Sugar ! > Hi All > > Reading Mikey's post reminds me of my experiences of train travel when I was > nowt but a nipper : > > Anybody remember the machines they used to have where you put a penny in and > could produce a metal strip with your name on it ( an early form of Letraset > ! ). Or my favourite the old chocolate dispensers ? Sixpence I think ! Or a > Frys chocolate bar with gooey white filling - chocolate cream ? > > We used to go to Twickenham quite regularly on an old Southern Region > electric train, quite modern compared with the steam trains I remember going > "up north" on from Kings Cross. The smell of the smoke and steam can never > be forgotten - overnight and no sleep ! > > If I remember they have a whale jawbone in Whitby - near the harbour ? > > I also remember the ice cream man cycling up our road on a tricycle , and > the rag and bone man with his goldfish ! > > Anybody remember penny packets of broken crisps - complete with blue salt > bag ? > > Fancy liquor with cream ? Advocaat or egg flip ? > > Regards > > Dave > > > > After watching some of the days fast trains at Low Fell Station and no > doubt > > being > > black smudged by some as I was always trying to see down the smoke stack > > from the Bridge, I would wander to Gateshead, (C. Durham') Saltwell Park > to > > catch Sticklebacks. The Museum there housed a Marine collection > containing > > many magnificent Tyne Shipbuilders scale models. I nearly wore my nose > out > > on the cases examining every feature. By the entrance were the monstrous > > jawbones of a Blue Whale. Then if cold home via the Swimming Baths to buy > a > > Hot Penny Dippie in the corner shop. ( Cob cut in two & then dipped in > Meat > > gravy.) > > > > The park had: a Maze, not very good as worn out and merely shrubby, > hardly > > a puzzle for nosy kids. Giant outdoor Chess, Draughts Sets & Board which > > fascinated me. It was lovely to see the old uns playing. I wasnt > > interested in the Game just the Chess pieces and the atmosphere of it. > > Bowls later back home in Nottm., grabbed me that way too. I was happy for > > hours just watching the games but with that was the added aspect of pace > and > > accuracy as with our marbles played in dusty scooped out holes in a small > > Victorian Park behind my aunts house. > > > > In the winters a gang of us would roll giant snowballs in the little park, > > allow them to freeze overnight and then carve them out into Igloo's the > > next day with our Sheath Knives and spades. Many a bent beach one > > was cast aside! Amazingly warm from Candle heat. > > > > I recall one prank we got up to, Colleridge Ave was a hill and so unlike > > the Park it was much easier for just a few of us to roll the giants? > After > > one heavy nights 9" snowfall we were all up and out very early, as one did > > at snowtime, and rolled say a dozen of them which made about a 6 ft high > > barricade at the flat crossroads halfway down! It closed the road > > completelyto all traffic! :-)) They had to bring a lorry with a snow > > plough out to > > remove it before the small horsedrawn milk cart arrived. > > Needless to say we having made it scarpered indoors and watched > > the fun from front bedrooms and lounges!! Very oddly no one asked us > about > > it later either? Not even my Uncle who was a tad of a disciplinarian > > stickler and didnt understand children but kind (he also gave me my first > > drink, some fancy liquour with cream). That tho was a touch galling to > us > > not being quizzed about our pride and joy, but looking back now perhaps > the > > adults had enjoyed it too as they all knew very well who had built it & > > would again? > > > > > > Regards, > > > > Mikey. > > Spectemur Agendo. > > Sign seen at the side of a Sussex road: > > SLOW CATTLE CROSSING. NO OVERTAKING FOR THE NEXT 100 YRS. > > > > > > > > > > ==== NORTHERN-ENGLAND Mailing List ==== > > The aims of this list are to create a comradeship of Northerners and those > descendent from Northerners which can be beneficial to tracing the family > history of the region. > > > > > > > > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.230 / Virus Database: 111 - Release Date: 25-Jan-01 > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.230 / Virus Database: 111 - Release Date: 25-Jan-01