January 06, 2017

Happy New Year Friday Fivers!  And just for you, here are five 'new' things for your perusal.

In Newcastle upon Tyne you will find Parsons Polygon.  Designed by David Hamilton it's actually a ventilation shaft for Newcastle's Metro system. It commemorates Sir Charles Parsons (1854-1931) who designed Turbinia, a steam powered ship.  The shapes in the terracotta tiles are taken from his engineering drawings.

Here's a very old photo of New Brighton. (That's on the Wirral side of the Mersey, in case you don't know.) I estimate it's about 1933, which would make my mum (yes, that's my mum on the left) about 10.  Doesn't my grandad look smart in his bowler?


Here's a rather arty shot of the Newport (Gwent) transporter bridge. Opened 1906. Newport transporter bridge crosses the River Usk at a point where an arched bridge would have been too steep and a lifting bridge would have hindered shipping. A gondola is suspended from the deck and is hauled across the river by cable. The towers are 242 feet high and the crossing is 593 feet.


In the Cotswold village of Bourton on the Water you'll find a pub called the Old New Inn (to differentiate it from the New New Inn!)  and behind it you'll find a model village. And in the model village you'll find a model of the Old New Inn. (You'll also find a model of the model village, which has its own model village!)


Grand Central Station is possibly New York's most famous transport hub. It began life as Grand Central Depot and served trains from the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, New York and Harlem Railroad and the New York and New Haven Railroad. It first opened in 1871.  Between 1899 and 1900 the main building was overhauled and the edifice was renamed. Here's the iconic clock from the central hall.

For more Friday  fives visit Amy's blog, Love Made My Home.

12 comments:

  1. Parsons polygon looks like a fun way to cover a ventilation shaft. I love the photo of your mum. Wonderful. Have a great weekend. B x

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  2. Happy New Year to you too! Love your five all so different but fascinating. We walked along the front at New Brighton in June last year, what a lovely photos to have of your Mum and grandad, didn't people dress up to visit the sea side then? I love the old and new inn story and model village, within the model village:)

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  3. Such interesting photos. I'm captivated with the idea of a model village with its own model village.

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  4. Such a lovely eclectic mix. I was fascinated by the Parsons Polygon. Lovely photo of your Mum and Grandad.

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  5. A quirky five, just my cup of tea!

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  6. An interesting five. I wish we would have stopped into the Old New Inn when we were in Bourton on the Water! happy weekend to you!

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  7. Interesting five this week. I've been to Grand Central Station.

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  8. You have an explorer's eye. I'll bet most people pass the Parsons Polygon and never give it a second glance.

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  9. Happy New Year to you! This is a great Five - and I have realised that I haven't been to any of these "New" places. Thank you. x

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  10. Love the picture of your Mom and your Grandad. And L.O.V.E. his hat! I wear a hat all winter long. I've never been to New York but would love to go. All those models of models of models....I'd love to see that inn, in person! It looks adorable. A very fun and interesting five! Thanks for sharing.

    Cindy Bee

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  11. I really enjoyed learning about all of your five, and the Bourton entry was especially fun to puzzle through :) Thanks for posting! xx

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  12. Lovely photos. How interesting about the inn! Love the photo of your Mum and Grandad in his bowler hat. He did look smart!

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