Wednesday, September 7, 2005

100 years ago

Queen Alexandra accompanied by Princess Victoria, left Charing Cross by special train at 2 o'clock in the afternoon for Port Victoria, en route to Copenhagen. In spite of the unfavourable weather, many people lined the route between Buckingham Palace and the station. The Royal train arrived at Port Victoria Pier at 3 o'clock, and her Majesty immediately boarded the Royal yacht Victoria and Albert, amidst salutes fired by the Sheerness and Chatham Reserve Division battleships, and the Fourth Cruiser Squadron. The Victoria and Albert cast off from Port Victoria Pier at 20 minutes after 3 and steamed down to Sheerness Harbour, the crews of the vessels in the river manning ship and the guards presenting arms as her Majesty passed.

50 years ago

Dr Charles Hill, the Postmaster-General, said that York was fortunate in its immediate prospect of developments, both on the telephone and the postal side. Dr Hill's praise was in regard to the new telephone exchange in Hungate, which he inspected, and an extension of the sorting office in the near future. The sorting office addition, it was stated, would give York Post Office ample accommodation for peak periods and also facilitate the flow of work in and out of the office, which was the distribution centre for Yorkshire and Durham. He described the new telephone exchange as the "finest in the country", and said that when it was opened it would solve a problem for York.

25 years ago

An estimated 10,000 visitors toured Drax Power Station, near Selby, at the weekend when station chiefs threw open the gates for the second year running. But despite the success of the exercise it was unlikely that open weekends would become an annual event -- at least for the time being. After the previous year's invasion, when more than 12,000 people visited what was one of the largest and most modern power-stations in Europe, the organisers of this year's event laid on almost 5,000 parking spaces. It drew visitors from as far afield as Sheffield, Leeds and Bradford. As well as tours of the station there were exhibitions and trips to the man-made hill at Barlow, where the waste product, pulverised fuel ash was tipped. Once the ash had been moulded into shape it was covered with soil and seeded. Now there were sheep grazing on the grassy slopes. Other attractions included Kippax Brass Band, rides in an experimental electric car and displays showing how the waste heat from the station could be used to grow tomatoes and rear eels. The main theme of this year's event was electricity in agriculture and horticulture.

Updated: 16:15 Tuesday, September 06, 2005