Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

When I posted the previous picture, 1949 Airey Houses Coquetdale Place, I decided to Google Street view the area around The Oval to see if I could find Then & Now pictures of the Airey Houses. Whilst Google driving along Waverley Drive I came to No 72. So before the scheme to rebuild the Airey houses started this Airey house must have been purchased; knocked down and this new home built. So Then And Now side by side. Wonder what happened at No 72 when they came to demolish No 71?

Whilst Googleing for Airey houses to see if I could add to Foxy's new topic 'Then And Now' this old thread from this site came up. The definite answer on Airey Houses can be found in Wikipedia. Our family moved into Coquetdale Place in 1949:- :- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airey_house An Airey house is a type of prefabricated house built in Great Britain following World War II. Designed by Sir Edwin Airey to the Ministry of Works Emergency Factory Made housing programme, it features a frame of prefabricated concrete columns reinforced with tubing recycled from the frames of military vehicles. A series of ship-lap style concrete panels, tied back to the columns, form the external envelope. In 1947, the Central Office of Information commissioned a propaganda film, Country Homes. The directoral debut of the later acclaimed documentary maker Paul Dickson, the film promotes the building of Airey houses in rural areas as a solution to the poor condition (due to the 1930s depression followed by wartime neglect) of much of the housing stock outside Britain's conurbations, due to the ease with which the prefabricated sections could be transported to remote locations. Today many of the Airey houses; being over 50 years old, are in disrepair. The houses are one of a number of precast concrete systems listed in the Housing Defects Act. This meant that Government help for private owners was available in certain cases. Generally they are not accepted for mortgages unless repaired in accordance with certain prescribed methods. In the mid-2000s, one company began testing a refurbishment programme. Their programme involves replacing the concrete slabs with blocks, covered the blocks with insulation, and then facing the structure with brick. It is hoped this remodel will result in a warmer and more structurally sound house.

Can't think of any stories at the moment, but like the idea of Then & Now:-

No man, COLD man. Keith - have you seen the Potterton operating manual(s) PDF's to download? One links is :- www.potterton.co.uk/docs/Pot_gold_HE_A_userp.pdf‎

We three kings of Cambois are Bearing gifts, and following Blue Star. Broon and Amber, next the Founders, Following yonder Blue Star. If you want a beer that's perfection indeed I'll give you a guide to fulfilling your need At home by your fireside, in pub or in bar The sign of good taste is the famous Blue Star

Remember seeing ASIMO on QI - 2011 and thinking that must be the current best. Later discovered that those in the know think there is a more advanced robot, not in the World's 10 most Amazing Robots, and that is Petman:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGZoMPXG0MI

So that's where Puddlers Raw started!

Never used the new Green deal. Only experience we have of the schemes, in the frozen outbacks of Seghill in our small timber framed bugalow, is the additional loft insulation we had installed, free of charge as we deserve it, November 2012. No cavity wall insulation as timber framed dwellings not suitable. Our installer, Karnheath Ltd, went out of business as the scheme dried up. The two lads installing the additional loft insulation worked at a speed that would have assisted Superman winding time back. They were trying to fit in as many as they could before the scheme dried up and they were paid off. In doing so one of them put their foot through the hallway ceiling. Two weeks later plasterer arrives and repairs ceiling - excellent skilled job, perfectly level with existing skimmed finish. Two days after that the Karnheath foreman, not painter, arrives to apply first coat of paint. Two weeks later 2nd team arrives to do second coat of paint. Again not painters, just the last two of the insulation installer that Karnheath were employing to the bitter end but most people can paint! Not these two. They had an ice-cream carton to hold the paint in and each had a two inch brush. Applying the paint in strokes of no more than 6 inches they were on hours and when the light streams in a certain way you can just about see every stroke they made. We got an unskilled grandson to tidy up the mess for the price of his tea and two his nana's freshly baked cakes. Since the loft (apart from the 12 sq meters boarded out to house the wife's stuff she can't bear to throw out) was insulated our energy bills have reduced. We continued to pay npower our normal direct debits and at the end of October this year, the first year since the insulation went in, we were refunded 30% of what we had paid. Difficult to completely balance the additional insulation against sever winter + good summer & autumn against amount paid but looks like it was a good move. As for npower - following refund they reassessed our payments and increased them by 56% of what we were paying for the previous 12 months! Expected a reduction. The thought of starting an online/phone/written wrangle with npower over the next few weeks/months did not thrill me one bit. However whilst checking my on-line npower account noticed the section within Bills & Payments where you can request a reduction in payments, normally used for customers suffering to meet payments for whatever reason, so I filled it in. Stating my previous monthly DDs - their refunds - their new charges - quoting their TV adverts saying they were sorry but the fuel prices had to go up 10% etc. etc. I posted my case to them. Within 10 days, no hassle, no arguments, no letters etc. they reduced the monthly DDs to £5 a month less than what I had been paying last year. So yes it was mad what they did with the price increase but also yes it was, taking the route I did, a pleasure to get it sorted as quickly and efficiently as I did. It may have been that I got the one customer service person that had a brain and could see the increase was mad so they sorted it out by using their common sense. Moral of that lot above is:- Karnheath were rubbish, but it got sorted. Whoever wrote the npower suite of computations that recalculate and estimate future customers billing should be sacked. npower customer services that picked up my online request deserve a pat on the back and a credit on their record. (ps. feel as if HPW took over my body!) - Goodnight.

Sorry Symptoms, but as you know Wilf is busy setting up a story that may lead to finding The Holy Grail. Although most of the legends like King Arthur; his squire Patsy; Sir Robin; Sir Galahad the Pure; the Black Night etc. can't be present there is a chance that Sir Bedders, the Wise, could be the only one available from this Spamalot to join Wilf. You can't just bring empty Trojan Rabbits into the plot.

It is often said that dog owners choose their breed because they have similar facial features to themselves, or partners. Do we have any pictures of, Bedlington bred or not, people who look like Bedlington Terriers?

Wilf's new position outside The Terrier gave him a good view of the area. Coming down Stead Lane, from Algood Terrace, he could see a donkey, stuttering it's way down, but no Mary on his back! "Haven't you forgotten somebody?" asked Wilf. "Ne ne ne nnot sure" said donkey, "ne ne ne nobody t te te te told me te te te b b bring anybody". "Your so thick" said Wilf. "eeyore eeyore eealways calls me that", thought donkey.

Can you remember the one bloke with the old bike, a couple of sacks and a red face? He spent every day (that I can remember when going to Barrington school in the 1950s) filling his sacks from the tip - I assume it was all scrap metal he was collecting.

Wilf is a Goody Eileen. It's just there are some worldly Symptoms that tend to discolor his outlook on life! I think that unforgetable bearded face plays tricks on the dreams, and nightmares of some, causing them to substitute this small defenseless gnome into the body of disturbed villains throughout the ages. Feel free to join the many that try and distract his aim in life. PS - I'm stuck. My Adobe Photoshop 5.5 has started to totally screw up my old Vista system, using all my 2GB Physical Memory and if anything is loaded in there before it is started it refuses to load! Wilf may never get his xmas story published or return to he beloved golf. I will now have to discuss the meaning of life with the wife, again, rather than indulge in my pretend life whilst I save up for a new Desktop and software. In the meantime GOD knows what Wilf will get up to next.

It was a good game Brian. Pitty the cricket wasn't as close!

The Symptons, that brought upon by the wrath of GOD, are too late. Wilf has turned and, regardless of the words of Kenny Rogers, Wilf (Ruby) will bring his love to town.

I'm afraid, Ruby is an impostor. Our Wilf has been turned by a much higher authority:- Long ago, last month, in the year 2013 BC, when Banks ruled Northumberlandia God sent the Santa Wilf to the northern town of Bedlington to find an Inn for some special guest to stay in. Wilf could not find an Inn in Bedlington, even The Sun was out, no longer an Inn and had even stopped trading. (That will teach the proprietor from dropping the Inn word, leaving NO Inns in Bedlington!). Even the old Smithy Stable behind The Black Bull, was occupied by bats. The only shelter that they could find was a derelict home for Terriers. So Wilf set up a sign and began preparing the home for the coming.

R. Watson's newsagent at the Top End still selling them. Bought July 2013 issue. Sent the misses into the shop and she says it was the last copy on the shelf.

Had a look on Google Satellite view and took a screen dump. Couldn't get it to map perfectly onto your photo but did mange to get the, what I think, are the same houses in Hollymount Square. You can see the block of four house followed by the two semis. No idea when Hollymount Square was built but sure someone will know.

There will be knee sitting in this one. This is xmas tree time so let's gan knee firther with the sheep.Wilf is desperate, for employment, during this season but will not be seeking the assistance of others smaller than hims_elf. If he can't find employment it could be a miserable xmas and the poverty could dwarf the event. He has been as far as Gateshead with his guitar etc. and played some amazing stuff but was moved on by the police saying there is no place for a Metornome. ( I know, don't lets get INTU that!).

Hate playing on winter greens. Found a part-time job for the next few weeks:- Wonder what shop(s) I can be found in?

First time I have come across a map with Puddlers Road on. Found it in 'Bedlington Extensive Urban Survey – Page 48 http://www.northumbe...x?page=5907#EUS :- Top right section on the edge.

First time I have come across a map with Puddlers Road on. Found it in 'Bedlington Extensive Urban Survey – Page 48 http://www.northumbe...x?page=5907#EUS :-

No. Why with today's communication systems does anyone want to go back and forth, on any transport system? For Against It will employ a lot of people over a long time. So will upgrading the existing networks rather than allowing the networks to deteriorate. It will not disrupt the existing networks. No skilled people left to upgrade the existing networks. It's quicker than flying. Don't fly or commute at all, Skype. Against Less washing. When I worked in London I had to stop wearing white socks, within half a day my socks had grimy streaks across them. My shirt collars were filthy after a day, in the office. Once I stopped working down there I threw out all my black socks and now it's white every day.

Steve Hopefully I will input this info correctly but no doubt any mistakes will be picked up and corrected. Hope this helps. If you input 'Clayton Street Bedlington' into Google maps the first picture you get is a good one to try and fit in the comments/links you will get back from the members. You will see , approximately W to E = Station Road – the Bedlington Station Railway crossing – Clayton St. N to S = Stakeford Road – Ravensworth St. – Palace Road From the Puddler's Row topic they say Phoenix Row was where St. Johns Road is, and it met with Palace Road. The entrance to the 'A' Pit at Bedlington Station was situated between what is now Blagdon Court and Chatsworth Drive. This estate is now called Bower Grange but used to have a row of colliery houses on the south side of the pit– South Row - down from the pit entrance to the railway crossing. The records show that this pit shaft was sunk in 1838 so would have been working when your relatives move to Clayton Street. I have never attempted to obtain information on anyone employed at a pit but assume a starting point would be the Coal Authority – 01623 637429. I have used this number when researching when the pit was built; depth of shaft and when the new Bower Grange estate was built on the site. If you haven't found any pictures then the following are ones that have been posted in other forums etc. Entrance off Station Road to 'A' pit. Bedlington Station level crossing 1963:- Station Road – South Row on the left:- [aClayton Corner- The pub, The Clayton Arms, was at the west end of Clayton Street. Turn right where the blokes with the dogs are and you are on Clayton Street:-ttachment=3340:Station Road.jpg]