View allAll Photos Tagged MagicRoundAbout!
County Offices + Central Library on left, 1960s. Old Police Station, 1935 on right.
Aylesbury is an old market town mostly known for its small ducks, which even adorn its heraldic crest. Most of the historic and picturesque buildings were demolished in the surge of ‘planning and civic’ improvements of 60s which also have the honour of producing major road building in and around the town ripping the town apart.
The strange thing about the piecemeal development is that sometimes an accidental throw of dice can reveal a story which historical writers would find difficult to imagine. I recently came across or noticed such an ‘occurrence’ which may also reflect my familiarity with this town.
Let me take you around a busy traffic ‘magic roundabout’ in the centre of Aylesbury, where within a few hundred yards, the pages of history open magically to tell an interesting story which like any good story contains pathos, tragedy and sometimes humour.
I would take an ‘anti-clockwise’ walk starting with a 1930s Police Station on one corner, then crossing the road to a 1960s concrete ‘monument’; further crossing will bring you to a strange blue glass ‘misshapen’ building from 80s and crossing of another busy road will bring you to the recently completed addition of a ‘forest’ imitation with many Walt Disney themes around it.
You are looking at the Civic heart of the town with AVDC’s offices and shopping centre at the back. The old County offices are hidden behind the buildings on right. This is the old part of Aylesbury which was cleared for the new developments.
The gentle brick structure on the corner is the Old Police Station designed under the County Architect C H Riley in 1935. This building is so low key and forgettable that I am certain that if you ask people what occupies this corner of the roundabout, they would not be able to recall.
The concrete building on the left is County Council Office building completed in 1960s under the County Architect, Fred Pooley, commonly disliked by most citizens and generally known as Fred’s Folly. Ian Nairn once called it ‘Fred’s Fort’. I suppose it will come close to being called a Brutalist building. The bold form of the building dominates the town and the whole of Aylesbury Vale. 1960s saw quite a few examples of Civic Buildings in tall structure, and to my mind this remains one of the best examples of this type of building of this era.
It was a fairly low cost building using Bison’s insitu/precast technique, cleverly designed to weather well but unfortunately rusting steel has blighted exposed aggregate panels in recent years.
Crossing the busy road at the roundabout followed by crossing of a bridge over a brook brings you to another famous building now known as ‘Blue Leanie’. Designed in 1982 by GMW Partnership, is a worthy partner of ‘Fred’s Folly’. This was designed as Head Office for an Insurance company which suffered badly in later years bringing untold misery of lost pensions to many.
Let us cross the road once again....... (to follow)
Architects; RHWL Arts Team, 2010.
Before we cross the next road, let me tell you that we are very close to the railway station. The Chiltern line (previously GWR -1860s) is connected to Marylebone in London and if it wasn’t for some recession or other Aylesbury would have been a station on Metropolitan Underground and a proper suburb of London. On crossing the road we will come to the termination of Grand Union Canal (1814) and this is a clue to the name of ‘Waterside Theatre’ we are visiting. I will show my hand immediately by declaring that I have been watching the construction of this ambitious project with trepidation for months, since all the visible architectural signs were, to say the least, alarmingly inexplicable and worrying.
The view from ‘Blue Leanie’ side of the road facing the Canal basin is supposedly displaying architects interpretation of a ‘Chiltern wood’ and a ‘pond’. Photo 5 showing tapered wooden vertical supports wrapped around the auditorium look well disciplined. The organic and tapered shapes have been in frequent use in recent architecture and are common currency in modern buildings.
Photo 6 shows all three buildings together from other side of the canal, so far so good but on crossing the canal, in front of the building you come face to face to a vision (photo7) for which my architectural taste buds with a life time of exposure to modern architecture were not quite prepared to take.
The bronze statue sitting and looking towards the building is much loved figure of a famous comedian, actor, writer, Ronnie Barker, who started his career in a Repertory Company in Aylesbury. British Flickrers may remember the famous sketch about “fork handles – four candles” beautifully delivered by this great man and here he can certainly see hundreds of fork handles out side and candles inside the buildings.
Looking at 7 and 8 please let me know that if I am over reacting when I say that this is one of the most ridiculous entrances to a Leisure / Public buildings I have ever seen. I almost felt like having a shower after passing the ‘threshold’ of these bulbous lips, eye or something else. The main/side elevation riding on surf like wave in rustic stone and moulded grey mosaic supports the ‘Mexican Wave’ roof riding on tapered wooden columns. The rectangular paraphernalia of theatre and clock tower are crowning glories to complete the composition which is likely to haunt you for some time to come.
This building is being well received by Aylesbury populace. The interiors are in keeping with ‘eclectic’ approach employed externally. I have yet to experience watching a performance or two to complete my comments about the main theatre space. I am certain that the interiors would fulfil their multi functional brief well –after all RHWL are known as experts in this field.
New York New York, 23 Marine Parade, Southend-on-Sea, Essex.
Note that the front glass is missing the 'Zoltar' and 'Speaks' insignia. This machine is rather tired and worn looking. The result of being on the Southend seafront?
_MX42162i
All Rights Reserved © 2023 Frederick Roll
Please do not use this image without prior permission
Architects; RHWL Arts Team, 2010.
The bronze statue sitting and looking towards the building is much loved figure of a famous comedian, actor, writer, Ronnie Barker, who started his career in a Repertory Company in Aylesbury. British Flickrers may remember the famous sketch about "fork handles-four candles" beautifully delivered by this great man and here he can certainly see hundreds of fork handles out side and candles inside the buildings.
Looking at 7 and 8 please let me know that if I am over reacting when I say that this is one of the most ridiculous entrances to a Leisure / Public buildings I have ever seen. I almost felt like having a shower after passing the ‘threshold’ of these bulbous lips, eye or something else. The main/side elevation riding on surf like wave in rustic stone and moulded grey mosaic supports the ‘Mexican Wave’ roof riding on tapered wooden columns. The rectangular paraphernalia of theatre and clock tower are crowning glories to complete the composition which is likely to haunt you for some time to come.
Swindon's famous 'Magic Roundabout' at a relatively quiet moment.
This consists of five linked mini-roundabouts, and seems to work if you know what to expect. In the background is the County Ground, home to Swindon Town Football Club - the presence of confused away fans probably does not help traffic flow.
Immediately behind where I was standing is a fire station, which must add an element of interest when there is an emergency call...
‘Magic Roundabout’-branded Mini Pointer Dart, 558 (NK53TKX), seen in Mary Street, Sunderland - 18th August 2009.
On his way to a dominant win in the North West 200 125 race.
www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2009/10/william-dunlop-set-for...
Maison construite grâce au patron de Del4you. blogged at ribambins.canalblog.com/
House built thanks to Del4you templates.
The buildings around the Roundabout are constantly changing. The educational building encloses the canal basin and hides the Blue Leanie (See earlier photo below), trying very hard to respond to waterside location.
By the way, Fred's Folly (County Offices Tower) has recently been listed Grade II building.
Shell Mex House, Hemel Hempstead. 1963 and Hemel Hempstead's magic roundabout is yet to make an appearance. The Shell-Mex building was a distinctive gateway to Marlowes, built in 1960/1, it was closed in 1983 due to structural problems and subsequently demolished.
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, Home Counties, England - Shell Mex House, Marlowes
A slide taken in 1963, probably by my grandfather, digitally scanned and restored 2024
Sculptures by Pierre Vivant, Ocean Way roundabout, Cardiff. (Known locally as "The Magic Roundabout".)
Sculptures by Pierre Vivant, Ocean Way roundabout, Cardiff. (Known locally as "The Magic Roundabout".)
The Magic Roundabout in Swindon, England, is a ring junction constructed in 1972 consisting of five mini-roundabouts arranged in a circle. Located near the County Ground, home of Swindon Town Football Club, its name comes from the popular children's television series The Magic Roundabout. In 2009 it was voted the fourth-scariest junction in Britain. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Swindon)
Public domain image by Dickbauch via Wikimedia Commons w.wiki/3a37
Man, those Brits are really off their rockers! Is this madness? No its SWINDON! www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OGvj7GZSIo
via Everything you’ll understand if you live in Wiltshire thetab.com/uk/2016/06/30/everything-youll-understand-live...
Sculptures by Pierre Vivant, Ocean Way roundabout, Cardiff. (Known locally as "The Magic Roundabout".)
My entry into this weeks WFC manipulation game see here www.flickr.com/groups/welshflickrcymru/discuss/7215760395...
Architects; RHWL Arts Team, 2010
The bronze statue sitting and looking towards the building is much loved figure of a famous comedian, actor, writer, Ronnie Barker, who started his career in a Repertory Company in Aylesbury. British Flickrers may remember the famous sketch about “fork handles – four candles” beautifully delivered by this great man and here he can certainly see hundreds of fork handles out side and candles inside the buildings.
Looking at 7 and 8 please let me know that if I am over reacting when I say that this is one of the most ridiculous entrances to a Leisure / Public buildings I have ever seen. I almost felt like having a shower after passing the ‘threshold’ of these bulbous lips, eye or something else. The main/side elevation riding on surf like wave in rustic stone and moulded grey mosaic supports the ‘Mexican Wave’ roof riding on tapered wooden columns. The rectangular paraphernalia of theatre and clock tower are crowning glories to complete the composition which is likely to haunt you for some time to come.
All the wet weather lately seems to have provided for a population explosion in the local snails. I actually found this guy on my bedroom window (outside, fortunately!) before taking him to a more convenient location.
Go North East's 'Magic Roundabout' branded Transbus MPD 557 NK53TKV is pictured on Fawcett Street, Sunderland, on October 3rd 2007.
Sculptures by Pierre Vivant, Ocean Way roundabout, Cardiff. (Known locally as "The Magic Roundabout".)
Ronsway Coaches Leyland PD3/Metro-Cammell 571FTF, new to Lancashire United, heads for home around Moor End roundabout after the morning peak on 7 May 1974.
Go North East's 'Magic Roundabout' branded Transbus MPD 560 NK53TKZ is pictured in Fawcett Street, Sunderland, on October 3rd 2007.
1980 North West 200
See www.northwest200.org/ for details of this historic great race event.
( File: 1980-nw-200-04 )
Ballysally roundabout; Plater, Anstey,McGuinness Dunlop, Amor and Farquhar lead the way in the opening supersport race. North West 200, Northern Ireland.
Sleaman, based at High Wycombe and trading as 'The Magic Roundabout Company' rented a small yard on the Binders Industrial Estate in Cryers Hill. Seen here on August 27th 1993 is Plaxton 'Supreme Express' bodied AEC Reliance 6U2R PPH 443R. This was new as London Country RS13. Parked alongside and also owned by Sleaman is THM 613M an MCW bodied Daimler Fleetline which had been new as London Transport DMS1613.
Sculptures by Pierre Vivant, Ocean Way roundabout, Cardiff. (Known locally as "The Magic Roundabout".)
RMC1463 (463CLT) negotiates the 'magic roundabout' with a 312 to Durrants Farm Estate on 7 May 1974. The roundabout (officially the Plough Roundabout but shown as Moor End Roundabout in LC bus timetables) had been converted from its original conventional layout the previous year. In the background BP House (since demolished) spans Marlowes, which then formed a north-south traffic route through the new town centre.
I had to travel the country today in search for a swopper and a tripod. On my way I came across this - clearly the most complicated roundabout in the history of the world ever.
I do hate to say this - but I did take the wrong turn off it... twice
Source: Digital image.
Date: April 26th 2004.
Copyright: © 2004 SBC.
Repository: Local Studies at Swindon Central Library.
Architects; Bucks County Council Architects Department, Project Architect: Malcolm Dean. The end elevation is a classic sight you see on entering Aylesbury from London.
Silicon Drinkabout 4th Birthday
The Magic Roundabout, Old Street, London
31 July 2015
Photos by Tracy Howl for www.paulclarke.com and 3-beards.com/
Go North East's 'Magic Roundabout' branded Transbus MPD 558 NK53TKX is pictured on Fawcett Street, Sunderland, on August 27th 2009, on a 33 to Silksworth.
1980 North West 200
See www.northwest200.org/ for details of this historic great race event.
( File: 1980-nw-200-08 )
Go North East's 'Magic Roundabout' branded Transbus MPD 562 NK53TLJ is pictured in Fawcett Street, Sunderland, on February 15th 2008.
1980 North West 200
From: ( www.huewen.com/index.php?p=1_4_Race-Career )
(1980) I sold my share of Midland Automatic Transmissions to business partner Paul and became a full time racer. Still riding the same TZ750 Yamaha my biggest win of the year was on my debut at the International North West 200 on the roads of Northern Ireland, setting a new outright circuit lap record at 125.01mph in the feature race and beating former Grand Prix star and one of the sports nice guys, John Newbold, (#24), by a tyre width... [www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/nw200/clips/p007rbst]
John was killed in 1982 at the bend I'd overtaken him two years previously, (Juniper - now slowed through a chicane), to take the win.
See www.northwest200.org/ for details of this historic great race event.
( File: 1980-nw-200-09-crop )
A wall hanging or mat featuring "The Magic Roundabout", the iconic BBC Television children's programme. Found in France the panel is edged with white braid edging - very 1960s! All those memorable characters are there: Dougal the dog, Brian the snail, Florence, Zebedee and Dylan the rabbit.
Excellent to decorate a nursery or playroom, also amazing fabric to use in craft projects.
Great vintage condition
measurements 23.5 inches wide x 14.5 inches deep (60 x 37 cm).