Where Is This? No.133

Published on: 30 Oct, 2014
Updated on: 30 Oct, 2014

By David Rose

Polesden Lacey at Great Bookham was the house featured as last week’s mystery vintage photo.

Many correctly identified it, including Chaz Folkes who wonders whether the print is back to front. Plenty of extra details also supplied by those who replied. Click here to see last week’s post and all the replies at the foot of it.

The ‘David Rose Construction’ sign can be seen on a building on the north side of the upper High Street, just up from the junction with Chertsey Street/North Street. I like the Stanniforth brothers’ replying suggesting it’s where we are building speedboats for prizes for these little puzzlers. If only that were true. But a spot of shipbuilding on the Wey wouldn’t go amiss, would it?

On to this week’s images.

Where was this photo taken? Can you add any details about the train, or the location itself?

Trains again and a picture emailed to me by Bob Hind, who once worked at butchers Bernard’s in North Street, and then on the railways. You may have read Bob’s memories in a story here last week. The second instalment to follow soon.

Do you know the location where this picture was taken? I am sure the railway experts will have something to say about the engine and the train it is pulling.

Do you know where this plaque is?

The quirky photo is a plaque than can be found in Guildford town centre. Do you know where it is?

If you know the answers to this week’s and can perhaps add some extra facts, please leave a reply in the box below. They will be published at about this time next week along with two more mystery images.

And finally… Carol Brown from Guildford Museum has asked me to give another talk as part of its regular Saturday slots at Salters Gallery in Castle Street. It takes place on Saturday afternoon, November 8. This time I will be giving an insight into my archive collection of old photos and other things, and is called My Methods of Research.

As well as acknowledging in general the many people who kindly supply me with old photos and allow me permission to use them for my history projects, I will also be revealing some of my projects that have yet to see the light of day in print or on-line. I will also be giving an insight into the frustrations that I have encountered over the years that have sometimes arisen when approaching official sources of historical records, such as museums, history centres/archives, and so on.

On sale will be two brand new books of mine – Great War Britain Guildford Remembering 1914-18, and Stoughton A Walk Through Time (the latter co-written with Martin Giles). I will of course be signing copies. If you’d like to come along and say hello, call Guildford Museum on 01483 444751, to reserve seats (Salters is not a large venue).

Responses to Where Is This? No.133

Chaz Folkes Reply

October 30, 2014 at 8:44 am

The railway photograph shows the line just north of the station with the train heading towards Ash. Can’t say anything about the engine or the service unfortunately.

The plaque is on the gate into Quakers’ Acre next to the library on North Street.
Mike Melbourne Reply

October 30, 2014 at 9:58 am

Picture 1 was taken at Yorkie’s Bridge or the University bridge as it is known these days.
The train looks like a parcels van delivery hauled by a Q1 class locomotive or a ‘Charlie’ as they were commonly known, as coming off the Reading/Aldershot branch.
Note the field on the left prior to the university being built where cattle used to graze.
John Lomas Reply

October 30, 2014 at 5:13 pm

The railway photo shows the Reading line to the left and the Effingham line to the right, Woking being straight ahead.
The engine appears to be a Bulleid Q1 which I like, though it is generally regarded as ugly because of it’s utility styling. I think it might be on Guildford and Bordon via Ash duties.
The photo was taken from the footbridge which joins the university campus to Walnut Tree Close.
The building between the main and Effingham lines is approximately where Transformers and Rectifiers Ltd now is, the gatehouse of Stoughton barracks is visible on the horizon above the engine and I think the tower just left of the train is part of Dennis Bros works.
The modern picture is inside the archway entrance to Quakers’ Acre on North Street, immediately below the library.
David and Ann Bailey Reply

October 31, 2014 at 6:45 pm

The railway photo was taken on Yorkie’s Bridge and the plaque is in Quakers’ acre.
Chris Townsend Reply

November 2, 2014 at 4:39 pm

The railway photo, probably taken from Yorkie’s Bridge, shows the junction of the Reading to Tonbridge line, London to Portsmouth line and the ‘New Line’ via London Road.
Recently I noticed demolition work as I passed that spot; was it the building near the centre being demolished, and what was it used for?

The plaque is under the entrance archway to Quakers’ Acre, a former burial ground next to the library at the top of North Street.
There was once a Friends’ meeting house on the site, used until 1803, when the present site in Ward Street was acquired.
Thomas Gill, of Carling, Gill and Carling the ironmongers, was one of the last Friends to be buried there, in 1879.
ray springer Reply

November 2, 2014 at 8:09 pm

The railway picture is from just outside Guildford station where the line to London Road and Waterloo (the new line) goes off to the right. The line to the left goes to Aldershot and Reading and the line in the centre is the main line to London Waterloo.

The plaque is in Quakers’ Acre at the top of North Street, next door to the library. The Society of Friends gave this land to the town in 1927. Originally there was a Meeting House for the Quakers in 1673 until a new building was built in 1805 in land opposite in Ward Street.
margaret cole Reply

November 3, 2014 at 12:44 pm

The train picture is of a Q1 Engine on the down line from Aldershot in the early 1960s.
The picture was taken from Yorkie’s Bridge and also shows the Woking line in the centre and London Road Line to the right. What it shows is where Transport and Rectifiers has now replaced the old building between these lines, and looks like Stoughton Barracks in the centre distance.

The plaque is in Quakers’ Acre, top of North Street, situated in the arched entrance.
Brian Holt Reply

November 3, 2014 at 1:21 pm

1: This photo was taken from Yorkie’s Bridge off Walnut Tree Close, and is a parcel train on the Aldershot /Reading line entering Guildford station.
The middle lines are to Woking and the ones on the right London Road station slow line to Waterloo.
Some train spotters called these engines ‘coffee pots’ or ‘Charlies’.

2: Quakers’ Acre, next to the library in North Street. This plaque is on the brick arch on the right.
A new meeting house was built on a site across the street in 1805, and the garden was used simply as a cemetery until it was given to the town in 1927, nearby the ‘speakers’ tree’ had become a recognised place for public oratory.
Peter Holt Reply

November 4, 2014 at 10:58 am

The photo was taken from Yorkie’s Bridge north of Guildford station. The white disc on the engine indicates that it came from Farnham/Aldershot line. I therefore believe this could be the early evening parcel train from Farnham to Guildford North sidings. The loco is a Southern Railway Q1 Class. Railway staff nick-named them ‘Charlies’ and train spotters called them ‘coffee pots’.
40 were built at Brighton and Ashford works. Southern railway numbered them C1-C40 and BR renumbered them 33001-33040. All 40 were built in 1942 and weighed 51tons 5cwt.They had a maximum speed of 75 mph. Because of their ‘Austerity’ design people said they were the most ugly steam locomotive ever built, however they were the most powerful 0-6-0 tender locos ever constructed. In 1953 Guildford Shed had seven of the locos.
Guildford shed was unique in that it had at some time, all members of the class allocated to them. C1 (33001) spent most of its working life at Guildford shed, being withdrawn from service in June 1964. It is now preserved and can be seen at the National Railway Museum York.