Derek Pearson

I put much of the blame regarding declining wildlife in the UK firmly down to the Water Companies with their frequent regular polluting of our rivers over a long period of years (since privatisation). It's the cumulative effect. And just look at the mess Thames Water have got themselves into.

I've got no evidence to support this but I think the lyrics "Is it Jane" sorta dominates the song over the lyrics of the title "Make up your mind" and this confusion helped the track stay un-released until Ady started to play it down the 100 Club. Derek

Hi - I've got a copy of Jackie Lee "Oh My Darlin'" in Ex condition at £50 plus P&P if interested? Payment via Paypal only. Ta Derek

Nice shine and gloss, some light surface marks VG+ £150. Ta Derek

I know you requested a white demo but I've got a lovely black issue in Excellent condition you can have for £150 plus P&P. Ta Derek

Hi - have got a WDJ that I'd be willing to sell. Will check condition when I get back home. Then will send further details including price etc. Ta Derek

Sorry for delay in replying. It's a vinyl copy in Excellent condition both sides with Nashville Matrix etched. Clean dark blue label with drill hole(see attached label scans). Discogs rate these copies at between £150-£275. I'll happily take £150 plus £8 Special Delivery. Payment only via Paypal please pearson544@btinternet.com Ta Derek

Pretty sure I've just seen a copy of this somewhere in one of my boxes upstairs. Is it on a red label with a solid centre? Will check tmrw if interested? Ta Derek

Hey up Joe - got a Linda Lewis on UK Polydor but sadly has no middle. Will check condition tmrw if interested? Seem to think its in at least VG+ condition. Ta Derek

Got a lovely American copy I'd be willing to sell if interested? Will check condition tmrw. Gonna be in the £125-150 region. Ta Derek

Hi Joe - guess it's the single you're after (which sadly I haven't got for sale). But I've got a copy of the album which features it. Yours for a tenner plus P&P. Ta Derek

It's not documented on here either. Derek https://www.45cat.com/label/tamla-motown-za

Hi Kim - PM sent. Ta Derek

Update on this exhibition: Due to the success of the 'Being Young In Bradford' exhibition at the Trapezium Art Gallery in Bradford city centre back end of last year we were offered some wall space at the prestigious Cartright Hall Gallery in Manningham Park, Bradford. All the contributors met up at the Gallery regularly between February and March of this year to have a look at the space we were offered and work a wall plan out. All was going well and the projected start date for the exhibition was around early April-ish. And then along came the Coronavirus-19 Pandemic and everything stopped in it's tracks. And the good news is that instead of the double wall space we were offered initially we've now been allocated a full room in the Gallery. Wow! All the contributors have been asked to greatly increase (double up) the number of their wall posters. Time to go through all my folders, drawers and cupboards again. And this time we've been allocated a small budget from the Gallery to cover any extra expenditure. Double wow! Exhibition start date still not finalised exactly but all the contributors (including me) have re-started work on expanding the size and number of their wall posters. As soon as I get more details I will update them here. Ta. Derek "Cartwright Hall Art Gallery is one of the UK's leading regional art galleries. Situated in the picturesque Lister Park, the civic art gallery has permanent art collections. In addition, the gallery plays host to a number of temporary in-house curated exhibitions and visiting exhibitions, working with partners such as the National Portrait Gallery, V&A Museum of Childhood, the British Museum in London and many more national and international venues".

I used to work with a lovely woman who once showed me a copy of her Record Expenditure from 1965-1966. It might be of interest to some people as it shows exactly how much she was paying for various singles and albums and the date she bought them. Derek

Ever wondered why we Brits have a reputation for being a cruel nation? Derek

As a young teen before I discovered booze and girls I used to stand in this side shed at Bradford Park Avenue's old football ground. Photo not taken by me. That would be around the early seventies (think Marc Bolan, T.Rex etc etc) and so symbolic of that era is my old faded silk scarf which I knew I had somewhere. Superb aerial photograph of the old football ground-cricket ground (photo not taken by me).

Tell you what if I was a few minutes younger I'd be up that tunnel like a rat up a drainpipe. When I was in my early teens I was forever bumping around underground tunnels and culverts. Usually without some sort of torch and/or suitable footwear. Have a vague memory of dragging mi little brother (aged 5 or 6 maybe?) down one long tunnel dressed in his little shorts and wellies. It was all going well until he slipped and fell in some deeper water luckily I was holding his hand. Then he started crying and we had to go home. I reckon the water at the mouth of the culvert is probably about a foot deep and about 6 inches in depth running through the culvert. Might have a wander underground when it gets a bit warmer...(maybe?) If Thornton Viaduct dates from 1878 the building of this underground culvert probably dates from around the same time - 140 years old (ish) and still standing and no concrete or metal in sight. Derek

Well I reckon those large left hand side corner stones are about 10-12 inches tall and I counted approx 20 rows up to that missing stone which means that hole could be about 20 foot off the ground? Ya'll need a long ladder and strong nerves haha. Also counted approx 45 rows of stone on the sheer vertical wall before it turns into red brick and curves over - that's a whopping 45 foot height. Seem to think at the time I'd spotted another hole from a missing brick on another arch support but didn't take a photo (or if I did I later deleted it oops). "Thornton Viaduct opened in 1878 as part of the Great Northern's route from Queensbury to Keighley - arguably, the most engineered section of railway in West Yorkshire. It is Grade II listed, incorporates 20 barrel vaulted arches - each with a span of 40 feet - and its 300 yard length incorporates a rare S-shaped curve. The old trackbed crosses Pinch Beck at a height of 120 feet. The structure is formed of 17,000 cubic yards of masonry as well as 750,000 bricks. In November 2008, Thornton Viaduct became part of the Great Northern Railway Trail which ultimately aims to create a foot and cycle path linking Queensbury and Cullingworth, mostly on the old trackbed." Forgot to add these 2 photos earlier (it's mi age...) Derek

The beck that flows underneath Thornton viaduct is called Thornton Beck and it flows through this underground culvert a few yards upstream of the viaduct. Pulled this old enamel pot (or what was left of it) out of Thornton Beck.

When the Great Northern Railway built the railway line linking up the industrial towns of Bradford and Halifax to Keighley they constructed a magnificent viaduct to carry the railway line over the valley at Thornton. See photo below of view from the walkway across Thornton viaduct looking towards Bradford city centre 5 miles away. To give you an idea of the sheer size of the viaduct. How does one stone in that massive vertical wall become dislodged and fall out?

Following on from my initial post on 23rd March 2020: "The upturned and submerged bogie chassis could be from nearby coal mines or stone quarries or maybe even used possibly to build the culvert? For many years I suspect it sat hidden in the deeper waters closer to the mouth of the culvert and the deluge of water from the storms of the previous months have washed it further down the beck into full view". See old picture below (not taken by me) of trolleys used to move sand around on Thornton Moor which is about 5 miles away from where I took the picture of the submerged bogey wheels. Derek

Fairly certain there was a copy in the sales section about a month a go or so for £100 I think. Nearly went for it as I sold mine a few years ago during troubled times and quite fancied getting a copy back. But as usual I got distracted and time moved on...... Derek

PM sent. Ta Derek