Olde Inverness traffic lights.

[Charles Bannerman]

Back in the early 60s and maybe a wee but later than that as well, Inverness had only THREE sets of traffic lights. So three questions.

1) Who remembers where these original three were?

2) How many of them are still in place fulfilling their original function, and where?

3) And where was the fourth set placed when it came along?

(I know the answers to the first two questions but merely have a vague suspicion about the third one!)

Edited March 25, 2012 by Charles Bannerman

[caley100]

I've got some old pics of sneck and its looks like we had one set at the top of inglis street/high street, and another set on high street/castle street. Like you the third one is not known, maybe tomnahurich stret/kenneth street as that was then the main road out of town to the north and west.

[Charles Bannerman]

I've got some old pics of sneck and its looks like we had one set at the top of inglis street/high street, and another set on high street/castle street. Like you the third one is not known, maybe tomnahurich stret/kenneth street as that was then the main road out of town to the north and west.

I think you've slightly misunderstood what I meant Richard. I DO know where all three were. What I'm unsure about is the answer to my own third question - where did the fourth set go when it came along? I will tweak my OP slightly to get rid of any possible ambiguity.

I'll also not comment on your answer at this early stage to give other people a chance to chip in.

Edited March 25, 2012 by Charles Bannerman

[Scarlet Pimple]

3rd set was at the Fairfield Dyeworks wasn't it?

[caley100]

Reckon the 4th set was at the top of Church street!

[Charles Bannerman]

Fairfield Dyeworks! Well that goes back a bit since even I only have a fleeting recollection of that institution. Was it on the corner of Tomnahurich St and Kenneth St... you would pass it on the left if you were going from the County Buildings to the Caley Park?

[Caley Mad In Berks]

Fairfield Dyeworks! Well that goes back a bit since even I only have a fleeting recollection of that institution. Was it on the corner of Tomnahurich St and Kenneth St... you would pass it on the left if you were going from the County Buildings to the Caley Park?

I think it was where the Salvation Army place is now.

[buckett]

1. Kenneth St / Tomnahurich St

2. High St / Inglis St

3. Bridge St / Church St

And the 4th set would perhaps have been High St / Castle St with one of them new-fangled filter arrows!

[Charles Bannerman]

Fairfield Dyeworks! Well that goes back a bit since even I only have a fleeting recollection of that institution. Was it on the corner of Tomnahurich St and Kenneth St... you would pass it on the left if you were going from the County Buildings to the Caley Park?

I think it was where the Salvation Army place is now.

Aye indeed CMIB I think you've jogged my memory.... it was that side of the junction righ'eenuff!

[Charles Bannerman]

1. Kenneth St / Tomnahurich St

2. High St / Inglis St

3. Bridge St / Church St

And the 4th set would perhaps have been High St / Castle St with one of them new-fangled filter arrows!

I've been wondering how long to let this run, but buckett has got so close I'm going to go for it!

Indeed it was the three he suggests at Kenneth St/ Tomhahurich St? Young St, at Inglis St/ High St/ Eastgate (Boots Corner) and at the Town Hall. But as I recollect, back in the days before the one way system never mind pedestrianisation, traffic went both ways along High St so High St/ Castle St/ Bridge St/ Church St was effectively a single junction controlled by just that one third set rather than including buckett's fourth.

And of course my question 2) therefore answers itself since the only one of these which are still genuine traffic lights is Kenneth St etc since pedestrianisation has put paid to the other two and I'm not counting the two pedestrian crossings which are ridiculously close together near the Town Hall with a third just down Bridge Street. I actually sometimes wonder if the latest crossing at the Steeple is principally designed to make life difficult for motorists!?

However I'm far from sure about where the fourth set went which is why I asked the question in the first place. I've actually been wondering if it was at the Culduthel Rd/ Drummond Rd/ Muirfield Rd junction or at Southside Rd/ Old Edinburgh Rd/ Annfield Rd at the Crown Court?

Does that jog any memories?

[Scarlet Pimple]

The Fairfield Dyeworks was on the rigt side of tomnahurich Street a few yards from Kenneth Street if you are coming down from the river .Would that be the North East corner of that junction.?

Charles I suppose you don't remember the Bon Accord lemonade truck either do you?

[Charles Bannerman]

Charles I suppose you don't remember the Bon Accord lemonade truck either do you?

Remember it? I used to drive one! During the summer between school and university and the Christmas holidays after that (this was 1971) I was a sales person for Bon Accord, driving a small truck about Inverness and area trying to expand business for Tommy Robb. Having generated the new business (and a fair bit of commission for myself!) I then handed that over to the regular drivers - who quite often promptly lost it again!

[Ten4]

Ever wonder where the odd missing bottle of amberade went?......tee heehee hic!

[Charles Bannerman]

Was Amberade not a MacKintosh's concoction - along with Queens Cup? Or was that indeed Bon Accord's answer to Irn Bru. I certainly don't remember selling any Amberade but on the other hand this may have been one of Robbs' post 1971 creations.

[tm4tj]

A wee link to jog yer tastebuds Charlie, bricks an aw..........

http://retrodundee.blogspot.co.uk/2009/08/lemonade-van.html

[Glen Mhor]

The Fairfield Dye Works was owned by a Mr Hope who lived on Glenurquhart Road, opposite the new part of the County Buildings. It was managed by Jimmy McEwan who went on to manage the whisky shop on Bridge Street. Anyone remember the York Drive Laundry on Bellfield Park too ?

[Charles Bannerman]

A wee link to jog yer tastebuds Charlie, bricks an aw.......... http://retrodundee.blogspot.co.uk/2009/08/lemonade-van.html

Aye... righ'eenuff!! Bona Cola! Good stuff.

Glen Mhor..... The York Drive Laundry... I certainly remember that. But the building round the corner in The Haugh that briefly became The Scene Disco in 1968 - what did that used to be?

[Glen Mhor]

Charles - I still have an old (late 1960s) Royal Burgh of Inverness Street and Householders' Directory which lists at 57 Haugh Road both The Haugh Social Club and James Woodhouse & Son. Was the latter a store for the Woodhouse furniture store on High Street (at the top of Inglis Street) perhaps, but before it became the disco ?

[Caley Mad In Berks]

The Fairfield Dye Works was owned by a Mr Hope who lived on Glenurquhart Road, opposite the new part of the County Buildings. It was managed by Jimmy McEwan who went on to manage the whisky shop on Bridge Street. Anyone remember the York Drive Laundry on Bellfield Park too ?

I do remember the York Drive Laundry. My old man was head gardener at the 'big house' there (was it called Elm Park?). Later he held similar positions at what was the Island Bank Hotel (almost next door) and even later further along towards Holm Mills at the Rossall Nursing Home.

Edited April 2, 2012 by Caley Mad In Berks

[exgrover]

I worked at the York Drive Laundry in 1958.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

There was a fifth set of "traffic lights" hung just outside the female block of the Raigmore Nursing flats.

[Scarlet Pimple]

When the lights changed IHE, what did the colours signify.?

[Scarlet Pimple]

Red-- danger. Severely deprived

Amber--get ready, you're next.

Green--Whoa , sailor.