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The Royal Victoria Hotel in Sheffield


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11 hours ago, Organgrinder said:

Many thanks for procuring those latest photos History Dude.

In the 1950's, I worked for British Railways, was a regular visitor to the Victoria Station and was so sad when it was closed down and demolished.

Brings back lovely memories.

Do you remember the year when they demolished the old carriage shed at Bernard Road? It was probably in the 1960's, but any details of the station up to 1968 would help me build a more accurate picture. By the way what did you do on the railways? 

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Details like I have managed to work out the station had 9 of those column lights with the tube on the top saying "Sheffield Victoria". But there were a lot more tubes with the name that I don't know the number of.  But it looks like they were fitted between each canopy section. So if you can work out the canopy sections, you can get the number of lights. I have discovered also that the removed them from platform one after it was stop being used. And unlike the column type had the name on one side only.  British Rail did however recycle some of these lights for Sheffield Midland. Only the tube part though. As some of the demolition photos show the columns still in place, well after most of the buildings on the platforms had been cleared.  

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51 minutes ago, History dude said:

Do you remember the year when they demolished the old carriage shed at Bernard Road? It was probably in the 1960's, but any details of the station up to 1968 would help me build a more accurate picture. By the way what did you do on the railways? 

Sorry, but I can't help you with the Bernard Rd Shed. I know where it was but no idea when it was demolished.

I actually worked at Wicker Goods Station on Saville Street. Started as a Junior Clerk but couldn't stand it in the offices - too boring.

Got myself transferred to dispatch and was a Messenger (similar to Post Office Telegram Boys (some of who we were friendly with),

My workmates and I used to have our dinners in the Wicker Goods staff canteen  or, at Victoria Station staff canteen, usually  on alternate days and sat with the lads who worked at Victoria Station.

Some, even swapped cap badges with Victoria lads (which was against rules). Ours were red LMS and Victoria's were blue LNER

Later became a Numbertaker at Browns Bridge where I kept tabs on all goods traffic to Brightside Goods Station and to Firth Browns. and passed it on to Wicker Goods offices.

My best mate went to Millhouses sheds as a Locomotive Fireman and later Driver when I moved to Numbertaking.

 

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1 hour ago, History dude said:

Details like I have managed to work out the station had 9 of those column lights with the tube on the top saying "Sheffield Victoria". But there were a lot more tubes with the name that I don't know the number of.  But it looks like they were fitted between each canopy section. So if you can work out the canopy sections, you can get the number of lights. I have discovered also that the removed them from platform one after it was stop being used. And unlike the column type had the name on one side only.  British Rail did however recycle some of these lights for Sheffield Midland. Only the tube part though. As some of the demolition photos show the columns still in place, well after most of the buildings on the platforms had been cleared.  

I take my hat off to you. You certainly noticed more than I did at the time.

I sometimes feel annoyed at myself for not taking more notice of what was around me because I never thought it would all disappear like that.

I did enjoy myself though and got to drive shunter loco's and work a signal box plus playing with the Capstans and Cranes.

The railway system in Sheffield was on a very large scale and must have employed quite a few thousand people because I used to go to stations all over the city and to "The Farm" (BR Headquarters) bottom of Granville Rd where Granville College is now.

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My observations are all from pictures of the station. I did sneak onto it one day in the 70's, via the loading dock area. My friend and I had to do it when the signal man at Number three box wasn't looking. We got on to platform two and three via the white steps that had been put in to let staff get onto the platform more easily. I suppose it was for the train crews of the goods trains that were still passing the station and change of crew.  You can see them in the photo below with a nice shot of the hotel too. We only went on to see what it was like. It was remarkably still intact, we were too scared of going inside any of the buildings or down the steps of the subways. 

I didn't know there was a staff canteen. There are a number of buildings of odd design on the station in the photos I have seen. One is of a brick building, could this be your canteen?  Then a green and white structure near the end of platform 4 and 5. What was that for I wonder?

The last picture is a shot of holiday makers in 1962 crammed onto platform five! You can see the lights with the station name above them and a tannoy system.

Image-13.JPG

Image-32.JPG

Image-53.JPG

Holidaymakers at Sheffield Victoria Station in 1962.jpg

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What a great set of photos, many thanks, especially the view of the hotel from platform 1. My son will like that because he works at the Victoria Hotel.

Wish I had been with you when you went inside the station but I would have found it very very sad.
The staff canteen was not on the platform but underneath it . We went down some steps from platform one (I think) on the right from the station entrance. The canteen was too large to be on the platform and must have been partially beneath the tracks. Will attach 2 photos 1958, 1960, showing a white wall over Furnival Rd which may be the canteen area and another one showing the Furnival Rd parcels office with a building jutting out above it and this building was later removed.
The time I used to go there was between 1955 and 1957.
I don't remember what any of the buildings on the platforms were unfortunately.
I do remember the crowds of holiday makers on the platforms as the seaside excursion trains were very popular (around 9 shillings to Cleethorpes etc) I was lucky enough to have free travel when I worked for BR.

Vic-Hotel-Station-Approach-1958.jpg

Vic-Hotel-Station-Approach-60's.jpg

Vic-St-Parcels-Office-Furnival-Rd-1920.JPG

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Quite a few photographs, both historical, and more recent can be found on the ‘Flickr’, photograph sharing website.

Links to two of the most relevant photograph sharing groups on the ‘Flickr’ website are given below.

Sheffield Victoria Station:- https://www.flickr.com/groups/sheffield-victoria-station/pool/

South Yorkshire Railway History:- https://www.flickr.com/groups/1875459@N21/pool/

There are other groups, and of course, other images. However, the two above groups would seem to be the most relevant.

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I'd be seriously worried about the cars on the right under the lamp post with most of the concrete missing! And before we have a spate of council bashing, this was a private road, so they weren't council lamps. 😁

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What is that modern building in the background between the clock tower and hotel?

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On 06/06/2022 at 16:16, History dude said:

What is that modern building in the background between the clock tower and hotel?

 

oooh good spot!

 

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A suggestion.. could it be Savile House (or whatever it goes by now) on Savile Street. It was empty for a number of years and undergoing refurbishment when I was last in Sheffield. 

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On 01/06/2022 at 09:44, Organgrinder said:

What a great set of photos, many thanks, especially the view of the hotel from platform 1. My son will like that because he works at the Victoria Hotel.

Wish I had been with you when you went inside the station but I would have found it very very sad.
The staff canteen was not on the platform but underneath it . We went down some steps from platform one (I think) on the right from the station entrance. The canteen was too large to be on the platform and must have been partially beneath the tracks. Will attach 2 photos 1958, 1960, showing a white wall over Furnival Rd which may be the canteen area and another one showing the Furnival Rd parcels office with a building jutting out above it and this building was later removed.
The time I used to go there was between 1955 and 1957.
I don't remember what any of the buildings on the platforms were unfortunately.
I do remember the crowds of holiday makers on the platforms as the seaside excursion trains were very popular (around 9 shillings to Cleethorpes etc) I was lucky enough to have free travel when I worked for BR.

Vic-Hotel-Station-Approach-1958.jpg

Vic-Hotel-Station-Approach-60's.jpg

Vic-St-Parcels-Office-Furnival-Rd-1920.JPG


The colour photo clearly shows the area in between Victoria Approach and the River Don which was once the Cattle Market and the once a year ? Fairground, my dad met my mother their for the first time.

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14 hours ago, Ponytail said:

A suggestion.. could it be Savile House (or whatever it goes by now) on Savile Street. It was empty for a number of years and undergoing refurbishment when I was last in Sheffield. 

It's this 

image.png.acd969f6bbe94d682e632ae7a3a27f48.png

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3 minutes ago, Ponytail said:

That's the one I meant, thank you. Much updated now. Is it still called Savile House? 

Yes, walked past it yesterday

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Pulled this of the Planning Department website for  Savile House.

It's amazing what you can find there!!

Saville House.jpg

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16 minutes ago, History dude said:

Pulled this of the Planning Department website for  Savile House.

It's amazing what you can find there!!

Saville House.jpg

What a transformation. Does it mean the talk of preserving nearby Don Saw Mill was just that, talk? Must admit it was in a very sad state and deteriating. 

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This Bing Maps photograph looking towards the Victoria Hotel and Saville House appears to have been taken before the refurbishment of the Saville House Building.

Is there still a pub next to Saville House? remember calling in there one evening with a workmate, don't remember the name of the pub.

The National Library of Scotland map shows how close together the three Stations were, though by the time of this 1903 map, Wicker and Bridgehouses appear to be (Goods) only Stations.

 

Bing Maps Saville House.jpg

Three Stations.png

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Think the pub was The Hole In the Wall. 

Victoria took over as passenger station and Bridgehouses became the goods depot.

Wicker became a goods depot when Midland opened in 1870's

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Hi Southside,

Yes, there was a pub at the side of where Saville House stands with the name "Hole in the wall"

It used to be a very busy pub which the railway workers used, many from the Wicker Goods Station, which was a MASSIVE site.

It also became known as an entertainment pub with organ and singers in the 70's & 80's, as did the Station Hotel at the other side of the Wicker Arches.

Lots of money flowing in Sheffield in those days and anywhere around the wicker area was usually lively (and safe).

 

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10 minutes ago, Lemmy117 said:

Think the pub was The Hole In the Wall. 

Victoria took over as passenger station and Bridgehouses became the goods depot.

Wicker became a goods depot when Midland opened in 1870's

Hole in the Wall PH long since shut and demolished

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Thanks Guys

That's the pub, don't remember it being called the Hole in the Wall though. The last time I was in there was sometime in 67, I'd been working on the heating system at John Banner's on Attercliffe and we called in for a pint a couple of times on our way home, it was local to my old workmate, can't ask him what it was called as he's not around any more.

 

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