Yesterday, I had to visit deepest, darkest Essex, with my day trip taking in Colchester and the nearby Island of Mersea. Here’s a selection of photos from my journey.
Colchester has two stations – the main line Colchester and Colchester Town, at the end of a short branch that takes you into the centre of the town. It’s pretty grim around the main station.
I liked this ‘All Buns Blazing’ advert for a snack bar.
Dented road sign.
I wonder if Jamie is still in love with Anne Marie?
Like a lot of towns in the UK, there’s no shortage of closed small businesses.
I wonder if the owner wheels these washing machines in every time it rains?
Selection of shops on North Station Road.
The splendid façade of the Grade II listed Victoria Inn, a real ale-stuffed, multiple CAMRA-award winning pub dating back to the 17th Century, boasting a stripped-down ethos:
“In this day and age it was rather a novel idea, get a pub and then try to reinvent it – as a pub. Regular clientele, sensible music and so on. No thunderous disco, no plastic menus on the table, no cheap deals on electric blue vodka-based drinks and no men on the door sporting bomber jackets and earpieces.”
Martin Newell, East Anglian Daily Times
The eyes!
Crossing the Rover Colne with old and new riverside developments.
The River Lodge looks in need of a bit of attention.
Ian & Sam are thataway.
Looking up North Hill.
The Grade II listed Marquis of Granby inn dates from around circa 1520, and boasts, “exceptionally fine carved detail, though much of the building was extensively restored in 1914.” [—]
Meat Lasagna and Coffee special!
Pushing the buggy up the hill.
Blue painted ’boutique hotel’ on North Hill.
Dental Repairs at No 4.
The big arrow.
Loved this sign by the Culver Street Baristas.
Holy Trinity Church, Colchester, the tower of which is early 11th Century Anglo-Saxon and the oldest surviving church building in Colchester.
Ancient entrance.
There’s some wonderful old buildings around the centre of town.
A 30-minute bus ride took us to Mersea Island, which lies 9 miles (14 km) south-east of Colchester and is the most easterly inhabited island in the United Kingdom.
The island is split into two main areas, West Mersea and East Mersea, and connected to the mainland by the Strood, a causeway that floods at high tide. [—]
I was in Mersea for the funeral of a dear friend, where a moving humanist ceremony was held. This is the view from close to her resting place. RIP Maxine Craik.
A mix of high tech and low tech informs passengers of timetable changes.
A sign by the Mersea bus stop advertises the joys of Fish & Chip Friday.
On the same noticeboard, Wednesday’s attraction was a toenail cutting service.
A last view of Colchester, as we waited for the train back to Liverpool Street at the single platform of the Town station.
Opened in 1866, the station was originally known as St. Botolph’s before being renamed as Colchester Town in 1991. Despite the one solitary platform, the station is a busy one, carrying 760,000 people every year. [—]
Related posts:
Coney Island archive photos: 1986 and 1999
Barry Island breakwater, pier and railway, south Wales
Cardiff City awaydays: Colchester United, 1993 – with pitch invasion!
Canvey Island photos – sea wall murals, Concord Beach, a Dr Feelgood bench, sea views and racism
A walk along a deserted Hunter’s Point South Park, Long Island City, New York
Wandsworth Town station in the early evening rain
A selection of photos taken around the town centre of Maidstone, Kent
Barry Island photos
Thanks a lot for all these wonderful photos.
The roadsign one is of particular heritage note, as the road to Cambridge hasn’t been called A604 for maybe about 20 years…