Taking further the thoughts I expressed yesterday (see Blackpool South Shore Station Demolition) about not taking photographs of things that change a lot but instead taking views of lakes, stone circles, major public buildings etc., I never the less find that the background detail of many of my 1980s photos often has reminders of the past. As a few examples, here's a selection taken over a period of just half an hour at the most.
In this photo of Blackpool double decker bus 355 traveling along the Golden Mile in April 1985 are reminders of Mr B's amusements arcade, the old corner of Coral Island before the present large sculpture of pirates and skull and as a bonus I've identified a Mini Clubman and Datsun Sunny amongst the cars. Datsun were soon to rename themselves Nissan, the company's Japanese name.
OMO (One Man Only) tram No.8 taken from the same spot but looking south. On the corner of the Promenade and Chapel Street, opposite the Central Pier, is the Talk of the Town pub. It would become a MacDonald's restaurant and then later a market which it remains today. On the side of the pub is a large notice quoting an advert that immediately brought the advert tune into my mind - Smile, you're in Greenall Whitley Land. Greenall Whitley... whatever became of them?
Balloon tram 724 in front of Pricebusters which had taken over the old Woolworth's building. Woolworths would not have a presence in Blackpool until Lewis's had vacated their store which would be gutted and transformed into a new Woolworth's, lasting until the company's demise, now Poundland.
Demonstrating that traffic queues along the southern route on the Promenade are nothing new, although forcing all traffic into a single lane cannot have helped! Double deck buses 323 and 338 are followed by a single deck bus and an Austin Princess in the taxi rank on the Promenade opposite makes me wonder... I've met people who almost worshipped this (to me) hideous wedge shaped car.
My Dad had one and driving it made me hate it even more - finding gears was awful. You could literally grasp the gear stick and move your hand in a wide circle, it was such a loose gearbox.
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