I was watching a TV programme last night on the history of TV (TV about TV) which heavily featured Ben Tren's son, John Trenouth, now a "Research Fellow" in TV - what a fine job! Anyway, it started a 24 hour nostalgia boom during which I tried to remember all the items that used to be in the BBC 'test film' they showed every day during the early to mid fifties and which you only got to see if you were off sick or otherwise malingering. Anybody remember these items? Apart from John Trenouth, that is? The next bit of nostalgia was triggered by being given a book about Edinburgh's last trams. Absolutely every thoroughfare pictured was cobbled - and I was trying to remember (but couldn't), did Keighley have cobbled streets in the fifties? And had there ever been trams? I do remember trams in Leeds (just) and trolleybuses in Shipley (always interfered with Radio Caroline reception)! So put the collective memory to work over the holidays - you're bound to come up with more answers than I have....!

I don't think Keighley ever had trams. Trolly buses from Bradford used to turn round at ,was it Cross Flats on the Bradford side of Bingley? As for cobbled streets in the town , nearly every small street off the main roads was cobbled in the 40's. I was in haworth this year and there is a beauty going up the hill from the station towards the church. I do remember when they tarred the West Lane and the lorries used were all the old steam powered ones.As for trams I used to go to Headingley by tram to the Test matches , got on at the market hall, a brilliant way to go. How about standing on the platform of the old double deckers and jumping off as they slowed on the corners, and indeed on if it suited. No health and safety nonsence then.gVEE

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1943-1946

Current location (optional) Tasmania

I don't remember trams in Keighley, but there were certainly cobbled streets, Low Street I remember, and the cobbles were a dark sort of maroon colour. I can also just remember the pre-war tarring. A tar tank with a coal fire, horse drawn of course. a gang of men throwing orange colour quartz pebbles by shovel, and then the ultimate, a steam roller !!! Even the hot tar was sprayed by a hand pump. I remember this in station road Steeton, also the horse and cart taking coal from the old station yard to the mill near Steeton top, I learnt some new words when the road gang expected the coal cart to go round the new tarred surface.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 43-46

Current location (optional) Steeton, now West Wales

Yes my grandfather used to drive the trolly buses, but, as has been mentioned , the furthest they came was Crossflatts. There were plenty of trams in Leeds
IN fact in Leeds now theer are some 'guided buses', which run in a sort of channel, and have samll side wheels to keep them there. The driver does not have to steer. I gues thats a modern equivalent of running on rails set in the road.

The road I was brought up on Malsis Road, Keighley was certainly all cobbled for its considerable length.
Now its tarmacked but it and this and nearby roads such as Victoria Rd are now covered with those infernal cushion type speed humps that seem to be sprouting up everywhere. If, as many do you try to semi-straddle them is messes up your tracking and your tyres wear much quicker.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-64

Current location (optional) Wirral

There were certainly trams in Keighley but long before my/our time.In books of old Keighley there is a photo of the first electric tram in Cavendish Street in 1904 operated by Keighley Corporation Tramways.There is also a photo of them relaying tramlines in North Street/Cavendish by the mechanics Institute. These were lifted in 1924 when a trackless system was introduced.
Cobblestones. --- Low Street was mentioned-in fact the unusual thing about the Low Street cobbles is that they were blocks of wood-very slippery when wet. I was visiting in '82 when the Bridgehouse ,Haworth cobbles were lifted. There was a big local argument between the local residents who were being driven mad by the noise of the traffic and the historians who didn't want to lose the character of the place.Of course in my day,the double deckers never went up Bridgehouse Lane but terminated by the mills at the bottom.

Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 47-51

Current location (optional) Auckland

Cobbles and tramlines are the original traffic calming
system. Tarmac and speed bumps are a pain. Literally.

There were cobbled streets in the Lawkholme area when I was a young'un. If you chalked the wall to use a cobbled street as a cricket pitch, there were no sure knowledge of which way a tenniser would bounce. You needn't bother trying to read the hand; you had to watch the bounce. Every bowler was a Shane Warne. Perhaps Freddy's hapless batsmen should have practised for their Ashes tour on well prepared Keighley backstreet wickets.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

So far we've had cobbles and trams but no cathodes ... so here goes.
I'm not sure what Allan means by the test film.
I recall the test card. This was a picture of a smilimg girl of about 7yrs old surrounded by lots of horizontal and vertical bars in varying shades. It was on screen almost incessantly when there were no programmes on. Then there were the "interludes". These were short films designed to fill the gaps between programmes. They weren't too good in those days at getting the programmes exactly the right length. One such interlude was a film of horse teams ploughing a field. Then there was someone making a pot on a potters wheel (could have been me - see "The Mysterious Potter's Wheel" posting). Enthralling. But there were at least three others that I can't remember.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65

Current location (optional) Leeds

Emily Street was cobbled as was Grange Street.
The Twines from Thwaites Village to Thwaites Brow is still cobbled and is I trust now protected.
Temple Row in town is still cobbled, indeed all over the place there are small scabs of cobbles in the strangest of places. Arthur Seeley

Ah Yes, TV was much more interesting in our day Shaun!
"Interludes" were a lot better than most 21st C. programmes. Two you didn't mention were: the kitten tangling wool and the tide coming in or going out on some seashore (probably in the Caribbean!) Do they complete your set?
Allan, are you trying to tell us all of Keighley streets are not still cobbled? Seriously though, my knowledge of the town's trams is as vague as those in Edinburgh, both seeming equidistant from Queensbury prior to the September of 1958!
Trolley buses still ran to Crossflats from Bradford during some, if not all, of my years at KBGS. They were garaged in the former tram shed, by the roundabout at Saltaire, if my memory serves me right.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58 -65

Trams In The Snow, Winter 1946/7

Just checked on e-bay where there are 2 photographs of Keighley TRAMS on North street.

KEIGHLEY & DISTRICT Travel Ltd. was formed in 1989 to take over most bus services that ran in and around Keighley. When formed, it was a subsidiary of the AJS Group of companies, becoming a Blazefield Holdings subsidiary in 1991.

However, whilst Keighley & District might be quite a young company, its local name revived a tradition in passenger transport in the Keighley area that stretches back for over a century.

It was back in 1889 that horse trams first ran on the streets of Keighley, initially under the private Keighley Tramways Company, then coming under Keighley Corporation control in 1901, who converted the system to electric power.

Keighley Corporation introduced motor Buses in 1904, with trolleybuses following in 1913. The last trams ran in 1924, being replaced by trolleybuses.

Keighley Corporation built up a sizeable Motor Bus fleet after the end of the First World War, but several independent companies also set up on other, or competing routes. One of these, Premier Transport (Keighley) Ltd. was taken over by the Harrogate & District Road Car Company in 1926, leading to the formation of a new company called West Yorkshire Road Car Co. Ltd.

In 1930 negotiations between Keighley Corporation and West Yorkshire Road Car led to a joint company being formed called Keighley-West Yorkshire Services Ltd. This new company absorbed all the local services in and around Keighley previously run by both parties, but West Yorkshire Road Car still kept its longer distance routes. The trolleybuses were then replaced by motor buses.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 50-55

Current location (optional) Keighley

I remember The Twines, Arthur. Thankful I was on one ascent that it was well-stocked with dock leaves and fellow travellers were scarce.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

So - back to this test film thing. Yes, it was broadcast every day in the early fifties, and in the afternoons there were nineteen-thirties' film matinees for a while. The test film had excerpts from the 1936 Alexandra Palace opening broadcast - shots of a pre-teen Petula Clark in a chintzy white dress and black lipstick (apparently), singing a popular song of the day. Then there was an item on children's television, with a female girl announcer in a gymslip that used to set my heart a-racing. There was Sylvia Peters, Jasmine Bligh, Macdonald Hobley and Peter Haigh. A snippet of Peter Dimmock doing an outside braodcast of the Oxford/Cambridge boat race. Various shots of studio floors with huge cameras on trolleys, and control rooms with guys with pipes and sports jackets. Oh yes, and a public information film exhorting you to fit a suppressor to the distibutor cap on your car's engine. If you didn't, the film warned, it would cause the neighbour's TV picture to be obliterated by snowy interference and the neighbour would hurl his still smouldering pipe through the TV screen!

I have posted a photo of one of the first electric trams with the mechanics institute and the old school in the background. have a look at www.kbgs.com/trams.jpg

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1959-64

Current location (optional) Keighley

Great to see the pictorial evidence of Keighley's electric tram system. Wonder what routes were covered? Wonder what was behind the advertising hoardings that bordered the site of the Town Hall Square? Wonder what the building was on the site now occupied by Keighley College on the corner of Cavendish Street and Lord Street? What a fine and grand place Keighley must have been at the end of the Victorian building boom.

In answer to Alan's questions. Behind the hoardings was the Corporation stone yard. This eventually became The Town Hall Square often referred to as The Old Man's Park. The building at the side of the Mechanics Institute was the United Methodist Free Church who broke away from the Wesleyans following a dispute. It was opened in 1868 and has long since been demolished.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1959-64

Current location (optional) Keighley

The church was taken down and the construction of the new Tech College was begun when I was at KBGS. In the 3rd year, I was in Beaky's form and our form room was 36 on the Junior Corridor overlooking Lord Street. Often the daring deeds of the steel erectors were more riveting (ahem) than the lessons taught.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

The basement of the United Methodist Free Church was for a number of years, the home of the 100th Squadron Keighley of the A.T.C., and I can recall joining this young band of lads, a few years after the end of the war. The building itself was in a 'semi-derelict' state at that time and we were not allowed into the abandoned Church area on the first floor. The basement walls were loosely papered over to try and hide the large clumps of fungi growing there and the whole building appeared to be in a terminal state of decline. Having said all that, we all seemed to enjoy ourselves, the table tennis was good and we did an awful lot of marching, which held us in good stead when the call for National Service came. The 'trips out' were quite good too. I remember my first flight in 1948 from Yeadon Airport in a bi-plane, a DeHaveland Domini. We all thought we were going to be sick-but we weren't.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1945-50

Current location (optional) Keighley

Terry. Room 36! Hallowed Ground. I was in there for two years at least, with Beaky Birch who once harangued me for missing my Maths homework by calling me ( oh the shame, the shame) he called me Namby-Pamby, in front of the whole class, and there's more, he heaped burning coals of humiliation upon my head by further informing me that I could not say Boo to a goose. They had vicious mouths in those days. It was a source of some considerable personal pleasure that I topped out at Maths that year and every succeeding year to eventually end my working days lecturing in the subject at Bradford College. Namby Pamby indeed. I showed him. Or did he know me better than I knew myself? Arthur

I just thought of another interlude, "London to Brighton in Two Minutes".

Current location (optional) Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia

Brilliant! 5 interludes identified. I think we've got the full set.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65

Current location (optional) Leeds

With regard to earlier postings regarding horse-drawn trams, the United Methodist Free Church and the Mechanics' Institute, I have obtained an old photograph which shows all three items mentioned, which I will pass to our Webmaster for inclusion on the website. The photograph was passed to me by a well-known, local photographer and collecter, Mr Bill Palmer.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1945-50

Current location (optional) Keighley

If I remember rightly the music used for the interlude from London To Brighton was called the Coronation Scot.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1959-64

Current location (optional) Keighley

Was that the same theme music used for the Paul Temple radio series? Or was that before your time,David? All of a sudden I'm beginning to feel old!!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1945-50

Current location (optional) Keighley

Hum it and we'll tell you....

Cobbles - or to be more proper Setts.

Devonshire Street West had cobbles at the sides, and I think most of the minor streets to the side were all setts.

When I was a conductor in '69 I remember riding a double decker down the setts on Haworth main street. Talk about bucking broncos .....

Talking of setts there are signs in Skipton warning motorists not to park on the setts on market days. It must mystify most offcomed'uns.

Trams. I'm sure my dad told me that the trams went out one mile in 3 directions - Ingrow, Utley and Riddlesden (probably Bar 'Ouse Lane). I think they must have had a problem with gradients.

The tram shed was, and still is, on South Street just a little beyond Queens Road.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 60-67

Current location (optional) Keighley

Bill - what's the tram shed used for nowadays?

in answer to the question about trams and cobbles, Keighley's last tram ran 17th December 1924. Keighley's last trolley bus/trackless 31st August 1932. Bradford last tram to Queensbury 5th November 1949 and very last Bradford tram 6th May 1950. Last Leeds tram 7th November 1959. Yes, Keighley did still have cobbles in the 50s. I have a photograph of the junction of Cavendish Street, East Parade and Station Bridge with a West Yorkshire bus turning into Cavendish Street over the cobbles. I know this is nothing to do with the Grammar School, but answers the questions posed. I think there were also cobbles at either side of the tarmac in West Lane.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-63

Current location (optional) Keighley

I cannot see any mention of Yorkshire Traction, were they not the main bus operators at one time ?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 42/44

Current location (optional) Steeton now West Wales

Just to add to the setts discussion.
Still in existence !! Drive up Spring Gardens Lane, passed Devonshire Park and take a left up Woodville Road.
As you drive up Woodville Road and onto View Road, you will encounter the said setts on each side of the tarmac for the majority of the road length.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1950-55

Current location (optional) Keighley

That's right, Derek - I remember the cobbles on Woodville Road from my last trip home a couple of years ago. I also seem to recollect that Dalton Lane was cobbled in the fifties - but maybe I'm mistaken?

Sitting in the osteopath's waiting room a couple of days ago waiting for my daughter I picked up a book to browse through to while away the time. It was a gem - The Essential West Riding. There were plenty of pre-war photos, many showing cobbled streets. There were a few of our locality. Bracken Street and Hainworth Lane, the latter showing the outside privies. Hallas bridge Mill at Cullingworth. And a shop in Lees which had a sign with just the word "clogs" on it. I remembered the first three, though in my memory much less ramshackle than they appeared in the photos, but I can't recall the "clogs" shop at all. Does anyone know where it was?
There was one other photo from the Keighley area. The legend said "Dockroyd, near Oakworth". It must have been a farm because there was a stack of milk churns next to a gateway. Does anyone know where Dockroyd is/was?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65

Current location (optional) leeds

Harry "Bobwire" Greenwood was the clog man at Cross Roads. His Clog shop was in a house at the top of Syke now known as Lees Lane. I have a photo of it tucked away. He moved to his present place in the village sometime in the 50's. Where he is now and what people know as the clog shop, used to be a plumbers workshop, initially when I was a young lad,Albert Snowden and when he gave it up it was taken up by Dennis Plaice.When Harry retired his son Ellis took over the business and he only sold out a few years ago. Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 47-51

Current location (optional) Auckland NZ

Dockroyd is part of Oakworth not far off Station Road, heading down towards the Railway station, as I recall. There would have been a farm there but in my day there were a few houses.I walked a girl home there from Haworth pictures a couple of times when I was about 16.Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 47-51

Current location (optional) Auckland NZ