the building work behind the arc

It's all going to be a lot different around the Colburn and Catterick area by The Arc, as building work has now started on a load of new houses.  Where all the people are going to work is a puzzle to me, but maybe this might encourage someone to re-open The Colburn Lodge, as that is not far from the (soon to be built) houses.  I'll put up more photographs as it develops.

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the snow has arrived

The bastard snow has arrived in Catterick, and it is only October.  This is the view from outside my front door about half an hour ago.  It's bleeding cold as well.
I blame God.

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old facebook photographs

 Looking young and cool with my old leather jacket (I rode a motorbike at the time)

A Rolling Stones banner l stole from the Newcastle gig and later sold at Sotheby's for about £400.  I had to borrow a knife from a Hells Angel, climb up the scaffolding and cut it down, roll it up, make sure l gave the knife back, then nonchalantly stroll out with it under my arm.  Luckily l also had some sticky access passes, so l could have been mistaken for a roadie.  This is outside Stocky's house in Colburn.

 On top of the garage in the house l shared with some other lads, drinking home made booze.  With me are Bainsey (Jim Pierce) and Lammy (Paul Lambert).  Also on display is the Colburn Popular Front flag, which went with us to festivals.  

The skinny me, probably posing during The James Herriot half marathon as it was around Catterick and Richmond, and went past Colburn near the end.  On a good day, l could run 10 miles in about 55 minutes, and a half marathon in about one hour 15 minutes.  Now it would be one day 15 minutes.

While l was at work on Saturday, a colleague told me that she had seen old photographs of me on some Facebook pages (I won't say the names).  While checking out one of the sites this evening, these ones were amongst the beauties that popped up.  Although probably hundreds of photographs were taken of me about this time ( l'm not exaggerating), l have only got about three of them, so this was a pleasant surprise and a bit of a shock (although it was also only a matter of time before they started appearing).  I can't believe how skinny l was when l was doing a lot of running (half marathons), and the FPO is now cursing she didn't meet me earlier, as she just got the sad, fat, old and bitter version of the above.  If (or when) l eventually go insane and turn into a serial killer, certain people will make a fortune selling photographs of me. Stocky alone will be able to retire with the amount he has.  I bet he is just biding his time, waiting for me to crack and start my rampage.

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the colburn lodge is still for sale

Thinking about dodgy places (after the last post), this sprang to mind.  The Colburn Lodge, a much loved Catterick and Colburn pub, has been closed for over a year and is still for sale.  It had been bought, but is now back on the market for some reason.  I only hope it was bought with the idea of knocking it down and building residential properties on the site, but the proposal had been rejected.  I, (amongst many others) hope it opens again as a pub, especially with all the new houses being constructed nearby.  It's an iconic landmark around these parts that used to be heaving when Big John ran it and 60 Squadron were based over the road. At the moment, it's just a waste, and probably deteriorating rapidly.  We will have plenty of houses soon, but hardly anywhere to go.  This building should be listed and preserved.

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dodgy people in the arc

'The Arc'  Sports and Social Club in Colburn, Catterick Garrison, is a pub/club actually called 'The Hanson', (but everyone calls it 'The Arc').  It  is a place l sometimes descend upon to watch the football and have a crack on with some of the locals.  To describe most of them as working class scumbags (like myself) would be an understatement.  Here are three of them, demonstrating the effects that frequenting The Arc on a regular basis has on you. They are Ian, Jacket and Dogface.  I have only called Ian by his proper name as l can't remember his nickname (Gimmy? Dummy? it's something.. mmy) and l can't be bothered phoning anybody to find out, but pretty much everyone has a nickname, including me. All are (as you can imagine) pretty crazy, but also sound lads as well. Rachel (Jacket's missus, known as Mrs Jacket) now even runs the place as Cav/Kav/Mr K/Irish Jimmy (all the same person) has retired. This (sad to say) is one of the environments l thrive in, as, living across the road for years, putting the hours in with the nuttiness, drinking and drugs, (plus being devilishly handsome, good at football and pool, bright and funny), l have earnt my spurs. There is a large residential development just about to start behind the club, and lots more families will be moving in and living near it.  Some of them are in for a shock when they head out to their new local for the first time.   Before you wonder, no doctors or lawyers drink in the place, and l can't see that changing in the near future.  Recommended on a Sunday morning when the football team are playing at home, and the drinks are cheap.

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videos of the flooding in catterick village

Catterick Village high street

Catterick Village Low Green, near the Oak Tree and the Bay Horse pubs

These are two videos of the flooding in Catterick Village the other day after the beck had broke its banks.  Sadly, it only blocked half of the village, so l could still get to work by heading in via the other side.  It still looks pretty impressive, even with the prat in a canoe swanning around wanting to be filmed for TV.

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recent rain photos

 The road by Tesco's heading towards Richmond from Catterick.  Only just passable on Tuesday

Heading from Catterick Bridge towards Colburn on Wednesday.  This road was closed on Tuesday

 From the TV on Monday.  I think it's Catterick Village green (they just said Catterick green).

 The River Swale at Richmond on Wednesday after it had died down a bit (but was still up)

                                        By the River Swale falls at Richmond on Wednesday

The River Swale falls, again on Wednesday

The River Swale looking towards the main bridge crossing to Catterick on Wednesday  

 The stream at Catterick village on Wednesday. You can see by the bench and table how high it had been.

The Swale inbetween Brompton and Richmond on Wednesday

It sure has been raining a lot in the last few days.  here's some picturs that l took while out and about, which show some of the effects.  Most of the really bad rain and after effects of it had died down by the time of the photos, as it was probably worse on Monday.  Ah well, we will soon have the snow to look forward to, as winter seems a lot closer than summer already.  Bloody weather.

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paul and rab outside the wine bar

A long weekend is ahead, as l have just picked up my brother Paul, and he is staying at our place for a few days.  Here is the start of the madness, Paul outside the Wine bar in Catterick with old Rabbie, who is still hanging on to life with a mad Scottish determination.  More reports later.  It will get messy.

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richmond in 1927 and today

I live on the outskirts of Richmond, North Yorkshire, and came across these two photographs of the castle and town centre from 1927.  The place is still pretty much the same, apart from some old buildings that were knocked down (that were in front of the obelisk in the town centre).  You get used to the quaintness of it when you live nearby, so take the old buildings, cobbled streets, River Swale, abbey and castle (and castle walks) for granted, but it's always full of tourists in the summer time, and it must be amazing for them if they are seeing it for the first time.  Sadly my first viewing was rather sullied by the fact l crashed my bike heading into the place, so l arrived cursing and sore.  I also lived there for a while, and myself and the FPO nearly bought  a home there, but decided on our current location instead (Sunny Catterick). Good job as well, or l would have been out and about all day playing pool.

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the death of the colburn lodge

Look on and weep brothers and sisters, as it looks like The Colburn Lodge is not going to be re-opening anytime in the future. There is no concrete news on this, but it has been empty and boarded up for a while now, and the word on the street is that it will be knocked down and houses/flats built upon the land.
This used to be an iconic pub in Colburn and Catterick Garrison, passed by as you headed towards Camp Centre from the A1, and a stop off (or beginning) point before hitting the Scorpion / Staxx / Walkerville nightclub (also sadly demolished). I used to do a rock disco in there. My dad and his mates used to drink there. 60 Squadron used to be over the road and at one time it was always heaving. Numerous fights, drinks spilt, laughs a plenty and Rabbi being knocked out like Jesus on the floor (and people just stepping over him). Those were the days my friends...... It was so crazy, that Robbo got banned for being cowardly and not fighting, punters wore toilet seats around their heads, and old Joe used to draw his gun on you in the toilets.
What is the world coming to when our cultural fabric and memories are allowed to wither and die away in this fashion. I haven't even mentioned The Human Frog from Rising Damp.
All to be taken away, and certainly never repeated.

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brough hall, catterick

When l was a young lad (OK, in my 20's), myself and other members of the 'Colburn Popular Front' used to go to Brough Hall at Catterick for a wander round, as it had been derelict for years, was all boarded up and falling apart, and it was pretty spooky down there in the middle of the night. Years later and what's happened? It's been tarted up and gentrified, is now divided up into separate accommodations and is private property. Christ on a bike, even William Hague lives there (probably so he can still be 'part of the community' around Catterick/Richmond, where he is an MP). Look on my brothers and viddy this well. If he ever starts harping on about living by a large council estate, this is what he means. He is not roughing it, l can assure you, even though the closest l have come to living there was when myself and a friend got employed to clean the windows as it was being restored, l can vouch that it is very posh inside.
I also get chased away from that area years ago, and it was the most frightening night of my life, but that's for another time.


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