A future model campus
THE old Echo archive mystery photo of a collection of model buildings, with the crytic caption “College” saw an immediate response from Looking Back back readers who identified it as the Loughborough College of Advanced Technology, which later became Loughborough University of Technology.
Ted Rodgers e-mailed saying: “The picture labelled ‘College’ is from above Ashleigh Drive.
“It is either a photo of a model or an artist’s/architect’s impression of existing and future plans, probably the latter as the shadows are not quite right.
“From the building layout and the ‘College’ label it probably is before university status, say mid 60’s
“The prominent white building in the centre is Chemistry.
“The low white building to the right was known as ‘Wavy Top’, below that the large grey roof with ‘north lights’ is Manufacturing Technology ( now I believe James France) with the yard and Foundry bottom right corner.
Above that is Brockington before the large lecture theatre.
“The long building bottom left is Transport Technology (later Aero Auto) and adjacent the Engine test labs. These were extended the full length of the main building, and later the area between covered to make a much larger building.
“The area in the middle with three trees later was the site for many years of the Swift Plan building, and the Transport Technology lecturers’ office block is also there.
“The area middle bottom with the trees is a car park. Middle top is the old Library (Manzoni) and the Cedar tree from Burleigh Hall days.
“The Edward Herbert building is below left.
“Middle left is the Nuclear Physics building, from here to Chemistry is a covered walkway. It would seem the white buildings top leftish are where the Boiler House now is.
“The old Farm House is either just off the picture or shaded out not fitting in with the new structures.
“The Ashleigh Drive Gate is just below the picture slightly left of centre.
“Some (perhaps many) of the building names and functions will have changed since my time there!”
Phil Child also contacted us saying: “Memories came flooding back when I saw the picture heading the Looking Back feature today.
“The photo is a shot of what was known at the time as the Loughborough College of Advanced Technology. It became, in 1964, The Loughborough University of Technology.
“In 1971 I went to work in the Physical Chemistry section of the Chemistry Department, which was housed on the third floor of the tall building in the centre of the photograph.
“The building was originally the Chemical Engineering Department. but Chem Eng moved to the new area of the campus in the early seventies leaving the building to became totally Chemistry.
“I can recall those days with much enjoyment. I made many friends at the time.
“I can remember Mike Stone, Stuart Dale, Nina Ladner, Marina Hardy, Harry Carter, John Swithenbank, John Brennan, Gabriella Zvodna, Alan Stevens, Bert, the electrical genius (sorry Bert, forgotten your surname). Inder Katyal.
“Many apologies to those whose names I cannot remember.
“Immediately behind the Chemical Block was the Edward Herbert building (EHB), which served as the Student Union Building at the time.
“At the top of the picture, behind the EHB was the original Library building. Below and to the left of the Chemical building was the Transport Technology Department and the large building to the lower right with the ridged roof was the Mechanical Engineering Department.
“The small building to the left of the Chemistry building was the Nuclear Chemistry Department, which was manned by Ernie Miller, who kindly toom the photographs at my wedding in 1977. Sadly, Ernie is no longer with us.
“I left the University later in 1977 to further my Chemistry career in industry. But those six years provided me with a wonderful place of work with colleagues that I considered as friends. “Wonderful memories!” Anthony Kay of Loughborough, also emailed saying: “I don’t know anything about the circumstances of the picture, but what it shows is obvious: it’s a model of the central part of the university campus.
“The buildings shown include: Schofield and Brockington buildings on the right, James France building front centre, Wavy Top building behind that, the Chemistry block to the left of that (except that the Chemistry Department have now vacated this building), Edward Herbert building behind that.
“Date unknown, but before 1987 when I joined the university staff, since the Brockington extension isn’t shown, and that was built before I arrived.
Looking back regular correspendent Dave Dunkerley got in touch to say: “Most people will recognise this as a model for what eventually became the university.
The squat tower block in the centre became the ‘Chemi’ Block (Chemistry). Behind it and leftish is the Edward Herbert Building.
“Lower left foreground is the Aeronautics Block, which when completed housed a full-sized Hawker Hunter and a Jet Provost. To its right, the two blocks became the Automotive Dept.
Both of these have since moved to the far west side of the campus, beyond Burleigh Court.
“The rectangular block with the roof lights was known as ‘The Works’ in College days and housed every conceivable machine tool (Millers, Lathes, Profilers, Drillers etc.). Its purpose was to instruct students in every aspect of engineering. I know this, as my father was a Senior Instructor in said building.
“Upon achieving University status, it adopted the title: Centre for Industrial Studies, presided over by, I think Prof. Seaman and later Prof. Billow.
“The ‘works’ were dismantled some years ago and the space divided into study rooms and lecture halls. It is now known as the ‘ James France Building. Behind it lies ‘Wavy Top’ and to its right Brockington.”