tyres, they may have done repairs too, but I was young and didn't pay THAT much attention. I fell in the Grand Union Canal once. Not a big deal, it's only a couple of feet deep.:) Heading towards Hangar Lane(past the old Stonebridge aqueduct) Wall's Ice Cream had a factory where the Leather World building is. Good memories.
Jackal | 17.06.14 - 8:04 a.m. | #
|
You past near the sites of old cinemas, the Ritz/Odeon at Hanger Lane, and the Ritz cinema Neasden. Both now demolished.You can read about them on the Cinema Treasures site.
In 1962 I went to the Ace Cafe, I seem to re-call it was freezing cold day. It was busy and the space outside full of bikers.
At the time youth in the UK seemed to be divided into Mods, who wore a suit and rode motor scooters, and Rockers who wore leather jackets with denim jeans and rode motor bikes. The Ace cafe catered for the Rockers. As I never follow fashion it made little difference to me, but I did go to the Ace on a small motor bike. Later I bought a scooter!, not to become a Mod but because it gave more protection from the weather.
John | 17.06.14 - 8:05 a.m. | #
|
|
You didn't mention the highlight of any visit to Hangar Lane gyratory - the Central Line station building plonked right in the middle of the acres of tarmac!
Michael | 17.06.14 - 8:28 a.m. | #
|
Been over that aqueduct a few times. Jackal - it's true most canals are shallow enough to stand up in the the GU is one of the deepest. In many places the 1930s concrete piling is inscribed with the depth to which it was to be dredged - and the distance out from the bank at which this applied. GU boats were the most deep drafted on the system - up to 4'8" when fully loaded and the canal will still take that, so don't fall in in the middle unless you're tall.
While I'm being a pedant, isn't the A5 still Watling Street? It certainly is officially called this in the Midlands, where it's the address of my mooring.
Sarah | Homepage | 17.06.14 - 8:42 a.m. | #
|
My old Manor! I was a milkman with the Express Dairy in the 70's coming out of the depot at Woodside End in Alperton. Every day I passed the old Ace Cafe when it was a run down tyre centre. Never dreamed the cafe would be rebuilt. My first call on the milk round was the Unisys building you mention which was then called Sperry Univac. Then onto the dubious delights of the Stonebridge Estate and Harlesden.
DG, believe it or not, the parallel side road you refer to used to be the main North Circular road. The junction with Heather Park Drive and the North Circular outside the Ace Cafe was always congested. In the early 90's the new underpass and widened North Circular road was built. The old junction is now a small roundabout.
Any old British bikers out there? Have a look at this film from the 60's. This was filmed all round N/W London. Wembley, Rayners Lane and North Harrow. Great stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLAVx19vOZw
| 17.06.14 - 9:16 a.m. | #
|
It appears from the comments on the video footage that the 1939 bomb that damaged the canal bridge was suspected to be the work of the IRA, rather than the Luftwaffe.
@Sarah
The A5 does indeed follow the Roman Road generally known as Watling Street (although the name is Saxon), but this stretch is officially the Edgware Road. (The station of that name is about four miles back towards London, whilst Edgware itself is about another three miles in he other direction)
For a real challenge try doing the South Circular by bus!
timbo | 17.06.14 - 10:39 a.m. | #
|
A great series and fascinating stuff. Although there are interesting things all over London, these sort of not-quite-outer suburban areas don't get much attention.
I read somewhere that one reason for the north-west part of the North Circular being built earlier, and to a better standard at the time, was to try to give some coherence to the (then) county of Middlesex. A fairly doomed attempt, I think.
Malcolm | 17.06.14 - 11:47 a.m. | #
|
Middlesex was certainly more pro-active than its neighbours at road building. Nearly all the new-build NCR was in Middlesex See also the Great Chertsey Road, Great West Road, Western Avenue, Hendon Way etc.
As for the SCR, nearly all of it was in the LCC area, apart from a tiny part in the former county of Surrey.
timbo | 17.06.14 - 12:17 p.m. | #
|
|
I hope the 232 isn't next. I once took that from Wood Green to Wembley IKEA, and it took about three days.
martin | 17.06.14 - 12:41 p.m. | #
|
@Martin
What else could it be?
What I am wondering is whether DG will attempt to follow the modern (and busless) NCR down the Roding Valley, or attempt to follow the original route (A117) from Woodford via East Ham
timbo | 17.06.14 - 2:28 p.m. | #
|
|
@timbo - whatever - DG is a braver man than me.
B | 17.06.14 - 4:36 p.m. | #
|
|
|
TridentScan v2.10.0 | Privacy Policy
|