DI Alex Drake
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Post by DI Alex Drake on Mar 27, 2018 20:27:41 GMT
I liked the anecdote about the photo of the house - I always wonder whether people who live in the houses now are aware or not! Over the years we've met many people at various locations and generally they have all been very receptive to seeing anywhere between 15 and 30 people stood outside their front doors. Many have invited us through their property to see back gardens where filming has also taken place. The majority of owners have been unaware of the filming connection but we've also met a number that were resident whilst filming was taking place. While there was one exception, all owners have shown great interest not only in the filming but also in our get-togethers and the forum, one in particular also expressing gratitude in further correspondence in the weeks after that particular meet. Back to this meet itself: Thanks for the reports so far lads, sounds like a brilliant weekend was had by all. It is a real shame I missed it but I look forward to joining you all on the next one. Sam. Oh there’s always one! Nowt so queer as folk, and all that. Glad that most are amenable!
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Post by Peter Picard on Mar 27, 2018 21:30:28 GMT
The Lads Are Back in Toon was a really great meet, once again great weather combined with brilliant locations and top company to make an enjoyable and memorable weekend. Thanks Gene for all the organisation and driving directions, it's why everything runs like clockwork. Also cheers to Vienna for navigating and Windy Miller and Charles Bronson for their company in the motor, and everyone else for helping make it a thoroughly enjoyable weekend. One of the highlights was The Barrasford Arms.... Then. And now.....serving a very nice Dandelion and Burdock.
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Post by Brown Granada on Mar 27, 2018 22:13:11 GMT
Wye aye man. I think I fall more in love with Newcastle each time I go there and this time It certainly didn't disappoint. What a fantastic weekend we had. Cracking locations one after the other bang, bang, bang, some fantastic pubs, a nice curry and Chinese buffet that hit the spot after all the location spotting. A massive thanks to Gene for organising such a top weekend. The effort you put in to these meets is phenomenal and is so appreciated by us all. The thing runs like clockwork and that is all down to you mate. Also a big thanks to The Saint for the lift up to Newcastle, great laughs and great banter all the way there and back. Also thanks for driving us around on the meet day as well and along with yourself, Gene and Del didn't we have a laugh in the car, top banter. Loved every minute of it. It was also good to see everyone again and catch up. A great bunch in this group which makes it what it is. Here's to the next one.
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Mickyosan
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Post by Mickyosan on Mar 27, 2018 22:45:12 GMT
Adding to the great reviews already posted, I'd like to add a few words on what was another great meet with great company, great weather and great locations. Gene's organisation of everything and choice of locations was as excellent as ever and when I finally left Newcastle on the 16:25 yesterday afternoon, it was time for reflection on a superb three days, having arrived on the Friday lunchtime. It seemed like I'd been away much longer in spite of only consuming two days annual leave. I thought the Saturday evening walking tour was the perfect starter to Sunday's main course and as people said during the weekend, it's always interesting seeing the locations again when watching the relevant film or programme after the meet, not just before. Sunday's itinerary was perfect and the Robin Hood Inn and Barrasford Arms were especially welcoming for refreshments. The locals were interested in what we were up to, for which a couple of the excellent spare booklets, courtesy of Steve Austin, went to appreciative homes. I enjoyed all the locations and probably enjoyed the gate house from Get Carter (we'll have another go at Kinnear's house next time) and the WHTTLL locations at Wallsend (Move yourself Ferris), South Shields (Bahrain bound), Killingworth (Elm Lodge) and Corbridge (where to leave your caravan) were especially special. Thanks to Steve Austin who drove commendably on what was a high mileage menu of locations and Dirty Epic with John Steed as backseat compadres. Some serious refreshment was consumed back in the Toon when we got back and it's testament to some of the group's drive to squeeze the very last drop out of the weekend that some of them were searching for another hostelry after we were last out of the wonderful Coffin (Crown Posada) at closing time. It was at this point that I turned in for the night although still had time on Monday for a visit to the brilliant Baltic which unbeknown to me until I got there, has an open air viewing gallery looking both ways up and down the Tyne, affording some breathtaking views that were captured on my camera phone and my camera so I'll need to upload these. It was then a lovely pie and pint in the Redchurch which was around the corner from the PE we stayed at, then one final walk up Side, past the Crown Posada, to the station and home, where I arrived at about 20:30 and have had a very long day at work today but just looking back through my camera phone photos is proof of what another great meet it was. Thanks to everyone who attended for some great banter and enjoyment over the whole weekend.
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Post by Charles Bronson on Mar 30, 2018 8:49:17 GMT
Well as someone stated in another post. each time we go up to Newcastle we like it a little more. We saw even more of the area last weekend, which was great. In my opinion it must be one of the best cities in Britain, not as overcrowded as London or Manchester. Tyneside is a fantastic area to visit.
The Saturday night pub crawl was brilliant as usual. Newcastle must be one of the best places in Britain for a night out on a Saturday evening, and Gene took us to some really interesting pubs. One of them was right on the doorstep of Newcastle United F. C. ( I was very surprised to discover that the Newcastle ground was right smack in the city centre.)
I enjoyed the meal in the Indian Restaurant at the end of the night. I liked that place even if we did have a bit of a wait for the food. At least we could people watch out the windows while our meal was being prepared. I enjoyed our time there and we only had a short walk back to the hotel afterwards.
The location tour on Sunday was as good as ever. It was interesting seeing how the area had changed from previous decades. I thought that they had done a fair job of redevelopment, the housing estates were clean and well ordered.
One of my favourite locations was by the Customs House in South Sheilds, where Bob ended up on the ship to Bahrein. Also the church area where Bob and Terry left the girls stranded in their nightdresses was another highlight of my day. The Robin Hood Inn and The Barrasford Arms were another two great locations to stop for a drink and something to eat.
I'm afraid I didn't make the time to rewatch all of the TV shows relevant to the various locations, before the meet, but I most definately will do so very soon. They will be fascinating to rewatch now I've been there myself.
The trip went really well, but after all the months of anticipation the weekend seemed to go very quickly this time, and before we knew it, Monday had arrived, and it was time to go home.
I want to thank Peter for driving Vienna, Windy and myself around during the day he did a terrific job travelling to the various locations, along with Vienna navigating for him. Many thanks also to Steve Austin for preparing the folders for us. They make the day so much better.
I'd like to thank Gene once more, for another great job of organising our weekend in Geordieland. These events just would not happen without him, as we all know. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next one in October. I also very much look forward to seeing all the squad again.
(Sorry by the way that I'm quite late putting this up.)
Charles.
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Mar 30, 2018 11:51:38 GMT
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The Saint
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Post by The Saint on Mar 30, 2018 12:16:30 GMT
Likewise, I will post my full report later In the meantime here is a Then & Now of Bob & Thelma's house from WHTTLL The Saint ThenNow
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DI Alex Drake
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Post by DI Alex Drake on Mar 30, 2018 14:46:47 GMT
Seemingly the bus stop is the only thing that hasn’t changed?? They must have flattened the whole estate? I’d never seen anything like that until I went to Middlesbrough 4 years ago. My Gran lived in an area about 3-4 miles outside of the centre so we got a bus into town and went through one estate that was all boarded up and one that was in the process of being torn down. All red brick terraces. It shocked me! All they do down here is build on more and more greenfield sites
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Post by Davy Freeth on Mar 30, 2018 15:51:02 GMT
Good to see you all had a good time and by coincidence the film was on this afternoon ,going to watch it up on catch up on Sunday .
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Post by Dirty Epic on Mar 30, 2018 18:03:37 GMT
Hi lads and apologies for not being online for a few days been totally knackered with flu over the last few days. Aarrgghh! Deliberately I haven't looked at the other posts but all I can say about the weekender is it was a brilliant few days and BIG thanks goes to Gene for his planning and putting together this one and the other meets we've had over the years. Fully appreciate the hard work and time you put into them and the 4:3 forum generally thanks mate. Anyway Saturday began with a flight from Heathrow with Del to Newcastle Airport the place Auf Pet's Dennis left Ally Fraser in the lurch. No such problems for us as hit the Metro direct to Central Station and overall if you're coming up that way from 'the Smoke' would fully recommend it as an alternative to the train. Dropped our bags off at the hotel and hit The Quayside for a few jars (or four LOL! ) with Gene, John Steed, Mickyosan and Steve Austin. Apparently Auf Pet's Julia Tobin (Brenda) was in the bar too but sadly didn't see her when I did the beer run but a great afternoon in the hazy sun on the Tyne too. Set things up nicely for the evening festivities in 'The Toon' and after checking a few Likely Lads locations gave us a nice thirst for a few jars in The Ship (which featured in Spender) and The Tanners Arms where the craic and pool was good too. From there a brisk walk back into the main city centre saw us in The Strawberry a pub right next to Newcastle United's ground. Nice boozer and fairly unchanged too with some nice drops and Toon Army memorabilla in there too. Also raised a glass to Rodney Bewes and our absent friend Sam too. Then we were off to an old haunt from last year The Bridge again a nice authentic Newcastle boozer and after a nice night with the crew we were all set up for a brilliant days location hunting on Sunday. So Sunday comes and we're off to Byker to see both Brenda and Nev's gaff from S2 Auf Pet and Terry's infamous bus stop from WHTLL. Sadly in the later location it's completely changed from the way it was in 1973 and if you never had someone like Gene and his location knowledge you'd never know it was that location. From there we were off to Walker and Wallsend to (partly) Oz's gaff from Auf Pet, Terry's flat from the Likely Lads and the 'Hour of Doom' high street too. I know Terry's flat got demolished around the 90's/2000's but some new properties have been built on there in the last couple of years and in certain respects the High Street seems unchanged since the 70's... apart from a few more bookies, charity shops and a ubiquitous Costa. A quick zip through the Tyne Tunnel and off to South Sheilds to see the place Ferris came to a sticky end in the Likely Lads film... again another nice location film aside and liked the look of the Customs House complex too. Again back under the Tyne and off to Agincourt in Killingworth and Bob and Thelma's house from WHTLL. Suppose it's lost on some of the people who live there and take away the TV series being filmed there it's another non descript 1970's housing estate but for us it's iconic as Colet Gardens for The Sweeney or something similar. Getting thirsty by then some some nice refreshments and a meal in The Beehive from WHTLL's The Racer and for me personally my highlight The Barrasford Arms where I could have stayed by their fireside all afternoon. Definitely somewhere that I'd like to stay in the summertime too. After the refreshment stops off to Corbridge and the scene of Bob/Terry's infamous caravan journey... no vicars or truck drivers or temporary lights there either! LOL! From there a long drive over to Kinnear's place in Dryerdale Hall in County Durham. Shame we couldn't get fairly close to it but suppose it's like all these things got to respect the privacy of those who live around there. That's all folks locations wise but again bloody brilliant selection and Gene you are the star when it comes to finding these and putting these meets together. Also big thanks to Steve Austin for being the wheels man and Mickyosan and John Steed for riding shotgun in the motor too. After a nice evening/night's drinking session the end of the meet comes around and they finish all too soon but great to have another bit of the cherry in the North East and even though I've been around that way and some of those locations before it's great to see them with you lads and enjoyed the craic and banter with you lads and everyone and looking forward to the next meet in October whatever we do. Again big BIG thanks to Gene for putting it together, to Del for being a great mate and company on the flight's from The Smoke to The Toon, to Steve for being a brilliant wheels man and to all of you lads for making these meets a great experience and something I hope long continues in the future! All the best everyone and here's to a great meet 'Ganin' Roound Toon' too!
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