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Normanby Road, NOTTINGHAM, NG8 2TA

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.

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.

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.

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.

From Wollaton Vale.

Recreating this 'First' for the square https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/482946 . The Nottingham Canal Trail has been absorbed by the Broxtowe Country Trail at this point and is not separately waymarked. The house has gained a new wing.

The Nottingham Canal Trail starts here in this unassuming suburban location and then runs for over 7 miles along the long-disused Nottingham Canal through Trowell to Eastwood. It is designated as a local nature reserve.

On the Trowell Junction to Radford Junction line. The footbridge was built by the railway company to give access to Model Farm, Wollaton (now demolished).