The Blue Period

A few days ago I popped a photo on on the building site that where the fire station in Beeston once stood. It showed the Star Inn in the background. This photo, taken from outside the Star and shows the opposite view.

Building Sight

The tram works are still continuing in Beeston, even though the line was meant to be completed by December last year.

When it is finally up and running, this space will be cleared and available for building on.

The council have issued a consultation document asking what people would like the space used for.  Some ideas have included a cinema, a swimming pool and just an open space. There are rumours that a hotel will be built there, but I can't see it being a very big one, or one that would be owned by a famous name like Hilton, or Holiday Inn.

So we will just have to see what the land is turned into. But it is all down to money. How much it would cost and what income would it earn. So I can't see it being turned into a park, as it wouldn't generate any money for the council who own the land.

The Bridge Arriving At Platform One

Here's a shot of the new bridge that is slowly being constructed over Nottingham's railway station. It is for the new tram line and will join up with the existing tram stop, which you can see in the distance.

The railway station is going to be closing at the end of July for a whole month, as it is presently being renovated and they will be installing some new signals etc.  Buses are going to be laid on to take passengers to the Parkway station, where I was stuck there for a while last month. Here's a LINK to the story, if you want to read more.

A Blot On The Landscape

This building site in Beeston used to be where a multi-storey car park and a small row of shops used to stand.

Unfortunately nothing can be done with it until the tram works that we are unfortunately getting are completed and running. Which might not be for another two years.

So for now there's this big empty space that's doing nothing and making the town untidy.

You maybe interested to know a little bit of television history regarding The Star Inn. It appeared in the TV series called Boon, but was renamed 'The Drum'.

Going, Going, Gone

Well, we are almost there. Practically the whole of the former Odeon cinema has now disappeared. All you can see is a big pile of brick dust.

The front is the next to go. As I walked by tonight, I could see that the scaffolding has been erected, ready for the men to begin work on removing the facade over the next few days. They will have to be careful, as a lot of people walk by and it is on a bus route.

Bricks And Mortar

Another weekly shot of the old Odeon cinema demolition team in action.

A special brick crushing machine has arrived now and is turning all those thousands of bricks and concrete into rubble. Personally I wonder why they don't recycle them, as I know that there is a big demand for vintage bricks, as they are easier to blend into older buildings.

I wonder how much longer it is going to take before they start on the new building?

Digging For Victory

I went up to the top floor of a new multi-storey car park today for the first time. It's been open about six months now, but this is the first time that I have ventured inside.

It's a tall one, and is located close to the railway station. I enjoy seeing the city from up high, but I don't like being so exposed. I have a fear of heights, and don't like going to the edge, as I think the wall is going to break and I will plunge to my fate.

So I took this photo with my arm outstretched over the side, camera gripped strongly in my hand, and the strap wrapped around my wrist, so I didn't drop it.

The building site was the original car park for the station, but as you can see they've dug a great big hole and going to fill it with concrete, ready for the new tram stop, or transport hub as the planners are calling it.

So I have two building sites to visit now. Work is commencing slowly on the old Odeon. I had a look today and a lot of the rubble has been taken away. Maybe I'll show an updated picture at the weekend.