Yadkin Hotel, North Carolina - Vintage Postcard

You know those old postcards you stumble upon, tucked away in a dusty box, each one a tiny window into a forgotten past? I've got a small collection, and lately, I've been sifting through them, deciding which ones are ready for a new home. One that caught my eye recently is a beauty depicting The Yadkin Hotel in Salisbury, North Carolina, likely from the 1930s. And let me tell you, this isn't just any old hotel postcard; it tells a fascinating story of rise, fall, and an unexpected rebirth.

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From Grandeur to Ghost

The Yadkin Hotel first opened its doors in 1912, a grand establishment that even expanded in 1922. Imagine the bustling lobby, the clinking of glasses, the whispers of travellers, and the laughter of families enjoying a stay. For decades, it was a cornerstone of the community.

But like many grand old dames, time wasn't kind. The hotel suffered years of decline before finally closing its doors in 1973. What followed was heart breaking. The once-proud building was left to decay, a victim of neglect, a devastating fire, extensive water damage, and relentless vandalism. It was stripped bare, a hollow shell of its former glory.

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A New Chapter for the Yadkin

Just when it seemed the Yadkin Hotel was destined for oblivion, a new chapter began. In 1980, under the careful eye of architects Tenant & Tenant, the building underwent a remarkable renovation. It was given a complete new lease on life, transforming from a gutted hotel into a vibrant apartment building.

Today, it's known as the Yadkin House Apartments, providing much-needed housing for senior citizens and disabled adults. It's incredible to think that a place once filled with the transient lives of hotel guests now offers a permanent, comfortable home to those who need it most.

Holding that old postcard, with its faded image of the hotel in its heyday, makes you wonder about all the lives that passed through its doors. It's a powerful reminder that even in decay, there's always potential for renewal. This little piece of history is one I'm finally ready to part with, but its story will definitely stay with me.

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Timanfaya: A Volcanic Revelation on Lanzarote

Back in July 2013, I found myself on a trip to Lanzarote, an island I initially had little enthusiasm for. It was my wife and daughter's plan, and honestly, the closer it got, the less I looked forward to it. Well, I'm happy to admit now how wrong I was! Lanzarote turned out to be one of the most enjoyable places I've ever visited, and I genuinely look forward to the day I can go back.

One of the many highlights of that trip was our island tour, which included a visit to Timanfaya National Park. I wasn't sure what to expect. Knowing it was home to an active volcano filled me with a mix of anticipation and a little trepidation. While there wasn't any flowing lava or bubbling pools to see (a slight disappointment, I'll confess!), the trip was still incredibly worthwhile.

We witnessed fascinating demonstrations of just how close the intense heat is to the surface, and we even got a peek inside the El Diablo Restaurant, where food is cooked directly over an open well of volcanic heat – truly a unique dining experience!

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Exploring the Fire Mountains

Timanfaya National Park was established in 1974 and encompasses nearly 20 square miles of southwestern Lanzarote. To protect its unique environment, public access is regulated, with most of the park viewable only via a guided coach trip. There's also an area where visitors can enjoy camel rides and a restaurant for refreshments. In 1993, the park, along with the rest of Lanzarote, was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, a testament to its incredible and protected flora and fauna.

A Land Forged by Fire

While the volcano is active, it's considered dormant, with its last eruption occurring in 1824. The most significant volcanic activity to shape the island happened during a six-year period between 1730 and 1736. This intense period created much of the dramatic landscape we see today around the park. Sadly, it also led to the loss of several villages, including Tingfa, Mancha Blanca, and Timanfaya itself. Much of the island's most fertile land was covered in volcanic ash, making it a time of immense hardship for the inhabitants.

Today, this land is of immense interest to scientists. As one of the newest places on Earth, they are keen to study how it develops with minimal human interference.

Feeling the Heat

Though the volcanic activity isn't visible on the surface, it's certainly active just below ground. At a depth of only 13 meters, temperatures can soar to between 100 and 600 degrees Celsius! The park offers a fascinating geyser demonstration to vividly illustrate just how hot it is beneath your feet.

The pictures and video were taken using a Samsung Galaxy Tablet. Clicking any of the pictures below should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

The Fire Pit is used as a demonstration to show how hot the temperature is
just underneath the surface of the park.

The parks restaurant can be seen to the left of the crater.

El Diablo, created by Cesar Manrique is the symbol of
Timanfaya National Park.

The restaurant uses geothermal heat channelled through open pits like this
to cook the food served.

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Discover the Spen Valley Greenway. Low Moor to the M62.

Imagine a tranquil, traffic-free path winding through the heart of West Yorkshire, connecting Low Moor to Ravensthorpe. This is the Spen Valley Greenway, an 8-mile haven for cyclists and pedestrians, tracing the forgotten routes of the old Spen Valley Railway and Ravensthorpe Branch Lines.

Opened in 2000, just two years after Sustrans acquired the disused track bed, the Greenway isn't just a path; it's a living museum. As you journey through towns like Cleckheaton, Heckmondwike, and Liversedge, you'll discover more than just picturesque scenery. Keep an eye out for tell-tale railway signposts and unique ornamental benches – subtle nods to the line's industrial past. But the true gems are the scattered artworks that surprise and delight: spot Sally Matthews' charming flock of Swaledale sheep and the intriguing form of Trudi Entwistle's "Rotate."

One of the Greenway's greatest appeals is its accessibility. It's blissfully traffic-free and remarkably flat, with only gentle slopes to keep things interesting. And for those mid-journey refreshment breaks, convenience is key! You'll find a Tesco right alongside the former Cleckheaton Station site, and a Morrison's just a short walk from what was once Heckmondwike Station.

So, whether you're a keen cyclist, a leisurely stroller, or simply looking for a peaceful escape, the Spen Valley Greenway offers a unique blend of nature, history, and art.

The following is a short video I put together of the pictures I took along the line, it includes images of the station sites whilst still operational.

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From Rails to Trails: The Spen Valley Greenway's Storied Past

Before it became the beloved Spen Valley Greenway, a pleasant tarmacked route for cyclists and pedestrians, this peaceful stretch of land had a bustling past as the Mirfield and Low Moor Railway. This double-track line opened in two stages: first, from Low Moor to Mirfield on July 18, 1848, followed by the Ravensthorpe Branch, connecting Thornhill with Heckmondwike, on June 1, 1849.

At its peak, the line boasted eight stations. Along the main Mirfield route, travellers could alight at Low Moor, Cleckheaton Central, Liversedge Central, Heckmondwike Central, and then, after the split, Northorpe North Road and Mirfield. The Ravensthorpe Branch served Ravensthorpe Lower and Thornhill. The railway hummed with activity until passenger services were withdrawn in July 1965, with goods traffic finally ceasing in the late 1980s.

A Future on the Horizon? Reopening the Spen Valley Line

Today, whispers of the past are growing louder. Small but passionate campaigns are advocating for the reopening of the line, a seemingly straightforward, albeit potentially expensive, endeavour given that much of the track bed remains clear and undeveloped.

The argument for reinstatement is compelling: over 50,000 people reside along the Spen Valley route with limited access to rail services without lengthy commutes. Competing proposals envision both heavy rail and light rail solutions, each offering a different vision for reconnecting these communities. Could the former Mirfield and Low Moor Railway once again carry passengers, transforming the region's connectivity

The following pictures are taken on the route from Low Moor to the M62 Motorway Bridge at Chain Bar. They were taken on the 30th December 2019 with a Nikon d3300.

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The Ghost of the Halifax High Level Railway

Back in 2017, I shared some snapshots from a 2014 trek along the ghostly remains of the Halifax High Level Railway. For ages, I've yearned to retrace those steps, especially since my collection of historic photos – depicting the line in its operational glory or just after its demise – has grown significantly. My vision? To weave together a compelling "then and now" narrative. While COVID-19 unfortunately scuppered plans for an early 2020 re-walk, I couldn't wait to bring this forgotten route back to life. So, I stitched together a virtual journey on YouTube, guiding viewers along the tracks from its terminus at St. Paul's Station, King Cross, all the way to Shay Lane, Holmfield, where it once met the Queensbury line. It's a blend of those cherished old images and my own 2014 captures, presented in chronological order of the route itself.

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Conceived in the ambitious railway boom of 1884, the Halifax High Level Railway was destined for grandeur, envisioned as a vital artery connecting Queensbury to Huddersfield and beyond. Yet, like many grand designs, its reach far exceeded its grasp. The grand vision crumbled, leaving behind a mere three-mile spur that cautiously opened to Pellon Station in August 1890, extending to St. Paul's a month later.

Despite its initial promise, the line never truly captured the hearts of passengers. A paltry 1.3-mile journey to Halifax Old Station became an arduous, 30-minute ordeal, complete with a change at Holmfield. The arrival of trams at Pellon and King Cross by the turn of the century sealed the line's fate, siphoning away the few remaining passengers. A planned station at Wheatley, nestled between the tunnel and viaduct, remained a phantom, replaced by a humble goods yard for Webster's brewery. Passenger services, first withdrawn in 1917, flickered back to life briefly after the war, only to fade entirely by 1927, save for a few nostalgic excursions. The final passenger train, a somber procession, departed St. Paul's on a Friday in February 1963.

Though passenger dreams evaporated, the Halifax High Level Railway found its niche in freight, a steady stream of goods rumbling along its tracks until June 1960, when the final whistle blew, and the line fell silent. Station buildings were razed, tracks lifted, and the brief life of the Halifax High Level Railway came to an end.

Today, echoes of this lost line remain. The magnificent Wheatley Viaduct, a towering, 10-arch structure, still dominates the landscape. The western entrance of the tunnel stands as a silent sentinel, though its eastern counterpart was consumed by a housing estate, a lost opportunity for what could have been a stunning bridleway connecting communities. The former sites of St. Paul's, Pellon, and Holmfield Junction have succumbed to industrial sprawl, or in the case of St. Paul's, a forgotten, dilapidated car showroom. Many of the original bridges at Hopwood Lane, Gibbet Street, Hanson Lane, Battinson Road, and Keighley Road, though now filled in, still stubbornly mark the line's path. Others, like those at Pellon Lane, Brackenbed Road, and Wood Lane, stand proudly across their roads, alongside footbridge remnants at Field Side and Church Lane. Beyond Wheatley, the tunnel's airshaft at Cousin Lane and a lonely abutment on Shay Lane offer tantalizing glimpses into the railway's past.

Imagine the possibilities if this forgotten railway had been transformed into a vibrant bridleway, a green corridor weaving through the heart of Halifax, potentially even linking with the ambitious Queensbury Tunnel cycleway.

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Field Side Tunnel Path

Brackenbed Lane Bridge

Wheatley Viaduct

Wheatley Tunnel Entrance

Inside Wheatley Tunnel. I never entered the tunnel this was taken from the doorway.

Wheatley Tunnel Air Shaft.

Remains of Shay Lane Bridge.

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