Pints at Park Gate then on to the dogs
WE used to visit Lythall’s Lane dog track regularly in the 1950s (Remember When, March 16).
Our little group would meet at the Park Gate pub, and after having a couple of pints in there, we would walk over to the dog track in Lythall’s Lane.
I believe there were eight races on the card in those days, and at a certain time in the evening, the gates would open up, allowing us to get in the track free of charge, just in time for the last three races.
We never used to win a lot, or indeed lose much either with us only betting on three races. Half crown (12p) bets were all we used to stake, and the races were over in about 30 seconds.
But it was great Friday night fun, and the only real bit of excitement that we had in those days. Peter Surtees Bedworth
Student housing plans get priority
IN Thursday’s edition of the Telegraph (Mar 15) there was an article regarding a student development being built too high. I expect, as it is student accommodation, the planning department/committee are likely to approve it. It appears to me that anything to do with student accommodation is a planning formality. In my own experience of Coventry planning department, student accommodation has got the priority. I have written to the planning department and the chief executive of the council with a query, to this date they have not had the courtesy even to acknowledge my query. John Hesketh Bedworth
Picture captures new sewer tunnels
WITH reference to Remember When (Mar 17).
The Sherbourne Valley Sewer Duplication was part of a huge programme of sewer replacement and duplication commenced in the late 1950s. Coventry had grown and was still growing fast, the upgraded sewers were designed to cope with the requirements of an industrial city of population circa 350,000.
The main or trunk sewers followed the valleys of the rivers Sherbourne and Sowe and Canley Brook out to the Finham Treatment Works and were replaced; the Sherbourne work having to pass through the city centre.
Over ten miles of tunnel were built as seen in the picture, using pre-cast concrete segments built into rings of up to ten feet internal diameter.
In addition to the tunnel work, many miles of pipe sewer were installed by open trenches. The major branch sewers connecting the main trunk were also dealt with.
Consulting engineers designed the Sherbourne and Canley work, but the design of the rest of the system and whole of supervision of construction was the responsibility of city engineer’s department of Coventry County Borough. This responsibility was passed to Coventry District Council as agents of Severn Trent Water Authority on April 1, 1974. B Pearce Eastern Green
Sherbourne Valley Sewer scheme
RE: Remember When (Mar 17). Why couldn’t it be to do with the River Sherbourne?
Kinnear Moodie were the company excavating the Sherbourne Valley Sewer in Coventry.
Quoting from a British Tunnelling Society Newsletter dated 2006, found on the internet. There is an obituary notice for Bob Reed.
It states “in 1968 Bob (who worked for Kinnear Moodie) became project manager for the Sherbourne Valley Sewerage Scheme in Coventry”.
How long does it take to excavate a seven-mile tunnel? In 1973, after getting into financial difficulties on another project, the company was acquired by Tarmac Ltd. Frank Harrison Coundon
Sad to see hate crime on the rise
IT is hard to believe that even now, in these enlightened times, hate crime is on the rise. Sadly even Stratford-upon-Avon has, it seems, more than its fair share of bigoted people.
The Gay Pride LGBT stall in the market incident sadly proved this the other week. In just a few hours they counted over 100 incidents of hate-filled abuse.
I was actually there that day shopping and even I noticed the hostility directed at the Gay Pride stall. Hopefully the police will do a full investigation into the abuse and find the offenders.
Stratford may be well-known for its Shakespearean history, but sadly there is also a worrying undercurrent of bigotry that needs to be challenged. Jessica Reece-Khan Cannon Park