A spring evening

Taken from the riverside path just below Caley Station, this is the Parish Church tower on a sunny spring evening a few days ago. The low building in front of the church is the swimming pool, built on the site of one of the old woollen mills, which was destroyed by fire in the 1960s. Even earlier it was the town's corn mill that stood on the same site.

Old railway embankment

What a lovely view travellers by train had on the journey out of Peebles towards Galashiels before the line was closed in 1958. The embankment is now used as a footpath, and probably acts as a flood prevention measure as well. To the left, the river, to the right the carpark and then Springhill Road. It is hard to imagine trains using that line as I look across at it from my windows!

Caledonian Station

Where the houses are now was where "Caley" station, one of two stations in the town, was situated. I believe there was a turntable here and sizeable railway sheds too.

The railway bridge

The railway bridge here must have been cut through the approach to Tweed Bridge when the line was built, unless Tweed Bridge was extended. Just beyond the bridge was Caledonian station, only to be seen in old photos today. You can see the complex of sheltered housing built over the old line and approach to the station. From here the line continued west, through a long tunnel (passengers missing the sight of Neidpath Castle on the opposite bank), emerging to cross the river by the Skew Bridge (its local name, I believe) to continue by Lyne to the west.

The old town wall

Sorry, not a very exciting photo, but an interesting one. The old roadside buildings once formed part of the town walls, which were built and maintained by the owners of the land at that point. There were no rules as to height or width so the wall would have been a bit of a hotchpotch of high and low. To the right is Tweed Green and off the picture, the river.

Springhill Road

This is Springhill Road, on the south side of the river. One of the main carparks in the town is on the left, disguised somewhat by the beautiful cherry trees. There are some attractive houses along here!

My mistake!

Andrew has informed me that the house on the "Dilkusha again" post, isn't the Lodge, and he should know because the Lodge was where he lived before emigrating! I got it wrong! So, hoping this view will make up for it for now. It was taken on the same walk as the Dilkusha pictures! I'll have to go and have another look for Andrew's old house.

This is the view to the left of Dilkusha, up Springhill Road. I know the house facing us on the right is the Coach House, and realise now that it must have originally been the Coach House and stables belonging to Dilkusha. If you have read Andrew's comment you will see he says the original entrance was hereabouts.

The coach house and stable block is now divided into three flats/apartments, two smaller ones on the ground floor and one taking up the whole of the upper floor, its access being by a flight of steps to the garden behind.

Before posting this, I just had to go investigating, so Andrew, here, just for you is your old home, maybe somewhat changed from when you knew it!

Rainbow over Springhill Road

As I crossed Tweed Bridge to take the photo for Andrew yesterday, I saw this beautiful rainbow - double rainbow - arching over the river. It was a perfect arc, and just a shame I didn't have a wide enough lens on my little camera to get the whole thing in!

Dilkusha again

Here's Dilkusha's other side. You can see what a commanding position it holds, and below it is Dilkusha Lodge, especially for Andrew!

Dilkusha

Dilkusha in Hindi means Happy Heart. I wonder if this house was built by a gentleman retired and returning from India, perhaps from Lucknow, where the Dilkusha Gardens are to be found.

It was and still is a splendid house, its back windows commanding a view over Tweed bridge and the north side of the town from its elevated position on the south of the river. This is the front entrance. To the right peeping up above the hedge you can see the top of the floor-to-ceiling rounded windows of what was probably a small ballroom. Some years ago the Dilkusha was a small hotel, with the dining room in that room. I had Christmas dinner there one year and it was quite spectacular with a tall Christmas tree in what was possibly the alcove where the musicians sat to play for the dancers of that long ago ballroom.

A Peebles worthy

One of the characters of Peebles is Dorino in the Tatler Cafe, with his gravely voice, giving out insults to his friends and regulars! No-one takes offence, mostly giving back as good as they get! In fact he often has the whole cafe laughing!