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Humberston Road, NOTTINGHAM, NG8 2SZ

The quality of this old colour slide is far from ideal but the scene is of interest. At the time Humberstone Road was being built and, as was often the case in those days around building sites, no attempt was made to give the new roads a temporary surface, resulting in a quagmire after rain. On this summer evening in 1969 the driver of an ice cream van had, for some inexplicable reason, attempted to bring his vehicle this way. The inevitable happened and he got hopelessly stuck in the mud (and he couldn't even blame the SatNav!). He must somehow have contacted his company because they sent out another identical van to tow him out. Unfortunately the plan failed miserably when the second van got just as stuck as the first. As an 11-year old witnessing this spectacular display of adult incompetence I, of course, found the whole thing hysterical and rushed home to get my camera. By the time I got back the light was fading but I got the shot (I imagine now that the two drivers were less than pleased to have an irritating kid around doubled up with laughter and taking a photograph). How the situation was eventually resolved is lost to history but I seem to recall they had gone by morning.

From Wollaton Vale.

Seen here on a snowy winter's day at the beginning of 1968, the houses here date from the mid-1950s, forming part of what was originally called the Model Farm Estate (on whose land they were built).

This scene has changed beyond all recognition since this photograph was taken late in 1967. In the foreground development was under way extending the large area of private housing that appeared to the south of Wollaton Vale and north west of Bramcote Lane from the 1950s to the 1970s. Nowadays, of course, sites like this would be locked in securely behind yards of Heras fencing but no such precautions were deemed necessary then. Beyond that, and separated by a railway line, the flats at Balloon Wood were being built. The flats were intended to house people who had lost their homes as inner city slums were cleared but they were never successful, unpopular with residents and suffering from construction defects, and were demolished in 1984 to be replaced by an estate of conventional houses.

Looking down Wollaton Vale towards Nottingham. This road is part of the peripheral link round the west side of the city. The bus is just about to turn into Grangewood Road on service 30.

Inevitably in the intervening half century there have been many changes to this scene where Wollaton Vale approaches its junction with Bramcote Lane. Mature trees now occupy the grassed area on the left but more important changes have taken place on the right. A row of two storey flats was built shortly after this photograph was taken and beyond that there is now a health centre. The petrol station has survived but has been completely rebuilt, now incorporating an M&S Simply Food outlet.

Bramcote Lane, Wollaton

Operating on Nottingham City Transport's Pink Line service 30, seen here on Grangewood Road. Bus 336 is an Optare Solo SR new in 2011.