How about a 'period' classics pictures thread

[P5BNij]

Great stuff... I recognise a couple of those colour shots from the Phillis Nicklin archive

[RichB]

manorcom said:

You got to love those old London pics. Here are some of old Birmingham:

Still makes me stop and think when I see that nearly all of the cars (and vans) in those pictures are British made.

[Dapster]

RichB said:

Still makes me stop and think when I see that nearly all of the cars (and vans) in those pictures are British made.

There's a white Beetle at the back of the queue coming towards us, and of course the blue Beetle outside GEC, but that's the only foreign stuff I could spot.

[manorcom]

Some of those great colour pictures of Birmingham are indeed from the late Phyllis Nicklin's collection which have been digitised and are on line, with over 440 available.
http://epapers.bham.ac.uk/chrysalis.html

[Yertis]

Everything looks tired and dull, but at the same time tidy, cared for, clean and homely. Now all is ruined by the curse of uPVC, litter, grafitti, and plastic signs for chicken meals.

[Dr Interceptor]

manorcom said:

You got to love those old London pics. Here are some of old Birmingham:

I wonder what the abbreviation on the Mini door stands for?

[ATTAK Z]

Dr Interceptor said:

manorcom said:

You got to love those old London pics. Here are some of old Birmingham:

I wonder what the abbreviation on the Mini door stands for?

There was a fad for putting your initials on the door of the car; my FiL did it to his cars.

[Dr Interceptor]

ATTAK Z said:

There was a fad for putting your initials on the door of the car; my FiL did it to his cars.

Thanks - I haven't seen that before outside of motorsport...

[threespires]

Great Brummy pix, there's a good chance we sold the Victor at GEC when it was new.

[manorcom]

I am embarrassed to admit to joining that fad for adding your initials to the car exterior. Around '69 I think:

[williamp]

ATTAK Z said:

Dr Interceptor said:

manorcom said:

You got to love those old London pics. Here are some of old Birmingham:

I wonder what the abbreviation on the Mini door stands for?

There was a fad for putting your initials on the door of the car; my FiL did it to his cars.

You're Father in law put FIL on his car? How did he... I mean, did he always think...

[ATTAK Z]

williamp said:

You're Father in law put FIL on his car? How did he... I mean, did he always think...

Stupid boy !

[Gremlino]

Dapster said:

RichB said:

Still makes me stop and think when I see that nearly all of the cars (and vans) in those pictures are British made.

There's a white Beetle at the back of the queue coming towards us, and of course the blue Beetle outside GEC, but that's the only foreign stuff I could spot.

What a place to put a Phone Kiosk... Good old G.P.O. !

[manorcom]

More old Birmingham pics. This time listed as 1950's

Broad Street 1952:


Old Square 1955 [one of my favourites]:


Broad Street 1954:


Digbeth 1950:


Aston 1957:


Holloway Head 1959:


Salford Bridge 1958:


And last but not least, interesting pic listed as "Big Top 1950's"

[aeropilot]

manorcom said:

Salford Bridge 1958:

That's a great shot.....

And I love the oversize whitewalls fitted to the Mk1 Zephyr

[manorcom]

Come to think of it, isn't this a very short charabanc? A special? I thought these things were made by Dupple or some such, not the factory?

[Roy C]

manorcom said:

Come to think of it, isn't this a very short charabanc? A special? I thought these things were made by Dupple or some such, not the factory?

1950s Commer BF. Most were vans, but also converted as small coaches, ice cream vans, ambulances.
It looks like the Post Office (responsible for telecoms) had adapted this one as a TV detector van.

Edited by Roy C on Thursday 13th October 08:52

[The Don of Croy]

aeropilot said:

manorcom said:

Salford Bridge 1958:

That's a great shot.....

And I love the oversize whitewalls fitted to the Mk1 Zephyr

I don't know what's in those sacks, but it's a good job they can't/won't fall off easily...at least one of the tarps is secured. Ah, the way it used to be!

[manorcom]

Now where did I leave my bike?

Even Post Office vans used to get washed

A strange old Motorcycle:

Talking about Detector Vans:


And US Posties on motorised scooters:

[Jukebag]

Old photos like this just ooze nostalgia for me, even the more recent photos. Alot of the cars back then weren't very reliable as we know, and there were quite a number makes which were almost identical to other makes that you could only identify by the badge, but there's no doubt they had a certain charm and character which is completely absent with the modern soulless rubbish we have now. And yes, not a foreign make in sight. Quite a number of vehicles on the roads in those 1950s photos which I find surprising because very few working class people had a car or could afford one during the 1950s.

Edited by Jukebag on Thursday 13th October 12:29