When A3 through Purbook featured just a motorbike and sidecar - Nostalgia

Here’s a pre-1935 scene at the junction of London Road and Purbrook Heath Road, Purbrook. Running along the centre of the road are the tram lines of the Portsdown and Horndean Light Railway.
By Bob Hind
Published 15th Jul 2019, 10:35 GMT
Updated 15th Jul 2019, 13:16 GMT
A rural scene at Purbrook pre-1935. Note the motorbike and sidecar on the left. Picture:: Barry Cox postcard collectionA rural scene at Purbrook pre-1935. Note the motorbike and sidecar on the left. Picture:: Barry Cox postcard collection
A rural scene at Purbrook pre-1935. Note the motorbike and sidecar on the left. Picture:: Barry Cox postcard collection

They are coming off the interlaced section into a double track section through the village.

The wall was built to stops pedestrians falling into the local stream while  to the right of it is a Player’s Please cigarette advert featuring the famous bearded sailor.

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Between the bridge and the advert, in the distance, is a house. Does anyone know anything about it?

The same view at Purbrook today.The same view at Purbrook today.
The same view at Purbrook today.

To the left, on the junction of Purbrook Heath Road, is a motorbike and sidecar.

Today’s picture shows that the left hand side of the road has been widened to make a bus lane which the trams didn’t need and the bridge wall has been set back. The hedgerow on the left has long gone and the pavement widened.

On the right there’s now a roundabout taking Ladybridge Road to Stakes Road and Purbrook Way and on to Leigh Park. Purbrook Heath Road now leads to the Rowans Hospice and the recreation ground.

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• There were two colliers named after Portsmouth, Pompey Power and her sister Pompey Light, shown here.

The final photograph from the Graham Stevens collection and we see the collier Pompey Light in dock where the IoW car ferry now leaves from. Picture: Graham Stevens CollectionThe final photograph from the Graham Stevens collection and we see the collier Pompey Light in dock where the IoW car ferry now leaves from. Picture: Graham Stevens Collection
The final photograph from the Graham Stevens collection and we see the collier Pompey Light in dock where the IoW car ferry now leaves from. Picture: Graham Stevens Collection

Launched in 1949, after construction by Samuel Peter Austin & Son of Sunderland, Pompey Light brought coal to Portsmouth  for the  power station.

Pompey Light  was in service until 1968 when she was sold to John Pounds the Portsmouth ship breaker. He then resold it to a firm in Antwerp for breaking.

Pompey Power survives to this day in Oslo. 

Pompey Light is berthed where the car ferry to Fishbourne, Isle of Wight, departs from. Picture: Graham Stevens

 

Related topics:NostalgiaLondon Road