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Topic: Railway Carriages in Heath Road (Read 1276 times)

frankiesays

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Railway Carriages in Heath Road « Posted: 04 March 2011 at 11:32 PM »

My father told me last year that he was born in a railway carriage in Heath Road (1927). I asked how that came to be and he said that for a brief period his mother and father lived in the railway carriage, he was the first of five children. I took him down there and he pointed out where he thought it would have been (there were hardly any houses there in those days). I've just taken a stroll down there courtesy of Google street view and it is a little way past Sunnyfields on the right just behind the Hardimans SOLD sign.

Does anybody recollect seeing these railway carriages? I was intrigued by this and wondered how old these carriages must have been to have been pensioned off before 1927, and I wondered where they would have travelled to in their time.


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funkychick

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Re: Railway Carriages in Heath Road « Reply #1 Posted: 05 March 2011 at 08:01 AM »

If no one on here knows Frankie do give the library archives dept a ring they may have pictures they are VERY helpful


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paulears

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Re: Railway Carriages in Heath Road « Reply #2 Posted: 05 March 2011 at 09:52 AM »

In 1928, there wasn't much in that area - I use http://www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html who have loads of old maps. If you look at Lowestoft, there are a few maps covering this area of the pre-and post war years.

What interested me was that this area was pretty undeveloped at this time - the silk works on the old Pye/Sanyo site appears on the next map. Mind you, getting a carriage there wouldn't be too tricky, with the harbour branch railway at the victoria rd end - a crane and a low loader to do the trip up heath rd? Interesting too is Colville House. A couple of years ago I did a bit of work on early maps on the North side, and you can buy these maps from the site and they are very detailed.


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Paul Johnson

frankiesays

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Re: Railway Carriages in Heath Road « Reply #3 Posted: 05 March 2011 at 01:57 PM »

thanks Paul, the map is very interesting as it covers two of my posts. My grandfather was into market gardening when my father was born and thee railways carriages look as though they would have been opposite or sharing the land of the nurseries shown on the opposite side of the road.

Also, on the opposite side of Victoria Road where Colville Road would be we can see a kiln which could fit in with my other post concerning the underground railway tunnel from the back of Dell Road to a pottery of some kind.


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bombtheb

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Re: Railway Carriages in Heath Road « Reply #4 Posted: 07 March 2011 at 01:18 AM »

There were several railway carriages converted into residences off Victoria Road at Hilltop (top of Kirkley Run). On 3 February 1942, four HE bombs were dropped in the area and one scored a direct hit on one, killing two people. When Major Selwyn Humphrey the Mayor and local ARP controller visited shortly afterwards, he was heckled and had it made clear to him that the workers at Richards Ship Yard (one of whom was the husband and father of the two victims) wanted the firm's private "Crash" air-raid alarm system made public. 48 hours later it became so.

BC


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midgetdisco

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Re: Railway Carriages in Heath Road « Reply #5 Posted: 19 July 2011 at 01:20 PM »

Hi there, i walk my dog occasionally down the back opening of Heath Road. About 5 houses up there is an old railway carriage (passenger style) that has been built around with a lean-to and other buildings. It looks as though only one side of the carriage remains. This could well be one of the ones that was lived in.


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frankiesays

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Re: Railway Carriages in Heath Road « Reply #6 Posted: 19 July 2011 at 11:53 PM »

That's interesting MD. I wonder if it was the one my dad was born in? It would have to have been a very old one as he was born there 83 years ago when it would already have been made redundant from the railway. I wonder where it went and who it carried during its life.

Thanks for your response.


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midgetdisco

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Re: Railway Carriages in Heath Road « Reply #7 Posted: 20 July 2011 at 08:13 AM »

Hi. This is an old carriage of wood construction (possibly a hardwood) with a dark varnished finish. I have at times tried to see through the windows to see if it is the whole carriage but I'm still not sure.
It is only about 4' from the opening and is not behind a fence so is easy to spot.


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frankiesays

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Re: Railway Carriages in Heath Road « Reply #8 Posted: 20 July 2011 at 11:40 PM »

If it is the one it is my father's first home. Unfortunately he died last year so I can't take there for a look.


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midgetdisco

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Re: Railway Carriages in Heath Road « Reply #9 Posted: 21 July 2011 at 08:09 AM »

Thats a shame.


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Bring on re-newable energy. Lets get this town back on its feet again.

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