Newcastle's 'Lovelocks' bridge

Part of the 'lovelocks' bridge in Paris has collapsed under the weight of padlocks attached to it.   Let's hope it doesn't happen to the High Level bridge in Newcastle.

Couples attach a signed padlock to the Pont des Arts and throw the key into the river Seine as a sign of their love. The trend has now extended to bridges all over the world, and Newcastle (or Gateshead) is no exception -  the midpoint of the High Level Bridge has become the point for couples attach their "lovelocks" - on the metal grill that prevents people from jumping from the bridge into the Tyne (how romantic), symbols of optimism and despair entwined.

Or if you are a gay couple, haven't got a padlock, or are too tight to buy one from Poundland, you can declare your love by drawing a pair of cocks:

Newcastle Quayside photo opportunity

A guy I worked with years ago, knowing that I had a bit of interest in photography, would frequently recommend that I walk along the quayside to take a photo through one of the mooring rings on the quayside.  By carefully picking your ring, ahem, you can use it to frame all of the bridges for an interesting photo!  Twenty odd years later I decided to try this with a mobile phone camera - unfortunately, the metal railings that have been installed now prevent you from completely lifting the rings, and do tend to get in the way a bit; but at least there is now an extra bridge to capture!

Newcatle City Wall - Gallowgate / Newgate Street

There used to be a music shop on Gallowgate, on the ground floor of International House, where I used to go to to by guitar strings and sheet music in the 1980s.  Upstairs in the shop, I was intrigued to find an old stone wall with a hand written card attached to it describing that this was part of the old city walls.  I loved that - the unexpected discovery of something historic and ancient in such a mundane setting - a bit like seeing parts of the Roman wall next to a housing estate in Denton Burn on the West Road A69 out of the city.

The music shop was replaced by an electrical shop "Electromode" in the 1990s and I was pleased to discover that the wall and the same placard were still there.  Not sure what is there now (Global Cafe on the ground floor) but I wonder whether they still have the brickwork exposed?

As you can see in the photos, the rear wall of the Gallowgate buildings are built partially on the 13th Town Wall.

Mea house staircase Artex

eeh, me mam did that!

I don't like graffiti and I don't really understand the motivation of those who deface the urban landscape with spray paint.  I concede that some graffiti has some artistic merit, but mindlessly tagging every available blank wall with spray paint, like a dog has to piss on every lamppost, is anti-social at best. Why do it?  Is it for fame, infamy, notoriety, self expression, look at me!, making one's mark, recognition, legacy. I don't know, but I suspect it is perhaps all of the above. I do know that it was with certain amount of pride when I spotted these splashes of paint on a staircase leading to the raised pedestrian walkways around Mea House when out running the other day. My mam dropped a tub of Artex down these stairs in the late 70s / early 80s, which spilled on to the footpath at the bottom and all over the bottoms treads.  As you can see, some of it is still there!  Wehey!

UPDATE: Note to Council: it wasn't really my mother who spilled the artex, honest. She does, however, admit to assisting in the extensive cleanup operation afterwards.

The last house in Newcastle to get electricity

The last house in Newcastle to get electricity was probably a house near Brandling Park.  I went out for a run today and headed up towards Jesmond.  I've run through Brandling park many times but I did not realise that this was close to where my great grandmother lived up in the 1970s.   I remember going to her house when I was very young and it was quite scary experience - a dark room shrouded with heavy black curtains.  There was a huge cast iron fireplace range - just like something you would see in the houses at Beamish museum.  

Her house was next to the Royal Grammar School and I remember her giving me a rugby ball which she had confiscated after it had landed in her garden. Also nearby was a Dunlop factory or offices at which my mother used to work.   I couldn't identify the house and I definitely remember this alleyway be in the Terrace.   

Shieldfield graffiti

Spotted this interesting mural on the side of a house when out for run today.  I'm not sure of the area but it's just beyond the flats at Shieldfield adjacent to a running track. 

Swing bridge getting a lick of paint

This is just the undercoat but I think I prefer the lam posts to be grey rather than red. 

Now back to its normal colours - a little bid of red and white in the heart of the Toon. 

Baric systems and graffiti wall gone

Glorious day for running on the town moor

Moscow Newcastle - architectural similarities

Following the April 1st blog post: http://blog.therussiahouse.net/2014/04/russia-to-annex-newcastle-upon-tyne.html?m=1, here are some more lookolikies

Melodiya, Novy Arbat, Moscow

Circus - Prospekt Vernadskovo (LightfootCenre Wallsend)

on second thoughts . . . .nowt like them

Great Gateshead flyover

I love this flyover. iPhone photos don't do it justice, I need to get out there with a decent SLR.  The concrete is beautiful, and it looks likes the start of Star Wars. 

Central Square, Orchard Street, Newcastle

I had a meeting today in the office block on Central Square.  What a great building - some fantastic views over the Tyne and Newcastle City centre from the top floor - couldn't resist getting my phone out and taking some pics.  It felt a bit weird looking down on the Metro bridge for some reason.

Old Snooker Club New Bridge Street

This is a view of the old snooker club from the Manors pedestrian bridge over the central motorway. The building which spans New Bridge Street has been empty for some time and has been colourfully adorned with paint. Not sure if this is graffiti or an art installation but it looks good. A welcome addition to a pretty drab building. 

Smokey Joe second hand shop

I like this shop on Pilgrim Street, pass it most days, but have never bought anything though. I'm amazed at all the stuff that's crammed in there.

I took this photo a while back - quite like it. 

Sir Bobby graffiti wall demolished

Driving past here the other day and I noticed that the wall of graffiti behind the Sage has been demolished.  It was as part of the Baric Systemd building (I think) which has also been demolished .  The graffiti was part of the CoMusica Graffiti Wall project.

Kung Hey Fat Choy - Chinese New Year, Stowell Street, Newcastle

It was the first time in ages that I have been  to see the Chinese New Year celebrations in Newcastle for about twenty years. It was very busy, with crowds thronging the square around the Chinese Arch at the St James's end of Stowell Street.   I couldn't see exactly what was going on, but it was the Chinese dragon / lion dance with the accompanying noise of drums, cymbals and lots of firecrackers. The multi-storey car park behind the Gate on Stowell street evidently provides the best vantage point from which to watch the proceedings.  After parading around the square,  the lion / dragon procession heads along Stowell Street- visiting each premises in turn, bestowing good luck on those who have left a red envelope and cabbage dangling outside their door for the lion.

End of an era for Newcastle city night spot

Possibly. 

You can guess someone's age or generation at least by the name they use to refer to the night club on New Bridge Street, the one currently known as Liquid (or it it just LQ nowadays?) Me, I only went there when it was the Studio, Ritzy and then Ikon, but I'm from the younger end of the Tiffany's generation. For my parents generation, it was, of course, the Oxford, or The Oxford Galleries - named after a street which ran alongside, roughly parallel to the central motorway, called Oxford Street.   But the long-standing Newcastle nightspot is set to become history under redevelopment plans that have been submitted to the council.

There are plans afoot to demolish much of the club, leaving the listed entrance building and portico, intact. In its place, the developers plan to build student accommodation - a modern development in three blocks of increasing height, stepping up away from the rear of the Grade II listed John Dobson House (which currently houses the club entrance, cloakroom and "back-office" space).

Many will have happy memories of this place, the Oxford holds a special place in the hearts of many of my parents generation; the same is true for subsequent generations who have enjoyed nights at the various incarnations of nightclubs that followed.  But over the past twenty years, the reputation of night clubs here has deteriorated. Unfortunately, violent incidents, glassings and murders even will be the overriding memories of some.

While it is sad to see the end of the club, it's a great opportunity to restore the John Dobson house to its former glory. The plans include stripping back the white paint to reveal its original stone facade. The restored building will house a cafe / restaurant with outside seating on the Blue Carpet. 

I'm not quite so sure about the designs for the student accommodation blocks though - it's seems to be a design which is very much of this time (based on similar modernist design concepts popular in the 1960s) - and very similar to other buildings that are going up across the city.  I do like modern and modernist architecture, but I can't help thinking that another T Dan Smith-esque silhouette is looming across the city again, just when many of the monstrosities from the 60s and 70s have been demolished.

The Fab 56 bus

This bus is fab. It's got power sockets, free wifi, frequent service and great views of Newcastle and Gateshead from its top deck. Here are a few shots from a journey I took this week.

The best views to be had, though, are on the return journey from Wrekenton. Coming over the brow of the hill at the top of Sherrif's Hill, while sitting at the front of the bus, on the top deck, you get the most wonderful views of Newcastle, the Tyne valley and Northumberland; especially on a clear day, when you can see the Cheviots. Sorry no pics of that though - it's such a rare treat.

North East dialect greetings cards

I was in Fenwicks today and spotted a great range of cards from www.geordiemugs.co.uk. They have a variety of greetings -  all in the local dialect. Great. I've never liked buying birthday or Mother's Day cards for me mam that say "mum" or "mother" -  it's M A M, mam!  Well done geordiemugs for getting this right.