Past Stations

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt - Architecture - Stations (train, bus or airport) 

Liverpool Exchange opened in May 1850. it had five platforms with an overall roof for "the comfort of passengers"  By the 1870s traffic had increased so much it was eventually expanded in 1888 and opened in its new form. Exchange consisted of this grand hotel frontage behind which was a covered cab road, further buildings provided offices, booking and waiting facilities. It now had 10 platform faces protected by gabled roofs. The station closed in 1977 and trains were diverted to the new underground link line. The card was sent in 1903.

In contrast - Redmire Station in the snow.  Once the terminus of the Wensleydale Railway, unfortunately the track has deteriorated and at the moment the platform and car park are being used as en engineering base to re-lay the line The station building (once the station masters house, booking hall and waiting room) has been owned by the 2nd Acomb Scouts Group since 1988 taking the name of Redmire Station House Activity Centre, a hostel for use by families and youth groups with cycling and walking routes straight from the door into the Yorkshire Dales. 

Broad Gauge engine in Bristol's old Temple Meads Station. Brunel's Great Western Railway was built using broad gauge which would lead to the Gauge Wars as the rest of Britain largely adopted standard gauge. The tracks at Temple Mead were then converted to mixed gauge. The postcard artist John G Norris shows Post Office Station Staff transferring mail at Bristol Old Temple Mead Station around 1892.

 

As an added bonus there is a special cancel for the departure of the Orient Express from Temple Meads Station in 1985 as part of the Great Western Railway's 150th anniversary celebrations

Yellow

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt for a spring and one of the colours that mark its arrival, Yellow

Bamforth's 'Tempest Kiddy' Series No 472 (Illustrator Douglas Tempest)

"Here's a spot of Good Luck ... A Double Dose for You" 

 A card sent in 1934 from 'Grandma', who was visiting the seaside resort of Blackpool, to Alison in Cheshire.

"In the Car" - Roy Lichtenstein

Fast forward to 1963 and fast cars, a Hitchcock blond  in the driving seat and her squared jawed companion. This large Lichtenstein painting is based on the comic book series 'Girls Romances'. (The original story graphic revealed -  Tony Abruzzo panel with speech bubble.)

SVR Poster Series No 6 - Kidderminster (Artist - Alan Reade)

A world away is The Falling Sands Viaduct carrying the Severn Valley Railway over the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal whose bridge has the more parochial name of Bridge Number 16.

North America

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is visiting cities in North America

The impressive Union Station in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The beaux art building of  local limestone opened in 1911. It was designed by the same architects as Grand Central Station in New York. The wide road with electric tram and waiting horse drawn carriages connect travellers to the city.

Lincoln was founded in 1856 as the village of Lancaster and later renamed after Abraham Lincoln, it became the state capital in 1869. My sender likes this part of the city with its old factories that are now apartments, stores and restaurants and says "This is a great place to 'people watch' in the warmer months" I like old signage on buildings, this factory and warehouse. was built for  Harpham Bros Harness and Saddle Factory, a thriving business in the early 20th Century.

South

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt for Cities in Southern Europe

Night falls in Toledo which is surrounded on three sides by the Tagus River. The Alcazar fortification dominates the highest part of the city, always a useful location if under siege, as has happened in past.  The cathedral occupies the other high point.

Arezzo in Tuscany described a destination for "culture without the crowds". The view is of the arcades of Via Roma, a covered shopping street. A  welcome cafe-bar beckons in the distance to rest those tired tourist feet. 

Old and New Cities

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is visiting the cities of Asia

AI tells me this is Qiwang Hall in Jingshan Park a scenic area near the Forbidden city. It sits at the bottom of Jingshan Hill (also called Longevity Hill), the highest part of Beijing and from where one can have extensive views of the Forbidden City. Sent, as can be seen, on the 7th December 1908 to Belgium (via Siberia) arriving on the 26th December in Brussels with its Happy Christmas message.

I've used this view of Singapore before when we doing aerial views but needs must, I couldn't find anything else.

Darkness

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is in spooky mood for  Hallowe'en or Black

A familiar story, a lone car on a lonely road. Will they reach their destination?

All Directions (Photo - Sarah Montgomery)

The mist descends, something moves in the dark...

 

Abandon by Meg Cabot

How will the story end? Its a matter of love and death...

The card was issued for the first of  a trilogy by Meg Cabot which was inspired by the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone.

 

Shades of Red

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt in Autumn is looking for the colour Red

A maple leaf, renowned  for its vibrant autumn colours

 

A love heart sent anonymously in October 1906 to Mr H Noble, Engineer, on the merchant ship 'Manchester Importer', anchored in Salford Docks, Manchester. Much more romantic than

2015: Alice in Wonderland (Illustrator - Graham Baker-Smith)

 

the Queen of Hearts who has probably more in common with

 

a dragon.

Orange

See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is celebrating the colours of Autumn, this week -Orange

 

one of the colours of the Irish flag.

Welcome to the 2012 London Olympics - Cycling - London Eye

Sunsets

Valentine's Flower Series No. 16

and coreopsis, which with its postcard companion, scabious, are known for their long bloom time, continuing flowering into autumn.

Faces

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is looking at faces

John Hegley, performance poet, comedian, musician (plays the mandolin) and songwriter. T|here will always be audience participation.  This was a postcard promoting his 2004 tour  based on John's visit to Nice in 2001 to paint a scene originally depicted by his French father, Rene, in 1931. "In the show he muses upon the trip, painting generally, throat sweets and blancmange".  A book was published also called The Sound of Paint Drying with poems, sketches, songs, stories and diary entries.

B.B. London Series No 2402

A vintage card from Birn Brothers, untitled.

A modern card, also untitled, by the artist Francis R Martin

I leave you with a racoon.

Stone

 See It On A Postcards Thursday Postcard Hunt is looking for all things geological

The Stone, Bentham

Great Stone of the Fourstones or as it called locally The Stone or sometimes The Big Stone. A glacial erratic. There was once four of them but the others have disappeared having probably been used in the past for building stone.  This one survives because it marks a border between Yorkshire and Lancashire.  Someone in the past has carved 14 steps to the top for ease of access to enable everyone to gaze across the moorland.

The card was sent in 1908 and the sender was having "a grand time but such horrid weather. If you want to know what rain is come to Bentham, been wet through twice".

Fossil Cave, Naracoorte, South Australia

Maybe they should head underground.The limestone caves of Naracoorte classed as a World Heritage Site because their abundance of fossils and by the looks of it some stunning stalagmites and stalactites. Only four of the estimated 26 caves are open to the public to preserve the fossil record for research.

Entrances

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt starts the month with the theme 'Details' - Architecture

Hahnetor Gate, Cologne

Here is where once kings entered Cologne on the way to the cathedral after being crowned in Aachen. Of Cologne's 12 medieval gateways three have been preserved. Hahnetor Gate stands at the west of the city on Rudolfplatz 

The main portal of Bern Minster considered one of the finest examples of Gothic sculpture in Switzerland and the only statues of the cathedral to survive the iconoclasm of the Protestant Reformation. Above the doors is the Last Judgment. The figures to the left of the door represent the five Foolish Virgins, the ones to the right are the Wise Virgins. In the centre - Justice. (Wikipedia has a photo of the rather more glitzy gold painted details).

Patriarchal Basilica St John Lateran, Rome

 The fancy facade of the Archbasilica of St John Lateran constructed by Alessandro Galilei although at the time (1733-35) the "monumental severity and palace character of the facade caused a scandal in Roman artistic circles" others did not take the same view and by the end of the century its neoclassical beauty was admired. 

Easter Greetings

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is feeling Easter-y

An early Happy Easter on Maundy Thursday. Don't open those Easter eggs yet!  Perhaps these Italian children will be in church over Easter

The bells of Verona Cathedral may draw them here to enter and enjoy the the view inside.

Song Birds

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt  is looking for Song Birds

 

A warm sunny day and to see skylarks soaring to sing is bliss indeed. Valentine's published a popular series of postcards featuring Winifred Austen's bird paintings. This card was sent to a Mrs Roxby Hall languishing in  Leeds Infirmary hospital in the 1950s wishing her a speedy recovery and to soon rise from her bed and be singing like the skylark. Austin (1876-1964) was an illustrator, painter, etcher and aquatint engraver known for her detailed depictions of small mammals and birds portrayed in their day to day life. 

Bringing happiness, a birds chorus.

Putting on the Style

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is Keeping Warm this winter -

It is forecast for the temperature to dip this weekend, A card from the last century when the winters were colder and furs were the warm clothing of choice, with and without heads . The card sends "A Kindly Wish. - Fortune favour you that so you may /Have all that gladdens life this Christmas Day" Postcard sent on 24 December 1920

The aunties are keeping warm inside.

Streets

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is walking down urban streets

Charing Cross, Glasgow

and a pleasant day for a walk to the post office on the corner.

Eastgate, Lincolnshire

Early morning in Louth, Lincolnshire.  I had a look online and nothing much has changed here, the Pack Horse Hotel and bar is still there although not the Coffee Tavern but there is no doubt there will be a coffee shop on the street somewhere. Somehow the word 'tavern' does sound more fun.  The lower shop fronts and signage of course are now boringly modern and cars park on the left, yellow lines and no parking on the right.  The church spire is St James and the tallest medieval church spire in the country.

York Street, Albany, Western Australia

A clear blue sky in Australia, just like where I am today, except of course with summer rather than winter temperatures.  The card says - "York Street is Albany's main commercial area and overlooks the beautiful Princess Royal Harbour".  Pity we can't see it. I could have used it for next week's theme.

Bridges of Dreams

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt in search of wooden bridges

Moomin Bridge over the creek leading to Moomin House.  Snufkin returns to Moominvalley every spring to spend time with his good friend Moomintroll and of course have adventures

and I am sure they would take a wooden ladder bridge over a crevasse with equanimity.

This Mont Blanc card was sent in 1911 from Gabrielle to her friend Jeanne..

Hold on to Your Hats

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is in search of hats..

"When the Heart is young"

 

A breezy day on the beach and one person is making sure that her hat will not blow off.  She should have used hat pins. I have one of my grandmother's long hat pins and it looks as though it could also double as a lethal weapon.   The postcard was sent from the seaside resort of Blackpool in August 1909 from Amy to her friend Miss A Bodkin and tells her that they were enjoying themselves immensely as is this happy crowd.

"He doesn't see me yet"

I was sent a set of these cards published by Atkinson Bros in Toronto featuring a lot of hats and poses mainly worn by this young women playing peek-a-boo.

PHQ 2011: Centenary of the First UK Aerial Post "Gustav Hamel receives first mailbag"

Of course I have to feature a postman's hat and there would be postcards in his bag for this test flight from Hendon Airfield to Windsor carried commemorative cards and envelopes.

Temple and church

 See It On a Postcard' Thursday Postcard Hunt for Temples and Churches - for all things spiritual...

Prasat Angkor Wat Temple

starting with the famous12th Century Buddhist temple complex Angkor Wat in Cambodia

Notre-Dame de Paris

and an ethereal view of Notre-Dame. The spire once again rises after the fire in 2019 having been recently erected last year topped with cross and cockerel. All this was very much in the future when this card was sent in September 1931.

Holy Trinity Church, Howgill, Cumbria

In contrast to these world renowned buildings  hunkered down among the Howgill Fell is this sturdy little church built in the 19th century.  I can never resist a card with sheep and in this context as the Bible verse says "I know my sheep and my sheep know me..."