Guest 1715- Registered: 15 Mar 2016
- Posts: 5
Hello Everybody,
I have been reading the section on the tram shelter at the junction of Elms Vale Road and Folkestone Road.
I lived in Folkestone Road just opposite the shelter through the 1960's. Broken windows were quite common. I was pleased to see the trough had been moved to the Market Square and planted with flowers
when I visited Dover sometime ago. Perhaps the shelter will one day be the subject of a restoration project. It would certainly be a good addition to the transport museum.
It's location isn't really by the bus stops. I don't think it was ever used much while I was in the area. When the horse trough was present it was probably used more when the horses stopped for a drink. The improvements to the junction were long overdue as it was an accident blackspot. There have been a lot of changes in Dover over the years. I hope Dover does not loose too much of it's character. These monuments
to the past should be preserved. I hope it is still around in a hundred years time.
Bob
Guest 1708- Registered: 9 Mar 2016
- Posts: 7
Hi Bob, In the 1960's the shelter was used a lot, miners used to wait for the buses there, I used to wait there if raining also to watch what bus came first 1 from the Maxton direction or the 1 from Elmsvale, and I wasn't the only person to do that I can assure you
Sheila
Guest 1715- Registered: 15 Mar 2016
- Posts: 5
Hi Sheila,
My apologies Sheila, I do remember buses running with the sign Workmen on the front. They used to run in the rush hour, I think. I did not know that there were miners living in the area. I thought that they lived mainly in the communities like Aylsham.
Bob
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Went down to the shelter this morning to assess its practical use. Unfortunately any buses from Maxton or Folkestone to town would not be visible from in there until they were going past.
Assuming someone is fleet of foot they can see the Dover/Folkestone bus coming and brave the traffic running across to stop it.
Elms Vale road can be viewed clearly but everyone one waits at the shelter at the junction of Folkestone Rd and Belgrave Rd in order to get a choice of 2 sometimes 3 buses into town.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
The panes of glass have now all been replaced but a some fairly urgent work needs doing to the metalwork.
Guest 652- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 595
some of us are getting together and setting up a Friends of the Tram Shelter group, I hope we get a lot of support, we must do everything in our power to protect and see that this landmark is looked after and left where it is
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
From bitter experience I think we should reluctantly accept that 'looked after' and 'left where it is' are mutually exclusive ambitions which DDC does not have the wit or the will to deliver.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
The only way to look after it is by living in it 24/7.
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,304
That would make a change from the doorways in Biggin Street Vic!
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Reginald Barrington
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,236
My vote is to remove it to a safe place where it can be properly looked after, preferably The DTM, I certainly don't want vast sums of my council tax spent continually repairing it
Arte et Marte
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,826
That is also what I think Reginald.
It seems a few people who live in the area are happy for DDC to keep dishing out or should that be wasting our tax money on repeated repairs just because they have past memories.
Unfortunately the shelter is a sitting target for repeated vandalism by a few thoughtless morons where it is.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Nice renovation job by DDC.
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,826
Looks great but for how long.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
until it upsets an erk with a grudge.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Not been vandalised for about a year now so hopefully this will carry on - half term this week.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Two panes damaged this time and I understand there was a lot of graffiti that had been removed earlier.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
As it is now a month since the damage occurred I thought it a good idea to contact DDC to find out when or whether they are going to repair it. The sadists that have designed the latest website have beaten me again.
The obvious place to go to first was Property Services but they don't seem to exist anymore even though they have marked vans. I then went to the "report vandalism/criminal damage" section which brought up anti social behaviour and suggested I grass up my neighbours over something.
In the past I used to E mail Customer services with a problem and they would pass it on to the relevant department but not any more.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Head against the wall time comes around again, had a reply from DDC to say they weren't aware of any damage!! Could I now fill out a form and send photographs.
Guest 1292- Registered: 23 Jun 2014
- Posts: 23
Wow. I suggest that they get off their backsides and out of their ivory tower and inspect the damage for themselves as would have been the case in the past. I know that so much of our town is unknown territory to the Senior Management of DDC but maybe there are Officers who can drive the short distance, perhaps with the help of an A-Z?
