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9 hours ago, JimH said:

I'm sorry this isn't chod related but I love the work of Holden but tragically live far too far away from most of his work. Sometimes my ignorance gets the better of me. I knew nothing of East Finchley Station.

I knew nothing either, until about 5 mins ago... The original East Finchley station was demolished and gloriously rebuilt in the 1930's, with extra platforms, as part of the 'Northern Heights' project. This ambitious scheme involved London Transport taking over, extending and electrifying lines run by the LNER using steam. It was hoped that by extending north into country side housing development would follow. The project started well but the war got in the way. After the war some of the areas that were to be extended into became part of the 'Metropolitan Green Belt' resulting in cancellation of those extensions. Other parts of the scheme were underused due to competitive lines going to the same place and were closed in the mid '50's.

But parts of the scheme are still in use including East Finchley. And yer man is still there (soz not B&W)...

Planet Hugill: East Finchley Arts FestivalEast FinchleyNorthern line at East Finchley underground station in the ...

Why can't modern public projects be made to this standard? Compare with the recently re-opened Ilkeston Railway Station...

Train held at Ilkeston station as 'fight involving large ...

 

 

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On 06/10/2020 at 21:16, JimH said:

I'm sorry this isn't chod related but I love the work of Holden but tragically live far too far away from most of his work. Sometimes my ignorance gets the better of me. I knew nothing of East Finchley Station.

eric_aumonier.jpg

One rather neat aspect of that statue is that the archer is firing straight into the tunnel that was built at the same time.

2020-10-08_09-17-06.thumb.jpg.014fda28f22756baa4f9093ffd7c7f10.jpg

That angle can only be seen from the drivers' mess room!

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23 hours ago, somewhatfoolish said:

Jamaica bridge in Glasgow, undated but that looks like a Morris LD which puts it post-1952;  any advances on that from bus lickers or car id fanatics with a magnifying glass?

121360296_2747993992132255_3198187167363

Right I'll stick me neck oot...

I think the van is a Morris J2, made from 1956.

Photos of Morris J2 1956–67

Behind it could be a Hillman Minx, this variety, made from 1951, the girls love 'em...

Hillman 1952

But going the other way is something looking quite square at the back suggesting the 60's but with a 50's style rounded roof - a late 50's Ford? I think it's this one, or perhaps the bus, which will narrow it down a bit...

 

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On 10/7/2020 at 7:00 AM, martc said:

I knew nothing either, until about 5 mins ago... The original East Finchley station was demolished and gloriously rebuilt in the 1930's, with extra platforms, as part of the 'Northern Heights' project. This ambitious scheme involved London Transport taking over, extending and electrifying lines run by the LNER using steam. It was hoped that by extending north into country side housing development would follow. The project started well but the war got in the way. After the war some of the areas that were to be extended into became part of the 'Metropolitan Green Belt' resulting in cancellation of those extensions. Other parts of the scheme were underused due to competitive lines going to the same place and were closed in the mid '50's.

But parts of the scheme are still in use including East Finchley. And yer man is still there (soz not B&W)...

Planet Hugill: East Finchley Arts FestivalEast FinchleyNorthern line at East Finchley underground station in the ...

Why can't modern public projects be made to this standard? Compare with the recently re-opened Ilkeston Railway Station...

Train held at Ilkeston station as 'fight involving large ...

 

 

Having worked on this kind of stuff...its cost, security, legislation, off-site prefabrication and keeping it all low maintenance. There is also a woeful lack of imagination which is fed by a lack of any desire to do something different. Construction contracts are often competitive design and build to deliver within specified design constraints and outputs which leads to cheap and cheerless results. There is some great new railway architecture about but not universal alas.  

Crossrail now called the Elizabeth  line has some superb new stations  but cost billions - but even modest sums can work -  just needs a good client and a good design team. Rare on the cheap project where it is asphalt and a bus shelter. 

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1 hour ago, martc said:

Right I'll stick me neck oot...

I think the van is a Morris J2, made from 1956.

Morris-Commercial on Twitter: "An assortment of Morris J2 newspaper  delivery vans working for the @EveningExpress https://t.co/wd3XIO24H0  #morriscommercial #morrisj2 #delivery #newspaper… https://t.co/x8C3kcRnrt"

Behind it could be a Hillman Minx, this variety, made from 1951, the girls love 'em...

Hillman 1952

But going the other way is something looking quite square at the back suggesting the 60's but with a 50's style rounded roof - a late 50's Ford? I think it's this one, or perhaps the bus, which will narrow it down a bit...

 

The Hillmans were from 1948 on. Very advanced styling for their day. The fact they did not sell in bigger numbers is that they were hobbled by a nasty side-valve engine well into the 50's and drove like a boat.  Totally outclassed by the  Minor really. I had one for a time - not much fun and they really did rust. Styled by Loewy studios which account for the modernity.

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5 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Having worked on this kind of stuff...its cost, security, legislation, off-site prefabrication and keeping it all low maintenance. There is also a woeful lack of imagination which is fed by a lack of any desire to do something different. Construction contracts are often competitive design and build to deliver within specified design constraints and outputs which leads to cheap and cheerless results. There is some great new railway architecture about but not universal alas.  

Crossrail now called the Elizabeth  line has some superb new stations  but cost billions - but even modest sums can work -  just needs a good client and a good design team. Rare on the cheap project where it is asphalt and a bus shelter. 

Your first paragraph sums up Ilkeston Railway Station perfectly; although a great success its bleak, unwelcoming, cynical and a perfect representation of corporate Britain in the 21st century. The second paragraph also highlights another problem we have in the UK...

Anyhow, less politics, more BW pictures...

Ilkeston & District Local History Society: Transport: Railways

Ilkeston station in 1961 (7 years before it was shut - Beeching, no surprises, leaving a medium sized town, on a main line, which still carried passenger trains, without a station for 50 years).

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5 hours ago, lesapandre said:

 I had one for a time - not much fun and they really did rust. Styled by Loewy studios which account for the modernity.

Not a great hit with the (miniature) girls then? What about the advert? What about legal, decent, honest and truthful?

1950-Hillman-Minx-Sales-Brochure-mw4773-OP8DF4

But they did cut a dash amongst the Ford Pops and other assorted sit up and begs of the time.

IMCDb.org: 1950 Hillman Minx Phase IV in "The Man from the ...

(except in Americashire).

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Yes the full-width styling and straight through wings was radically modern at the time. Pity about the mechanicals - Rootes were always a bit hand to mouth - with a better powertrain it could have beaten VW in export markets but woeful as it was at launch - who knows what it was like on a US freeway - only got to ohv in the 50's. Interestingly some were badged as Humbers in New Zealand.

0-60 in....wait for it.......39 seconds.

Lord Rootes was one of the British industrialists invited to review the VW Beetle after the war - nah he said it will never catch on.

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1 hour ago, lesapandre said:

Yes the full-width styling and straight through wings was radically modern at the time. Pity about the mechanicals - Rootes were always a bit hand to mouth - with a better powertrain it could have beaten VW in export markets but woeful as it was at launch - who knows what it was like on a US freeway - only got to ohv in the 50's. Interestingly some were badged as Humbers in New Zealand.

0-60 in....wait for it.......39 seconds.

Lord Rootes was one of the British industrialists invited to review the VW Beetle after the war - nah he said it will never catch on.

I too had one, but it was badged as a Humber so was much better than a Hillman.  We got them as both because import licencing.

"Dear Government " said Mr Rootes, "can we import 5000 Hillman Minxes in boxes ?". "No Mr Rootes, you can only afford 2500. Mr Rootes went away for a think and soon asked this. "can we import 2500 Humber 10's in boxes and an extra box of badges and grilles ?".  "Yes Mr Rootes  (actually a Mr Todd), You can Afford them , we must let some of each makers products in".

So Todd Motors got the 5000 cars it wanted !

 

 

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43 minutes ago, Skut said:

No accident. I have a rather large soft spot for the SM1500. More so than the Hunter in fact as I think the upright grille makes the Hunter look more old fashioned.   Never clapped eyes on either in real life.

749674357_singer19481500_london.jpg.d39ed6c9aea7a233c9e1c6241a472824.jpg1062611397_singer1956hunter_75.jpg.66ee3088631f9a44a282e7c0f1dedd93.jpg

 

 

They are rare as hens teeth.  Expensive when new and they sold well just post-war when there was a car shortage but sales fell off fast. I remember them as a child - a bit Rover P4-ish. Yup the restyle was a bit of a retro-move...maybe to appeal to their 'traditional customers'. A full width grille wd look better IMHO. Funny thing 50's car styling - trad vs mod.

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