Tag: Sheffield

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

As wide as the Wicker Arches

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The Wicker Arches is a railway viaduct on the edge of Sheffield city centre. It was built in 1848 and the 41-arches span the Don Valley. Most of the arches are now blocked, with various businesses occupying the spaces, but the main arch across the Wicker, with decorative pedestrian arches to either side, remains a busy route into the city, and Effingham Road also passes beneath the viaduct further east. The arch beneath which the River Don passes now forms part of the Five Weirs Walk with the route taking the form of a suspended metal walkway named the Spider Bridge (it’s even decorated with large silver arachnids with illuminated eyes).

Passenger rail services across the viaduct ceased in 1970 when Sheffield Victoria Station, which was situated atop the viaduct, closed, and all rail traffic had stopped by the 1980s.

The phrase “as wide as the Wicker Arches” has been regularly used by people in Sheffield to denote someone who was a bit crafty or a smartarse.

When I was cheeky
“Wide as the Wicker Arches!”
Would come my mum’s cry

As wide as the Wicker Arches

Zeiss Mess-Ikonta 524/16 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 9 May 2021

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

The remains of the Farfield Inn

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Another victim in the declining pub trade in the UK, the Farfield Inn stands at the western end of Neepsend Lane at the bottom of Hillfoot Road, not far from the busy route that is Penistone Road. There used to be pigeon lofts on the steep hillside along this stretch but those, like the Farfield Inn, have fallen into dereliction, their skeletal remains vaguely apparent in the brush that has grown to take their place.

“Fancy a nice pint?”
Would once have been said by those
Who visited here

Abandoned hostelries
Abandoned hostelries

Zeiss Mess-Ikonta 524/16 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 9 May 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

A man walks down a street…

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A man walks down a street. It could be the guy in the photo, or it could be me – I walked down a lot of streets on this day.

This is probably going to be my last photo from this roll of expired Elite Chrome 200, but it delivered a bumper crop of photos with almost the whole roll being good enough to publish. Whether anyone else feels the same way is open to question, but that doesn’t really matter.

I’ve loved the results this roll gave, the colours are wonderful, the colours rich but not brash, even if not completel accurate to the scenes they portray. Shooting slide film on a point-and-shoot compact was fune too. Will I do it again? I’m not sure. The exposures on all the images is great, even though the camera is 35 years old, with the only downside being a slight softness on the images – I’m not sure why this is the case as the lens on the camera usually produces nice, sharp results. It could just be my post-processing though, or maybe my pickiness.

I have two more rolls of this same stock in the freezer, plus a couple of the 100asa variety too, and I’m looking forward to shooting more when the time is right.

Expired E6 film
It’s potential sat waiting
For twenty years now

Twinmney

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Kodak Elite Chrome 200 (expired 2003).

Taken on 17 April 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Heading into town

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Another one of those quick posts today – I’ve only just finished work and am ready for the weekend and don’t really have it in me to type much this evening. A shower, a change of clothes, and an night of vegging out watching TV all beckon.

So here’s a trio of consecutive images made while walking back towards the city centre during a walk a few weeks ago. This is London Road, a street chock-full of colourful restaurants, takeaways, and businesses. It’s always an interesting place to make a photgraph.

Let’s get around town
We’ll be seeing and hearing
The sound of the crowd

The top of London Road
Into town
Near Harrison's

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Kodak Elite Chrome 200 (expired 2003).

Taken on 17 April 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Cole’s Corner

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This Cole’s Corner, a record shop and cafe in Sheffield presumably takes its name from another, more well-known, Cole’s Corner in the city centre. Although not an officially named place, the original was situated at the corner of Fargate and Church Street and was the former location of Cole Brothers department store. Cole’s (as it was often shortened to) moved to new premises in Barkers Pool many years ago – in the late 60s I think – but Cole’s Corner retained it’s name long after to a generation of people who would use it as a well known landmark for meeting their dates before embarking on whatever they got up to around town.

Cole Brothers was acquired by the John Lewis chain (although, as mentioned, never really lost it’s original name for locals) and remained at Barker’s Pool up until spring this year, when the company announced that the branch would be closing it’s doors for good. I didn’t shop all that often in the store – it was always a little on the pricey side for me – but I visited on numerous occasions and am sad that it has gone. I once had one of my photos on display in its cafe.

Boyfriends and girlfriends
At the start of their night out
Met at Cole’s Corner

Coles Corner

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Kodak Elite Chrome 200 (expired 2003).

Taken on 17 April 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

The Madina Mosque

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Sheffield is not a city with a skyline. Being nestled in and atop valleys and hills, most of it’s buildings stand against a backdrop of topology rather than sky. There are noteable buildings that stand out however: Hyde Park and Park Hill flats, The university arts tower, the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, The former Hallam Towers hotel and others which are visible from afar both by dint of their size, and sometimes their location.

One building that sits low in one of the valleys also stands out though – the Madina Masjid / Madina Mosque. Completed in 2006 the building has a large green dome and two green-roofed towers which are visible from far around. Today’s photo shows the mosque from a vantage point on Queen’s Road. As Eid is about to be celebrated, I felt it made a fitting subject for today’s post.

Dome and minarets
Stand green-topped and prominent
A city feature

Towards the Central Mosque

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Kodak Elite Chrome 200 (expired 2003).

Taken on 17 April 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Warped perspective

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If you catch a quick glance of this photo it can seem a little odd – at least it does to my combination of eyes and brain. For a moment it looks like the building is symetrical, with to identical ends seperated by the garage doors. It isn’t of course – both ends are different in both shape and size – but before you catch yourself in this realisation it looks like perspective has somehow gone out of whack and the far section of the building is smaller than it should be. Or is it just me?

My eyes can play tricks
Or is it my silly brain
That’s really to blame?

MOTS

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Kodak Elite Chrome 200 (expired 2003).

Taken on 17 April 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Edmund Road Drill Hall

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Today’s photo shows Edmund Road Drill Hall (sometimes known as Norfolk Barracks), a Grade II listed building that was once used by the 4th West York Artillery Volunteers and which was constructed in 1878. It’s currently in use as a training facility for industrial rope access. I guess that castle-like tower might prove useful in that regard. 🙂

Near the town centre
A former barracks still stands
Castle on a street

Inner-city castles

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Kodak Elite Chrome 200 (expired 2003).

Taken on 17 April 2021