Bridge demolished when line was cleared
FOLLOWING on from last week's look at King Street before and after the war, I found another image of the railway bridge that crossed the street, again looking east, but this time 16 years later.
Roy Perring, the man who designed those wonderful local folk posters from the early seventies that we also featured last week, took the image in 1967 under the doomed King Street arch, in a location that now sits adjacent to the entrance to the Western Approach car park.
The railway arch and bridge above was pulled down five or six years later, when the railway line that had run into Millbay was cleared – the bridge over Union Street was removed around the same time.
Note the operations around at the time in this stretch of Western Approach included the Stamp Shop, and businesses run by Reynolds and A Roberts – who remembers them? And also a dance club, but run by whom?
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Sorting through to see if I could find an accompanying post-war view of the aforementioned bridge over Union Street, I happened upon this gem from 1951.
Given the amount of wartime destruction it is remarkable how little obvious damage was visible in this view and it's another sobering reminder of just how many Blitz survivors were sacrificed to make way for Plymouth's bright new city centre. Looking at this view now, it's hard to believe that it is post-war, but the cars and the poster (advertising Bob Hope in the Lemon Drop Kid at the Devonport Forum) are two clues that help us confirm the date.
Comments
by hstmtu4000
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 10:30PM
“There are several pictures here http://tinyurl.com/ctu35nj on the "Plymouth Cyberheritage" website taken around 1971 when all the railway track had been lifted on the line that ran over the King street and Union street bridges from North road station to Millbay station and Millbay docks prior to demolition of this once very important rail link.
Here was the 1971 view from the track level above King street bridge
http://tinyurl.com/d9pgmw4
Anyone remember the level crossing in Millbay road.As I lived in Valetort house in Union street when I was a toddler I can still remember standing there as a 5 year old boy watching a steam engine cross the road going into the docks.
http://tinyurl.com/d97r4ch”
by CharlieDodd
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 7:39PM
“There are hundreds of old Plymouth and area pics here:
cyber-heritage(dot)co(dotuk
including a photo of the Union St bridge over a hundred years ago, it was supported by no less than 24 big stone pillars.”
by knucklehead
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 2:18PM
“mjohn
Right on”
by knucklehead
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 2:17PM
“The photograph with the Plymouth Breweries sign on the bridge is looking down Union Street.
Hills restaurant became the Sweet Lemon
Just past the bridge on the immediate right would be the Two Trees pub
Through the bridge and on the left is Bath Street.
End of....”
by bracken27
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 2:05PM
“I remember walking under this bridge when I was a child.
while looking at this all the memories came flooding back.
I wonder if anyone has any pics of the old St Mary's flats?”
by Nevman
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 2:01PM
“Er, quite. However, the caption to the second picture ("Below"?) is incorrect - the camera is looking at the present site of the Pavilions, away from the end of Western Approach.”
by mjohn
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 1:58PM
“The other one is Union Street!!! The other side of this arch is the Gaumont Cinema (later The Odeon- when the one between New George Street and Cornwall Street was demolished for Liitlewoods Store). The shops seen throught the square arch still exist.”
by CharlieDodd
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 11:06AM
“I've lost track- why is the bridge arched in one pic, and flat in the other?”
by stevodevo
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 10:29AM
“I think the 'post-war' comment refers to the 1951 photo, not the 1967 one.”
by Nevman
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 8:39AM
“"Looking at this view now, it's hard to believe that it is post-war". You mean, apart from every single building visible through the arch being a stark oblong block - most of which were, er, built on wartime destruction!”