Mundane pictures of the North

[machine cat]

I haven't been to the ice skating rink for about 20 years. Not sure if it's still open tbh.

Bradford was brilliant. I don't know why people put it down so much. The buildings and people are so much nicer than the flat, boring 'hey-look-at-me-I've-got-wine-bars-and-flash-shopping-centres' Leeds.

Although I did spot this:

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I am initiated into barm cake world (the theme park that never happened) and bloody love parched peas.

Has anyone else had the experience of trying to explain to a southerner what a barm cake is? They look all confused (bless them!), and seem to struggle with the concept of bread being called cake. You can up the ante by mentioning a pasty barm. That totally throws the poor dears.

Same goes for dinnertime. I've always called it that - 'lunch' does not exist in my vocabulary, except in the phrases 'luncheon meat' and 'luncheon vouchers'. I do enjoy saying that I'm free for a meeting after dinner - cue a confused look wondering why you've offered to meet them in the evening after work.

 

[machine cat]

I see that the X6 is due

 

[machine cat]

Has anyone else had the experience of trying to explain to a southerner what a barm cake is? They look all confused (bless them!), and seem to struggle with the concept of bread being called cake. You can up the ante by mentioning a pasty barm. That totally throws the poor dears.

Same goes for dinnertime. I've always called it that - 'lunch' does not exist in my vocabulary, except in the phrases 'luncheon meat' and 'luncheon vouchers'. I do enjoy saying that I'm free for a meeting after dinner - cue a confused look wondering why you've offered to meet them in the evening after work.

They're called baps round here

Sadly 'lunch' has slowly made it's way into everyday use for me

I am trying my hardest to make it 'dinner' again. But the evening meal always has and always will be 'tea'

 

[farmerbarleymow]

It's all we eat when I visit my Nan in Seaham!

You must fart like a brass band after gorging on pease pudding!

 

[farmerbarleymow]

They're called baps round here

Sadly 'lunch' has slowly made it's way into everyday use for me

I am trying my hardest to make it 'dinner' again. But the evening meal always has and always will be 'tea'

Baps are also good (in the bread sense, as I'm not interested in the other type), and I happily use that too. Barms, baps, stotties, fagees. All good Northern names for bread.

But swearing like that is clearly unacceptable. Saying 'lunch' in the North is the equivalent of high treason! We must not accept those soft southern ways.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

"Over the border" I'm not sure I'd dare get my camera out. Last time I went anywhere near it it was just full of crackheads being aggressive and begging!

Park End is where I grew up and it's even worse than ever now. It might be because I was from there, or because I was young, but when I lived there it didn't seem too bad. But now when I go back it feels worse every time. My Dad still lives there.

Lowcocks shut down years ago but I think a few years back there was talks of it opening back up again. Not sure whether that happened or not.

Grove Hill is the biggest shock for me. They've knocked most of it down and there's only a few houses left where people have refused to move/sell. The streets are still there and you can see where the houses were, but it's just like a wasteland. Would be good for some pics

I remember going through Park End on a bus when I was probably early teens, and saw the first all-metal bus shelters in my life. A sign of how rough an area is, if even safety reinforced glass can't be used! It is quite common nowadays though - it is uncommon to see a glass bus shelter in Manchester, apart from the city centre.

There are another few areas that'd be good - Portrack industrial estate, from the Stockton end right to the incinerator/A19 flyover. The road from Boro to Stockton that runs alongside the A66 - that is quite rubbish, and runs past the old train marshalling yards. Any chemical or steel site, open or abandoned of course.

Redcar is good too - don't forget to get a pic of Pacitto's!

I've got 'fond' memories of a party me and friends went to there aged about 16, and we were hammered by the time we got off the train in Redcar. Don't remember any of the party, and when we headed to the station to go home we realised we'd missed the last train. So for some reason we thought it sensible to walk the however many miles it is back to Stockton. It was 23 December, so freezing, and we stole some coats left in a box by a charity shop to keep warm.* We walked and walked, off our faces, and I finally gave up opposite an Asda in South Bank, and slept in a bush by the side of a road. Woke up by horns and other industrial noises in the early hours, and was so dehydrated I tried to eat some of the leaves of the bushes reckoning that they contained water. No - just bitter and nasty, and I ended up with bits of vivid green leaves stuck on my teeth and around my mouth. Wandered through the area until I found my way to Boro bus station, and the kind bus driver let me on with an invalid ticket back to Stockton. He probably took pity on me given the strange coat I was wearing and the adornment of shrubbery leaves on my face!

*Edit to add - I've now remembered that I wore what must have been a ladies long woollen coat with a large fur neck trim, underneath my own long woollen coat. I must have looked a right freak!

 

[Fez909]

I remember going through Park End on a bus when I was probably early teens, and saw the first all-metal bus shelters in my life. A sign of how rough an area is, if even safety reinforced glass can't be used! It is quite common nowadays though - it is rare to see a glass bus shelter in Manchester, apart from the city centre.

There are another few areas that'd be good - Portrack industrial estate, from the Stockton end right to the incinerator/A19 flyover. The road from Boro to Stockton that runs alongside the A66 - that is quite rubbish, and runs past the old train marshalling yards. Any chemical or steel site, open or abandoned.

It is/was rough aye, but I think its reputation is undeserved. It's funny you mention the all-metal bus shelters as that's something I hadn't even been aware of (possibly because I'm from there). But since moving to other places, I've noticed 'safety' things which suggest a place is really rough.

Like in Leeds, quite a few areas (including where I live now) have metal bars in front of the front door. I've never seen that anywhere else!

And in Manchester, the off licences have those cages or plastic screens all the way around them so that you have to ask the guy/girl to get your beers for you and pass it through a hatch. In fact, there's one in Chorlton where they don't even let you in the shop. You queue on the street and there's a hatch/window to the outside, like an all night garage.

Speaking of petrol stations, there's one on Wilmslow Road which has a 'bouncer' on the door, and you have to pay for your petrol in advance, and they only let one person at a time inside the shop. Again, never seen it anywhere else!

Crazy stuff.

Redcar is good too - don't forget to get a pic of Pacitto's!

I've got 'fond' memories of a party me and friends went to there aged about 16, and we were hammered by the time we got off the train in Redcar. Don't remember any of the party, and when we headed to the station to go home we realised we'd missed the last train. So for some reason we thought it sensible to walk the however many miles it is back to Stockton. It was 23 December, so freezing, and we stole some coats left in a box by a charity shop to keep warm. We walked and walked, off our faces, and I finally gave up opposite an Asda in South Bank, and slept in a bush by the side of a road. Woke up by horns and other industrial noises in the early hours, and was so dehydrated I tried to eat some of the leaves of the bushes reckoning that they contained water. No - just bitter and nasty, and I ended up with bits of vivid green leaves stuck on my teeth and around my mouth. Wandered through the area until I found my way to Boro bus station, and the kind bus driver let me on with an invalid ticket back to Stockton. He probably took pity on me given the strange coat I was wearing and the adornment of shrubbery leaves on my face!

I was in Redcar two weeks ago and didn't get any pics (apart from the one I posted on the Ugly Mug thread up the 'vertical pier').

Amazing story there, though! Had me properly laughing out loud.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Brazenose Square.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Moseley Street looking towards Piccadilly Gardens.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Views down each street from the junction of Moseley Street and Princess Street. There may be some nice buildings in shot, but do not be confused - it is still mundane to those who live here!

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Random back street behind Piccadilly.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Westminster House bordering Piccadilly Gardens.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Back street off Aytoun Street.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Not quite what the developers had in mind...

 

[Fez909]

Views down each street from the junction of Moseley Street and Princess Street. There may be some nice buildings in shot, but do not be confused - it is still mundane to those who live here!

There's two types of mundane picture I reckon: those which are of every day things, and those which are of quite nice/spectacular things, but the shot itself is mundane.

Both are welcome here

 

[Tom A]

And in Manchester, the off licences have those cages or plastic screens all the way around them so that you have to ask the guy/girl to get your beers for you and pass it through a hatch. In fact, there's one in Chorlton where they don't even let you in the shop. You queue on the street and there's a hatch/window to the outside, like an all night garage.

I know the Spar on Piccadilly used to bouncer restricting the number of people who can go in late at night. I have seen the plastic screens in a few places though, regardless of how "rough" it is (Chorlton is well documented as an affluent area other than the Merseybank and Nell Lane/Arrowfield Road estates), my local (and expensive, so I go to Asda or Aldi instead) offy in Hulme has them, as does the A&S in Withington (again, hardly the roughest part of Manchester).

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Some random mill in Ardwick.

 

[killer b]

I walked past all that half an hour ago.

Come to kraak farmer. Ill buy you a pint. You like grindcore yeah?

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Stockport Road.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Random mill-type view.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Attractive office block.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I had the suspicion that this may have contained shitty nappies, but for obvious reasons didn't get my hands dirty in looking into it further...

 

[machine cat]

But swearing like that is clearly unacceptable. Saying 'lunch' in the North is the equivalent of high treason! We must not accept those soft southern ways.

I can change!

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I walked past all that half an hour ago.

Come to kraak farmer. Ill buy you a pint. You like grindcore yeah?

Good for meeting for a beer, but no idea where kraak is, or what grindcore is! I'm showing my age, or my sheer mundane-ness!

 

[farmerbarleymow]

it's on the first or second floor iirc. no idea what's above/below it

Stop ruining my childish dreams of a multi-storey ice-skate-athon palace!

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I can change!

I'll be monitoring you here, and will note every time you swear on this matter.

 

[killer b]

Good for meeting for a beer, but no idea where kraak is, or what grindcore is! I'm showing my age, or my sheer mundane-ness!

Northern quarter, just round the corner from soup kitchen. think were heading out for a pint elsewhere soon though. Guess you live local?

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Northern quarter, just round the corner from soup kitchen. think were heading out for a pint elsewhere soon though. Guess you live local?

Yeah, in the city centre. Let me know where and I'll let you know if I can make it. Bear in mind I've already had a bottle and half of wine....