Three Towns Forum
The Local => Times Past => Topic started by: Trojan on June 26, 2011, 01:22:49 am
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From Maesdu Avenue, to the Conway Road, from Vaughan Street to Vicarage Road, share your thoughts and memories from the south side of town. :)
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Pictured is the Tre Cwm Estate. The blocks of flats which once stood off Maesdu Road and around the Hospital Road area can be seen. Only two of the newer blocks remain today.The estate was extended further east around 1979 from Ffordd Elisabeth up to Bodnant Road and further south towards Bryniau or Cwm Mountain.
Surrounded by the estate Cwm Howard farmhouse can seen, which once stood in isolation surrounded by fields. It is now a private residence.
The old 'Dump' or refuse landfill can be seen at the top of the photo, with the newly built Maesdu Park Football Ground. The 'Dump' and the green area to the right of the flats were once clay pits. The two brick works in the area, one off Maesdu Road and the other in Builder Street West, used the clay for the manufacture of building bricks.
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Some of the Hospital Road flats nearing the end of their day's:
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The flats off Maesdu Avenue being demolished:
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Llandudno's first gasometer was built in 1857, adjoining the gas works purchased by the Improvement Commissioners in 1876 and extended in 1878, with two chimneys 42ft (12.8m) high. Another gasometer was installed in 1899 having a capacity of 500,000 cubic feet and being the largest in North Wales at the time. It was in use until 1948, then stood derelict until 1958 when it was dismantled.
The gasometer pictured, loomed over the area from 1932 until it was dismantled in the early '90's. It was also the largest in North Wales, with a capacity of 1000,000 cubic feet. It was 'telescopic' and rose up and down according to the amount of gas being held inside.
In the photo (where the new Ysgol John Bright now stands) can be seen the red Ruabon brick buildings built in 1898 by the Urban Council, as a combined refuse incinerator, where refuse was burnt to raise steam to power a turbine which in turn powered three dynamos to produce electricity.
The electrical engineer for the plant was Arthur Henry Preece, (later knighted like his Father) the 31 year old son of the Caernarfon wireless pioneer Sir William Preece. The plant was originally designed to light 50 street lamps and was developed in stages over a period of a year, starting in July 1898 for a maximum output to supply 10,000 eight candlepower street lamps.
A 150ft (46m) high chimney dispersed the smoke, steam and fumes from the plant. The chimney was demolished with high explosive in October 1971.
Also in the photo can be seen the controversial LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) depot. The authorities were constantly paranoid that the tanks would blow-up causing a major disaster, but fortunately, this never happened. Adjoining the depot, on Maesdu Road, can be seen 'Gas Cottage' home of the late Merfyn Roberts & family, who moved there from the Conway Road flats in the early '80's.
Opposite the LPG depot, the old chimney of the former Llandudno Brick, Lime & Stone Company can be spotted, with Billy Simpson's scrapyard (now Arch Motors) alongside at the junction of Bodnant Road and Maesdu Road. Billy was the 'Steptoe' of the area and I can remember him to this day trundling along Maesdu Road with his horse & cart. He had a house in Belvedere Place, a cul-de-sac off Maesdu Road.
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The gasworks tug-o-war team 1912:
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This early postcard shows the area with no residential housing. The Isolation or fever hospital (later to become The Annexe) can be seen on Maesdu Road, with Maesdu Farm, and beyond, in the distance one of the brickworks chimneys in today's Builder Street West, with Kings Road in the West Shore area on the other side of the railway.
The gasworks with chimney, gasometer and the power station with taller chimney can also be seen.
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The gasometer during demolition with the old brick works chimney to the right.
Forum member MajorMellon's van can be spotted parked on Maesdu Road. :D
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The brickworks chimney was eventually dismantled, rather than blown-up like it's taller neighbour across the road.
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Good work! $good$
I remember asking ages ago about the Council Depot/Stores in the Grwp Aberconwy days where there was an investigation into large quantities of supplies being nicked - I take that it was where the red brick incinerator buildings are in these pics?
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Good work! $good$
I remember asking ages ago about the Council Depot/Stores in the Grwp Aberconwy days where there was an investigation into large quantities of supplies being nicked - I take that it was where the red brick incinerator buildings are in these pics?
Yes, that's correct Dave, Aberconwy Borough Council had a depot/stores in the disused power station.
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The Manager and Engineer pictured at the Llandudno Gas Works closing down the valve on the exhausters when the Works finally ceased production, over a century after the original works commenced production.
A branch line ran from the south of Llandudno railway station, alongside Cwm Road. Trains used the line to bring wagons of coal which was burnt to provide steam to run the gas exhausters.
The burnt coal from the boilers became coke, which was used to heat households and business' in the town. My Father remembers taking his little Sister out of her pram, then taking the pram to the gas works to fill it with coke, before pushing it home and emptying it in the coalhouse
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the gasworks chimney was not blown up it was fired, the job was done on a sunday morning and it was started by breaking out brickwork at the base and exchanging the bricks for cut lengths of railway sleepers,after about a third of the base was taken out a load of car and truck tyres were stood against the the timber and set alight.at this time the local police ushered us away outside the gasworks yard and a small man with a hunting horn blew a signal as the chimney came down exactly as planned,it fell along the road and railtrack leading into the gasworks.the top few courses of brickwork falling were is the new boundary between the rear of YSB and the welsh school fence.the man who brought this large chimney crashing down had only and old bedford van with a small compressor and and jackhammer,he later went on to be quite famous, he was yes you guessed right FRED DIBNAH
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A branch line ran from the south of Llandudno railway station, alongside Cwm Road. Trains used the line to bring wagons of coal which was burnt to provide steam to run the gas exhausters.
When was this branch line removed? I seem to remember we once had a map of Llandudno on the forum that showed the exact route of the line?
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the gasworks chimney was not blown up it was fired, the job was done on a sunday morning and it was started by breaking out brickwork at the base and exchanging the bricks for cut lengths of railway sleepers,after about a third of the base was taken out a load of car and truck tyres were stood against the the timber and set alight.at this time the local police ushered us away outside the gasworks yard and a small man with a hunting horn blew a signal as the chimney came down exactly as planned,it fell along the road and railtrack leading into the gasworks.the top few courses of brickwork falling were is the new boundary between the rear of YSB and the welsh school fence.the man who brought this large chimney crashing down had only and old bedford van with a small compressor and and jackhammer,he later went on to be quite famous, he was yes you guessed right FRED DIBNAH
I remember seeing the chimney come crashing down on the Welsh news (Wales Today with John Darren). I thought they had used dynamite. I had no idea that Fred Dibnah had been involved in the demolition. I bet he said his famous catch-phrase when the dust started to clear...."Did you like that?" :)
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A branch line ran from the south of Llandudno railway station, alongside Cwm Road. Trains used the line to bring wagons of coal which was burnt to provide steam to run the gas exhausters.
When was this branch line removed? I seem to remember we once had a map of Llandudno on the forum that showed the exact route of the line?
I'm not sure Dave. I'll make some inquiries. I seem to remember a map too - probably submitted by Alphaline?
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I did send an email to Alphaline, asking if he would like to join the new forum but I don't think he ever got round to it.
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On this crop of the aerial photo of the Railway Station I posted, I think you can see the curve of the branch line?
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Yes, that looks like it.
The building in the lower right corner looks like the old laundry.
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Post on the old Forum(don't know who by, I'm afraid):
"If my memory serves me right the railway line ran from the main line, through the car park of the old Hi Hat building and then went on a curved route through a corridor of tin sheeted buildings (one of which was the old Electric Laundry). It emerged in Builder St West and proceeded on a curve, crossing what is now the corner of the Builders Merchants. On Cwm Road the line went straight and the track is below the grass verge which appears all along Cwm Road on the west side of the road. Where Cwm Road veers to the left, the train track veered to the right and proceeded for approximately 100 yards. I think there was a small turntable there for the engines to turn around. The curved fence to the north of the old Hi Hat building was by the side of the railway line leading to the old railway sidings which were alongside the Railway Station and are now somewhere below that tatty car park in Builder Street."
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That was by Alphaline I'm sure of it. :)
The old Hi-Hat Ice Cream factory is the large building to the north of the branch curve. I had an Aunt who worked there. She would regularly bring home large tubs of ice cream which were 'freebies' from the company, well, at least that's what she told me. The only downside was that it was always vanilla flavour - she wouldn't eat anything else. Don't get me wrong, I like vanilla, but not every day.
The trademark for Hi-Hat was a black hat similar to that worn by females in traditional Welsh costume.
I seem to remember the factory closing in the early '70's and standing derelict for a number of years, before Bathers Bakery moved into the premises.
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A branch line ran from the south of Llandudno railway station, alongside Cwm Road. Trains used the line to bring wagons of coal which was burnt to provide steam to run the gas exhausters.
When was this branch line removed? I seem to remember we once had a map of Llandudno on the forum that showed the exact route of the line?
This is from the 1925 OS map (with later revisions), shows the branch line well, right in the centre.
(http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i331/penrhynpigeons/P6270074.jpg)
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:)
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You can see where it went to, just north of the scrap yard
Llandudno, UK - Google Maps (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Llandudno,+UK&hl=en&ll=53.316224,-3.825302&spn=0.006397,0.016458&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=12.970501,33.706055&t=h&z=16)
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The grass verge on the West side of Cwm Road (marked red) is where the line used to run:
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The grass verge on the West side of Cwm Road (marked red) is where the line used to run:
Apparently however, it wasn't at street level, but approximately twelve feet below an embankment along that area.
One day in the early 1950's, some coal wagons became derailed close to where the present day Ysgol Morfa Rhianedd is. A crane was sent from Llandudno Junction to lift the wagons back onto the rails.
Unfortunately, whilst in the process of lifting a wagon, the crane toppled over and landed in the nearby field. Luckily, the crane driver, Dafydd Reed jumped out of his cab before the crane went crashing over.
Another crane had to be then sent from Chester to pick everything up.
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The Tre Creuddyn Estate started with Cwm Place in the 1930's. It stood in isolation until the houses on Maesdu Road were completed in 1945, with the rest of the estate soon following.
Opposite the street entrance to Cwm Place at the foot of the photo can be seen Maesdu Field, home of Llandudno Rugby Club. Forum member Hugo tells us that they were previously called Cwm Place Fields by the locals.
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Cwm Place, forum member Mike Cox's Celestial City on a cold winters evening.
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The Ffordd Penrhyn flats.
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The block of Ffordd Las shops with flats above.
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The building bottom left with the rusty corrugated iron roof was the piggery at the foot of Bryniau or Cwm Mountain. The pig farmer would visit nearby schools and establishments in his van to pick up left-over food to be used as pigswill. It took some time to stop heaving everytime food was scraped into the school pigswill bucket, but I eventually broke down and regurgitated all over my Clarkes Commando shoes, after taking a peek in the back of the pigswill van. :puke2:
On a still night the pigs could be heard squealing all over the neighbourhood, and would squeal especially loud after rocks from Bryniau quarry were thrown onto the piggery roof. :twoface:
To the right of the piggery behind the Bodnant Road red brick terraced houses can be seen the riding stables, which were run by the Walker family. Horses were frequently ridden down from the stables through the surrounding streets and they frequently deposited manure in the process. Locals could often be seen emerging into the roadway, shovel in hand, when the horses had passed. ( :D)
Timothy Walker, one of the owner's sons was an especially skillful horse-rider who would often be seen riding bareback without a saddle.
Coming back to the red brick terraced houses in Bodnant Road, Peter Jones' house named Anfield always springs to mind. Peter, Links Hotel barman and Liverpool FC fanatic, could be heard squealing louder than the nearby pigs, when Manchester United beat Liverpool in the 1977 FA Cup final, ending their Treble hopes once and for all. :laugh:
Stella Maris Roman Catholic Primary School (now Blessed William Davies School) can be seen centre of picture. Joey Jones, the ex-Wrexham, Liverpool, Huddersfield Town, Chelsea and Wales footballer attended this school, as did Eddie Niedzwiecki, the ex-Wrexham and Chelsea goalkeeper.
The fields surrounding the school have now been developed with housing.
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Cwm Place, forum member Mike Cox's Celestial City on a cold winters evening.
Liddell Park is never lit up that well. *&(
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The grass verge on the West side of Cwm Road (marked red) is where the line used to run:
Apparently however, it wasn't at street level, but approximately twelve feet below an embankment along that area.
It wasn't below the embankment Trojan, in fact it was slightly above street level on top of the embankment.
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From Cwm Road the line curved slightly to reach the main line at Llandudno. After it started curving it went between two green corrugated buildings (Electric Laundry was one) in what is now Council Street West and reappeared in Builder Street before going over to the main line.
There was no Health and Safety in those days, no traffic lights, warning signs etc you just had ti rely on your hearing when you were crossing these lines. The train driver couldn't see a thing as he was coming out from the buildings so he must have sounded the horn before entering the streets.
One unfortunate person who drove past the opening when a train was coming was an Undertaker who was driving a hearse that had allegedly just picked up a dead body at the hospital. The train hit the hearse and in doing so was derailed. The matter was hushed up but I've seen a photo of the incident that happened.
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The site, opposite the Scrap Yard, in the earlier Photo, where the line terminated, was the Coke/gas proccesing site. When the Coke was brought out of the ovens, on an overhead rail,it was glowing red hot. The driver of the overhead rail lowered the coke into a tank of water to quench it, the resulting steam often obscurred the roadway outside and the traffic came to a halt until it cleared away. This occured several times a day. The rail line was at street level along Cwm Rd. We used to push the rail wagons along the track. On one occasion a youngster had his hand on the Buffer trying to push the wagon, when behind him others had started to push another wagon along, I spotted the lads hand just in time and grabbed his arm and pulled his hand away, just as the buffers were coming together, it was so close he had rust matks and scratches to both sides of his hand as I pulled it out. I think this taught us a lesson as we stopped playing with them afterwards. :-[
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You should have stuck to "00" guage and under! WWW
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The grass verge on the West side of Cwm Road (marked red) is where the line used to run:
Apparently however, it wasn't at street level, but approximately twelve feet below an embankment along that area.
It wasn't below the embankment Trojan, in fact it was slightly above street level on top of the embankment.
Thanks Hugo (and Quiggs). I called the person who told me the info today and he explained that he meant the area where the Welsh school is today where the line ran through the fields.
Another interesting story he mentioned was 'The gas chamber' :o He remembers taking his dog along to the gas works with his Father in order for them to 'put it down'. He remembers a gas works employee taking the dog by it's lead, then walking away with it and he said he felt quite sad afterwards.
He said they used to gas unwanted and sick animals. He remembers dead horses being removed from the 'gas chamber' on carts.
They probably incinerated the carcass afterwards.
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OMG that's 'orrible--- can you imagine todays H&S laws allowing it now?
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Thanks Hugo (and Quiggs). I called the person who told me the info today and he explained that he meant the area where the Welsh school is today where the line ran through the fields.
The line never went into the fields Trojan, it followed a straight line down Cwm Road and went directly into the Gasworks veering to the right of the tall chimney. There was a ditch and a small spiked fence that separated the Gasworks from the field and the trains entered and left the Gasworks the same way.
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The line never went into the fields Trojan, it followed a straight line down Cwm Road and went directly into the Gasworks veering to the right of the tall chimney. There was a ditch and a small spiked fence that separated the Gasworks from the field and the trains entered and left the Gasworks the same way.
That's probably what he meant then Hugo, thanks. (He was talking early 1950's) The siding was before my time unfortunately. When he told me about the wagon de-railment, he said the crane tipped over into the field.
If vehicles nedded to get in/out of Hywel Place, then they would have had to cross the lines then?
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Yes, but there were so few cars about then that it wasnt a problem.
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ALSO I don't think there would be many trains making that particular journey to be honest.
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In the photo from Trojan, timescale 1954, the building behind the gas holder was our Wales Gas Board stores and workshop for: a) the distribution section which was responsible for installing and and maintaining mains and services (the pipe from the gas main into the premises served) - Joe and Charlie Delacoe, Henry Sutton, Ned Wrexham, Iori (can't remember his surname) and Mim Evans; and b) the gas fitters - Davy Jones (Mowbray Road), Ronnie Meaby (Colwyn Bay, I think), Gwyn Evans (Alex Road), Norman Griffiths (Northcliffe Hotel on the prom) Sammy Price (the small 1930s close, isolated between the Oval and Trinity Avenue) and little me (the apprentice from the Celestial City over the Road.
To the left of the building as you look at it, there was an external staircase, wooden when I first knew it but replaced by a steel one not much later. Upstairs we had the stores with Phil Huxley in charge (a lovely man) and, a little later, Eric Jones (Eric Sam) his assistant. Over the workshop was the supervisors office Freddie Jones (Deganway - that was the spelling then) at first and after his retirement, Mr Cox (Council Street - can't remember his first name). Later, Norman Griffiths became an estimator and Cox's assistant.
The first house you can see on the straight bit facing you in Cwm Place, is where we lived in the upstairs flat. Downstairs lived an elderly lady, Mrs Williams and her actively schizophrenic daughter, Lucitania May (later there we had Alun Jones (YrOgo - Ted's brother, Megan and their daughter Miriam - lovely young girl). In the mornings I used to roll out of bed late, run, with my breakfast in my hand (sometimes chased by Lucy) through the little entry at the apex of the curve, over the road and over the wall - virtually straight into the workshop. first job was to make tea for everyone that could be used as a substitute for marine varnish.
We had one van -Gwyn Evans' 'property' attempts for anyone else to drive it resulted in a lynching! So one of my early jobs was to trundle any material needed though the streets on the Gas Board handcart!!! Good old days. $walesflag$
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The grass verge on the West side of Cwm Road (marked red) is where the line used to run:
Apparently however, it wasn't at street level, but approximately twelve feet below an embankment along that area.
It wasn't below the embankment Trojan, in fact it was slightly above street level on top of the embankment.
Thanks Hugo (and Quiggs). I called the person who told me the info today and he explained that he meant the area where the Welsh school is today where the line ran through the fields.
Another interesting story he mentioned was 'The gas chamber' :o He remembers taking his dog along to the gas works with his Father in order for them to 'put it down'. He remembers a gas works employee taking the dog by it's lead, then walking away with it and he said he felt quite sad afterwards.
He said they used to gas unwanted and sick animals. He remembers dead horses being removed from the 'gas chamber' on carts.
They probably incinerated the carcass afterwards.
When i was a small child i remember my nana`s elderly dog being taken to the gas works. It sounds awful-i know,but he was much loved and it was acceptable in those days.
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Hitler did something similar, if I remember correctly!
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The flats off Maesdu Avenue being demolished:
Hi to all. I used to live in that block in the early 70s, anyone else out there from the maesdu, hospital road area
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Hiya Tudno. I was raised on Hospital Road. I lived there from mid 60s til about 1990.
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Hi Paddy same here I lived in the area till 1992, Maesdu Place and FFordd Eliz, we probably know each other.
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delete.
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Hitler did something similar, if I remember correctly!
Quite incorrectly actually.
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Hitler did something similar, if I remember correctly!
You should be upset about people neglecting and being cruel to animals these days! Rather than people in those days trying to do their best. My nana`s dog was much loved, cared for and 16. It was a different time with the best intentions at heart!
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Just found this site and joined, firts board is this one, just viewed the Maesdu flats being demolished, used to live in No 3, arrived when they were brand new, wow what memories (shed a couple of tears though) $walesflag$
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I was the last person to occupy no 3 Maesdu Ave. Good times mostly I guess. Lovely big windows with great views of conwy mountain and amaaazing sunsets:)Often dream I still live there!! T'was sad in some ways to see them go ...sentimental fools we are! Everyone (nearly :roll:) got on well and it was a good little community most of the time. Should dig around and see if I've got some pics. ;D
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Hi Mike
I'd completely forgotten about Lucy, I remember as a little girl pushing my dolls pram past her flat, checking first to see if she was about, and then making a run for it. The garden was like a jungle, I'm sure she hid there waiting for me. Never thought I'd be living and growing up in her flat - gave me nightmares for years ........... I can remember the doctor coming to take her away, she had a knife and slashed his leather glove - I was hidding behind my Mum at the time. We lived in the flat next door, Mr. & Mrs. Harris moved in after us, I think it was No. 16, he had a trailer on the back of his bike, do you remember him.
Miriam
In the photo from Trojan, timescale 1954, the building behind the gas holder was our Wales Gas Board stores and workshop for: a) the distribution section which was responsible for installing and and maintaining mains and services (the pipe from the gas main into the premises served) - Joe and Charlie Delacoe, Henry Sutton, Ned Wrexham, Iori (can't remember his surname) and Mim Evans; and b) the gas fitters - Davy Jones (Mowbray Road), Ronnie Meaby (Colwyn Bay, I think), Gwyn Evans (Alex Road), Norman Griffiths (Northcliffe Hotel on the prom) Sammy Price (the small 1930s close, isolated between the Oval and Trinity Avenue) and little me (the apprentice from the Celestial City over the Road.
To the left of the building as you look at it, there was an external staircase, wooden when I first knew it but replaced by a steel one not much later. Upstairs we had the stores with Phil Huxley in charge (a lovely man) and, a little later, Eric Jones (Eric Sam) his assistant. Over the workshop was the supervisors office Freddie Jones (Deganway - that was the spelling then) at first and after his retirement, Mr Cox (Council Street - can't remember his first name). Later, Norman Griffiths became an estimator and Cox's assistant.
The first house you can see on the straight bit facing you in Cwm Place, is where we lived in the upstairs flat. Downstairs lived an elderly lady, Mrs Williams and her actively schizophrenic daughter, Lucitania May (later there we had Alun Jones (YrOgo - Ted's brother, Megan and their daughter Miriam - lovely young girl). In the mornings I used to roll out of bed late, run, with my breakfast in my hand (sometimes chased by Lucy) through the little entry at the apex of the curve, over the road and over the wall - virtually straight into the workshop. first job was to make tea for everyone that could be used as a substitute for marine varnish.
We had one van -Gwyn Evans' 'property' attempts for anyone else to drive it resulted in a lynching! So one of my early jobs was to trundle any material needed though the streets on the Gas Board handcart!!! Good old days. $walesflag$