City of Leicester & Leicestershire - The Good and Historical Stuff

[Parafox]

4 hours ago, Wolfox said:

I lived no more than 150m away from it as a kid…. I remember them being bogs, but, I don’t ever recall taking much notice of what is clearly a large handsome building 

 

maybe some form of courtyard garden or something would be nice?  Could be a great cafe too!

A cafe is a good shout but it's in the wrong place. I remember going to visit once when there were steam engines in there.

[davieG]

Posted more for the police cars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Parafox]

9 hours ago, davieG said:

Posted more for the police cars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As always, great pcs bringing back great memories. Thanks DavieG

[davieG]

School Milk Time, well until Mrs Thatcher stooped it and forever became known as Thatcher the milk snatcher.

 

 

Used to be be all warm and going off in the summer and milk ice lollies in the winter pushing off the silver top.

 

Used to cause some fun on occasions when the rumour went out that there was a few short, cue the ok to get yours, desks and chairs went flying even if you didn't want one.

[Wolfox]

37 minutes ago, davieG said:

School Milk Time, well until Mrs Thatcher stooped it and forever became known as Thatcher the milk snatcher.

 

 

Used to be be all warm and going off in the summer and milk ice lollies in the winter pushing off the silver top.

 

Used to cause some fun on occasions when the rumour went out that there was a few short, cue the ok to get yours, desks and chairs went flying even if you didn't want one.

I had the last knockings of free milk in the late 70’s….  We used to have little straws that you pushed into the top….

 

In my class photo from nursery school I’m sat next to a little girl who went on to be the midwife to my firstborn!

[Voll Blau]

 

 

Don Bradman rated the Grand Hotel "Fair" in 1948. Could've been worse judging by some of his reviews!

[davieG]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/abbey-park-road-set-75-5880604

 

Abbey Park Road set for £7.5 million revamp - including new bridge for pedestrians and cyclists
The plans will transform the road and enhance Abbey Park

ByCorey Bedford
22:06, 6 SEP 2021UPDATED13:53, 7 SEP 2021


Abbey Park Road is set for £7.5 million in improvements including a new footbridge (Image: Leicester City Council)
Subscribe today to get the latest Leicestershire headlines straight to your inbox with our free email updates

Abbey Park Road in Leicester is set for £7.5 million in improvements starting this month - including a new footbridge, two new bus lanes, and improvements to junctions.

The plans, announced by Leicester City Council, focus on the new 3.5 metre wide footbridge which will run parallel to the existing road bridge, and can be used by both pedestrians and cyclists.

This is to provide a safer and 'more attractive' route for those on foot or cycling, as well as ensuring there is enough space for cars and buses on the original bridge.

READ MORE: Police appeal after woman allegedly assaulted in her car on Narborough Road

There will also be extensive maintenance work carried out on the two existing road bridges which cross the river and canal - which will result in the road being closed for an extended period of time in Spring 2022.

To add to the scheme, there will be camera-enforced bus lanes running in both directions along the road as part of a plan to give more priority to public transport and encourage more people to use the bus.

This means general traffic will be reduced to one lane, but the council has stressed that the project has been "carefully modelled and designed" to ensure delays and congestion will be avoided.

Another major proposed change is that the small area of car parking in front of the main gates of Abbey Park will be removed.

The plan says the area will be revamped to create a "more welcoming approach" into the park.

Footpaths on the road are also going to be widened, an e-bike docking station will be installed to the west of the River Soar on the road, and there will also be road resurfacing included in the plans.

Alongside this, the city council is planning extensive improvements to Abbey Park Road’s busy junction with the A6 Abbey Lane and Blackbird Road, and also at the nearby junction with Exploration Drive.

Work will be carried out to remodel both junctions to give greater priority to buses.

Currently, the single lane right turn from Abbey Park Road onto Abbey Lane is a pinch point for buses and gets congested at peak times causing delays for all traffic.

The changes will also remove the parking bays out of Abbey Park's main gate (Image: Leicester City Council)
The city council is proposing to change the junction to allow traffic to turn right onto Abbey Lane from two of the three lanes at the junction of Abbey Park Road.

This will involve remodelling the existing splitter islands and a major realignment of the junction. At the same time the existing traffic signals will be upgraded and pedestrian crossings improved.

Works will also be carried out to address delays at the junction of Abbey Lane and Exploration Drive and to improve access to Pioneer Park.

A longer right turn lane will be created for outbound traffic turning right into Exploration Drive from Abbey Lane. This will run from the junction of Byford Way to Exploration Drive.

The initial works on Abbey Park Road are due to begin this month, and the scheme is expected to take up to 18 months to complete.

Works on the junction will begin in October 2021 and will take around six months, while extensive maintenance work on the existing road bridge is scheduled to start from Spring 2022 and will require an extended road closure.

Details regarding the road closure will be revealed closer to the time.

Deputy City Mayor Councillor Adam Clarke, the council's lead member for environment and transportation, said: “It is vital that we continue to invest in encouraging more people to make the shift to cleaner, greener, healthier and more sustainable transport, not least because traffic is responsible for a quarter of our city’s carbon emissions.

“This ambitious proposal to revamp Abbey Park Road will help radically change the way that people think about travelling on this busy route.

"As it stands, the existing road bridge can be a daunting prospect for cyclists, and the introduction of a new footbridge will make this a much more appealing and safer route for all road users.

 

“Ensuring our bus services are reliable and have priority over general traffic on important routes is really important in encouraging more people onto buses.

"We know the introduction of new bus lanes on busy routes can have a major impact on bus patronage, with increases of up to 13 per cent.

“Along with the expansion of the citywide network of safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists, investment in public transport will be vital to meeting our commitment to help further improve the city’s air quality and helping Leicester in its response to the climate emergency.”

[Parafox]

4 hours ago, davieG said:

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/abbey-park-road-set-75-5880604

 

Abbey Park Road set for £7.5 million revamp - including new bridge for pedestrians and cyclists
The plans will transform the road and enhance Abbey Park

ByCorey Bedford
22:06, 6 SEP 2021UPDATED13:53, 7 SEP 2021


Abbey Park Road is set for £7.5 million in improvements including a new footbridge (Image: Leicester City Council)
Subscribe today to get the latest Leicestershire headlines straight to your inbox with our free email updates

Abbey Park Road in Leicester is set for £7.5 million in improvements starting this month - including a new footbridge, two new bus lanes, and improvements to junctions.

The plans, announced by Leicester City Council, focus on the new 3.5 metre wide footbridge which will run parallel to the existing road bridge, and can be used by both pedestrians and cyclists.

This is to provide a safer and 'more attractive' route for those on foot or cycling, as well as ensuring there is enough space for cars and buses on the original bridge.

READ MORE: Police appeal after woman allegedly assaulted in her car on Narborough Road

There will also be extensive maintenance work carried out on the two existing road bridges which cross the river and canal - which will result in the road being closed for an extended period of time in Spring 2022.

To add to the scheme, there will be camera-enforced bus lanes running in both directions along the road as part of a plan to give more priority to public transport and encourage more people to use the bus.

This means general traffic will be reduced to one lane, but the council has stressed that the project has been "carefully modelled and designed" to ensure delays and congestion will be avoided.

Another major proposed change is that the small area of car parking in front of the main gates of Abbey Park will be removed.

The plan says the area will be revamped to create a "more welcoming approach" into the park.

Footpaths on the road are also going to be widened, an e-bike docking station will be installed to the west of the River Soar on the road, and there will also be road resurfacing included in the plans.

Alongside this, the city council is planning extensive improvements to Abbey Park Road’s busy junction with the A6 Abbey Lane and Blackbird Road, and also at the nearby junction with Exploration Drive.

Work will be carried out to remodel both junctions to give greater priority to buses.

Currently, the single lane right turn from Abbey Park Road onto Abbey Lane is a pinch point for buses and gets congested at peak times causing delays for all traffic.

The changes will also remove the parking bays out of Abbey Park's main gate (Image: Leicester City Council)
The city council is proposing to change the junction to allow traffic to turn right onto Abbey Lane from two of the three lanes at the junction of Abbey Park Road.

This will involve remodelling the existing splitter islands and a major realignment of the junction. At the same time the existing traffic signals will be upgraded and pedestrian crossings improved.

Works will also be carried out to address delays at the junction of Abbey Lane and Exploration Drive and to improve access to Pioneer Park.

A longer right turn lane will be created for outbound traffic turning right into Exploration Drive from Abbey Lane. This will run from the junction of Byford Way to Exploration Drive.

The initial works on Abbey Park Road are due to begin this month, and the scheme is expected to take up to 18 months to complete.

Works on the junction will begin in October 2021 and will take around six months, while extensive maintenance work on the existing road bridge is scheduled to start from Spring 2022 and will require an extended road closure.

Details regarding the road closure will be revealed closer to the time.

Deputy City Mayor Councillor Adam Clarke, the council's lead member for environment and transportation, said: “It is vital that we continue to invest in encouraging more people to make the shift to cleaner, greener, healthier and more sustainable transport, not least because traffic is responsible for a quarter of our city’s carbon emissions.

“This ambitious proposal to revamp Abbey Park Road will help radically change the way that people think about travelling on this busy route.

"As it stands, the existing road bridge can be a daunting prospect for cyclists, and the introduction of a new footbridge will make this a much more appealing and safer route for all road users.

 

“Ensuring our bus services are reliable and have priority over general traffic on important routes is really important in encouraging more people onto buses.

"We know the introduction of new bus lanes on busy routes can have a major impact on bus patronage, with increases of up to 13 per cent.

“Along with the expansion of the citywide network of safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists, investment in public transport will be vital to meeting our commitment to help further improve the city’s air quality and helping Leicester in its response to the climate emergency.”

It looks to be a good plan but we'll see. Soulsby's war on the general motorist continues.

[davieG]

 

 

 

Silver St / High St 

 

No date but seems like Mid to late 60s

[Parafox]

8 hours ago, davieG said:

 

 

 

Silver St / High St 

 

No date but seems like Mid to late 60s

Great photo I wonder if that 33 bus was going to East Park Road, as that seems familiar.

Also my first car was a Ford Anglia. The car in the forefront left.

Edited 10 September 2021 by Parafox

[davieG]

2 minutes ago, Parafox said:

Great photo I wonder if that 33 bus was going to East Park Road, as that seems familiar.

That sounds right for that ear, if you enlarge the photo it looks like that. 

[davieG]

   

 

The George Hotel. Clock Tower demolished to make way for the Haymarket.

Colourised by Made in Leicester

[Wymsey]

Happy birthday, Leicester Royal Infirmary.

It deserves sprucing up, now.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/10-things-you-probably-didnt-5908605

Edited 13 September 2021 by Wymsey

[davieG]

 

Not watched/listened to this.

[davieG]

[Paninistickers]

2 hours ago, davieG said:

 

Not watched/listened to this.

Fascinating. Two immediate thoughts....1) Leicester has always seemed a tough  crowd to win over. The audiences looked very hard to please indeed.  I have some strange recollection that Ken Dodd  claimed the De Mont was his toughest gig. 

 

2) has any city in the UK changed its cultural identity as much as Leicester in the last 40 years? I can only think of London. 

[davieG]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM3ba3CQjTU

 

4K UHD | LITTLE INDIA (LEICESTER - UK) | Walking on Belgrave Road

[jgtuk]

12 hours ago, davieG said:

 

Not watched/listened to this.

I remember being taken around some of these clubs as a kid. My uncle was a drummer and his various bands toured locally for years. The Billy Walsh Showband in this clip was one he played in although that's not him in the clip.

I also remember meeting Bill Maynard in a WMC at some point although I didn't really know who he was...

[The Fox Covert]

On 10/09/2021 at 11:34, davieG said:

 

 

 

Silver St / High St 

 

No date but seems like Mid to late 60s

Don't remember Swears and Wells. A little bit before my time. Then there was the Irish. Picture from the Merc.

[Webbo]

On 13/09/2021 at 19:55, davieG said:

 

Not watched/listened to this.

Most of those clubs are gone now, the LAOB The Manchester, The Boot and Shoe, The Belgrave Lib, its a shame really but we're relying on the bingo at the end and that was never going to be sustainable. 

[davieG]

Leicester 1903...It was known as The Elecric Tramway Seige...This pic shows you the navvies eye view.It took them all of 10 days to lay this spaghetti junction of track.The Clock Tower is far left.Belgrave Gate in front and Humberstone Gate off to the right.

 

EastGates July 1950...Up they come.

[davieG]

Notice all the ornate buildings in the background including the Grand Hotel. Fortunately most of these are still there, well the upper floors.

 

 

 

Granby St 1903...These fellas are laying the insulated conduit that will carry the power cables that supplies the pylons that feed the power to the overhead cables....

 

Today - https://goo.gl/maps/g4tHebqATAaJvv8u5

 

[davieG]

 

It's January 1982. Young People On The Canal During The Freeze.

[davieG]

 

Corner of High St and Highcross St 1903...The building behind was William Hallam`s Family Frypan..This building was demolished along with a few others to make room for the double row of tramlines along High St....Nowadays on the right is Jubilee Square....

[davieG]

 

Looking up Belgrave Gate towards The Clock Tower 1903...The cameraman would be standing in the middle of the traffic island nowadays...The tall building on the right with the twin towers was The Belgrave Gate Methodist Church...In 1937 it was redundant and after some awful changes including lopping the 2 towers off it became The Co-op Hall...Last I heard it`s Leicester Square.