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The Heart of a Peak District Community
Archives III - October / November 2000
Week 11 : 23rd - 29th October 2000 : Buxton Transport Museum
This is Buxton takes a look this week,
at "what was Buxton", since the main subject of our interest no longer
exists. During the early 1980s, a local transport enthusiast, Peter
Clark, decided to open a museum dedicated to our early transport. |
Its doors remaining open for only 3 years, much to the dismay of many of its fans. At the time of its opening, a group of early vehicles stood on display outside the main building. The owners being in support of the museum's opening day, were visiting to celebrate the occasion. Our first photograph shows the museum building itself, in which was housed, much of the paraphernalia associated with early Motoring, Railways and other forms of transport. There were brightly painted enamel signs and notices, vehicles, including early Motor Cycles. Indeed, a splendid collection representing our early transport history. |
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The second photograph shows a fine Riley Lynx Tourer. The pride of its owner, shown in the tender loving care seen in the positively glowing paintwork and chrome. |
Our remaining photograph is of an Austin 7 Chummy. It's perhaps not as sporty looking as the Riley, but never-the-less, it's a fine and splendid example of the early British car. |
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The Arches |
Week 12 : 30th - 5th November 2000For our photographs this week, we return to take a further look at some of Buxton's architectural heritage. The first view looking towards the Old Hall Hotel, is from within the colonnade which forms one of the lovely features incorporated in the design of the Crescent. At the time this image was taken, during the 1980s, the St Anne's Hotel occupied the opposite end of the Crescent itself, in the middle distance. The Pump Room is just visible to the left of our scene. |
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colonnade around its perimeter way from where the Royal Bank of Scotland is located, along the quadrant, turn right and in front of the thermal baths (Cavendish Arcade) following the line of the Crescent, bearing right, and right again through the passageway beside the
Tourist Information Office, left and forward to the rear of the Square. Hopefully, it will soon be possible to walk under cover by this route again. |
The Square  The Square, from Pavilion Gardens Updated Picture, September 2007 |
Week 13 : 6th - 12th November 2000
old Edmonson platform
tickets, they also employed some rather unusual station staff. |
Railway Cat |
Bill Weston & his Billerettes |
Buxton's exciting Carnival procession is over for yet another year, but there is still time for fun and games at the Pavilion Gardens later on. Here, the crowds are entertained by the humorous antics of the much loved Bill Weston and his Billerettes. This photograph was taken around 1983/84. |
Week 14 : 13th - 19th November 2000This view is from the Slopes, an area where the public were afforded views of the grand Crescent building and the landscape beyond. Laid out during 1818 to a design by Sir Jeffrey Wyatville, the paths that criss-cross it are mirrored in the lines that
form the Crescent opposite. There is also a lovely avenue of trees and Victorian style lamps, which guide the walker from the Town Hall down onto The Quadrant. |
The Slopes |
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The Museum FrontageOur photograph shows the front of Buxton museum, an attractive study in architecture that dates from 1885. At one time during its long history, this building once housed the local public library on the first floor. Starting out its life as a Hydropathic establishment in 1880, and known as The Peak Hydro, its present day role is that of a splendid Museum and Art Gallery, one that hosts many national exhibitions of Photography, Painting, Ceramics, Pottery, Glassware and Textiles etc. from the art world, and frequently includes some of our very talented local artists. Visitors should also take some time to look at this lovely building from its architectural point of view, as well as enjoying the wonderful exhibits inside. |
20th - 26th Nov '00
Spring Gardens relief road, there once stood a number of old railway structures left over from when the Midland Railway first came into Buxton during the
middle of the19th century. |
Week 15 : Rail Site |
| In the background, we can see the old
goods sheds, whilst along side, there stands the caravan used by the
volunteers of the Peak Railway Society that had taken over the site
from British Railways. Their hope was to open up the line from Buxton
to Matlock. Sadly, their wish remained unfulfilled, whilst what is left
of their occupation can still be seen today as a platform and water
crane. |
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Buxton's Pump RoomBuxton's Pump Room, a legacy from the age when people from all over the country came to take the mineral waters, hopefully in search of a cure for whatever ailed them. Local weather conditions and pollution have taken their toll on this wonderful example of Victorian architecture built during 1893/94. |
| Around the early 1990s. this building
housed a tourist attraction known as The Micrarium. For a while, this
allowed for the study of microscopic organisms, plant life and
geological specimens by means of microscopes. Prior to this period, the tourist information office also occupied the pump room. During this past year, local crafts people displayed their talents under this roof, but now, for the winter period at least, the building has once again closed its doors to enquiring eyes.  The Pump Room - August 2007 [ More information on the Pump Room can be found on our Architecture Page ] |