Town moor run

Too windy for cattle 'worrying', but a lovely day for a bracing and invigorating run instead, especially when engaging in a spot of freikörperkultur.

Darth Vader busker Northumberland Street

Laing Art Gallery Secret Garden

A great spot to sit and eat a Greggs pasty

Newcastle Vintage Aerial Shot - Guess the Year

A few years ago, I salvaged this  5' x 4' wooden photo panel from the rubbish in the basement at work. It had been dumped during a refurbishment of a vacated office in our building.  Although the photo is scratched in parts and has flecks if plaster on it, I thought it was too good to throw away, especially since the photo aerial shot of Newcastle was taken some years ago.  

I have tried to work out when the photo was taken by looking at what was and wasn't built and have come up with an approximate year, but I can't determine the exact date. Can anyone help?

Below, I have zoomed in on sections of this picture, in a rough grid pattern moving top to bottom, left to right. 

From the top right of picture, here is the Town Moor, Exhibition Park, RVI, University, down to Percy Street and Eldon Square.

Percy Street, Eldon Square, Grainger Market

Percy Street / Old Eldon Square down to Bigg Market and Westgate Road, opposite Central Station

Newgate Street / Bigg Market down to the Turnbull Building and the Quayside

Exhinition Park to Haymarket

Haymarket to Pilgrim Street - Dobson Street car park seems to be missing, I wonder when that was built.

Blackett Street / Pilgrim Street to Dean Street and the Castle Keep

St Nicholas cathedral to the river Tyne

The River Tyne

West Jesmond down to about John Dobson Street

"East Pilgrim Street" Northumberland Road to Swan House Roundabout (55 degrees)

Swan House Roundabout down to the Quayside

The River Tyne

Jesmond and Shieldfield to Mea House, Central Motorway and Panden Building

New Bridge Street roundabout over Central Motorway down to All Saints Church and Panden Bank.  Ooh. . . that white concrete square building looks a bit new, what year did that open?

The Quayside, River Tyne, Bottle Bank

Jesmond to Shieldfield

Shieldfield to Melbourne Street

New Bridge Street to Panden Bank and Quayside

Gateshead City of Culture: Part Two

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Trainspotting Part 2: Metro No. 4001

Wehey!  Just found this picture and text from the Tyne & Wear Archive & Museum's Flikr account:

"Prototype Metro Cars - Birmingham Factory 

This photograph shows a prototype rail car being constructed at a Birmingham Factory at some time in 1975.

The photograph is taken from a collection of black and white contact prints documenting the development of the whole of the Metro System in Tyne and Wear.

The images are taken from the Mott, Hay and Anderson Collection, consulting civil engineers responsible for the Tyneside Metro light rail system and the Tyne pedestrian, cyclist and vehicular tunnels.

Most of the photographs were taken by Amber Film Associates and Lambton Visual Aids, 5 and 9 The Side, Newcastle."

https://www.flickr.com/photos/twm_news/8692558512/in/set-72157633362537279/

Trainspotting: Metro No. 4001 still in service

I would recognise that dirty battered livery anywhere, and the old Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority logo is a dead giveaway. I'm waiting at Monument Metro station in the centre of Newcatle, for the first time in a long time, counting down the Metro-time minutes till my train arrives. Metro-Time (the displayed minutes between trains) feels like the ratio of dog years to human years .  A metro pulls into the station and I look up to see if it's mine; it's not, but a cursory glance at the rear carriage in the set (yes, the metro comprises two carriages known as a set) and I get an immediate sense of familiarity and recognition, a certain frisson perhaps.

I checked the number on the side of the carriage, just to be sure, even though deep on my heart I didn't need to. It was indeed the 4001. One of the first metro carriages if not the first one in operation. 35 year old and still going strong. Woohoo!  I was slightly taken aback that I knew this fact and recognised the train, but disturbed at the obvious pleasure it brought me - it was like seeing an old friend. It cheered me up. I think I must be a closet train spotter. Such a perfect day!

Stepney bank photo opportunity

I was out for a run today along the quayside and to Ouseburn Valley, a pleasant run until you hit the killer hill of Stepney bank. Usually, I run out of steam half way up and walk the rest of the way to the Tanners pub at the top. Towards the top of Stepney bank there is a car  mechanic's garage specialising in fixing old classic cars - Peugeots think. 

This photo does not do the place justice,  but I have passed here when there has been bright sunshine coming to the skylight, shining like a spotlight onto a classic car elevated on the ramp.  I've always thought it would make an interesting photo with the right lighting and a decent camera.

 

The Queen Opens Newcastle Central Library November 2009

It

http://novumcastellum.blogspot.co.uk/p/newcastle-central-library.html

Swan House / 55 degrees last night

Dave's Russia Page: Photo exhibition - The Side Gallery Newcastle

Dave's Russia Page: Photo exhibition - The Side Gallery Newcastle: Tucked away up an alleyway off Newcastle's quayside, The Side Gallery & Cinema truly is a hidden gem.  I don't come here oft...

Gateshead City of Culture

You can't run more than a few yards in Gateshead without being accosted visually by its rich cultural heritage. Never mind the high profile, nationally recognised offerings -the Baltic Art gallery, Sage concert hall, Angel of the North, the Millennium Bridge -  the place is teeming with other public works of art: Askew Road ribbons, High Street pregnant wimmin Buddha thing (cant' remember if that is still there or not), Sputnik style steel balls on the quayside, random arches and ornamental gates to name but a few. Controversial? Yes, at times. Expensive? Probably.  But I think they definitely enrich the urban environment and put Newcastle's efforts to shame.   

I came across this sculpture today when I was out running. Never seen it before, never even knew there was a park here - despite driving and running past here many times. Its a small park off Bensham Road between Coatsworth Road and the roundabout heading towards Gateshead town centre.  Good panoramic view of Newcastle from here.

Lovely day for a strike

World's first dog show - Newcastle

Interesting fact of the day from my desk calendar: on this day in 1859, the world's first dog show was held in Newcastle upon Tyne.