This Baby's Mustache, America Superthread

[coolian2]

The weather is wildly variable here, but the Bureau of Meteorology know what they're doing and I rarely find their daily maximum predictions are off. It's just WHEN the daily maximum comes! 10am? 2pm? 7pm? The Bureau sometimes at least advises when it may be, if it's going to be an especially unusual time (like one day when we hit 38 or so at 10:30am and proceeded to enjoy a day in the mid-20s).

Four Seasons in One Day in Melbourne, or so i hear.

 

[coolian2]

Now i'll move on to the former home of rugby league in Auckland, Carlaw Park.

Currently bulldozed and being converted into an old folks home, i got there the day before the tore down the old wooden stand.

 

[Axver]

Pushback and engine start action

Oooh, nice shot.

 

[Axver]

Here's a closer side-on view of the C class tram in my last picture.

 

[Axver]

Now i'll move on to the former home of rugby league in Auckland, Carlaw Park.

Currently bulldozed and being converted into an old folks home, i got there the day before the tore down the old wooden stand.

I bet that made you weep.

I got to Athletic Park only once. It was after the stands were torn down and just rubble was left in their place, but the playing field was untouched. So in light drizzle, I went for a run down the sideline. That was pretty neat.

 

[coolian2]

Here's a closer side-on view of the C class tram in my last picture.

Yep, still feels like Symonds Street. Trees and buildings almost right on top of the road plus a small incline...

 

[Axver]

In the foreground is an A class. In the background is the longer, articulated form, the B2 class. Here they are both on Collins Street, waiting to cross King Street.

 

[Axver]

Yep, still feels like Symonds Street. Trees and buildings almost right on top of the road plus a small incline...

I know some of Auckland, but I'm not familiar with Symonds Street.

 

[coolian2]

I bet that made you weep.

I got to Athletic Park only once. It was after the stands were torn down and just rubble was left in their place, but the playing field was untouched. So in light drizzle, I went for a run down the sideline. That was pretty neat.

It really didn't bother me. I'm not really of the era that considered Carlaw Park the home of Auckland league.


As you can see, in it's latter days it was more of a Carlaw Park

 

[Axver]

Here's a more side-on view of the A class, still on Collins Street but a bit further up.

 

[Axver]

It really didn't bother me. I'm not really of the era that considered Carlaw Park the home of Auckland league.


As you can see, in it's latter days it was more of a Carlaw Park

Carlaw Park? Lawlz, man, lawlz.

All I knew is the name. When was it in use?

 

[coolian2]

Carlaw Park? Lawlz, man, lawlz.

All I knew is the name. When was it in use?

I don't know the exact dates, but i'd have to guess from maybe 1930s to 2000 or so.

 

[coolian2]

 

[Axver]

Here's a B2 turning off William Street onto Flinders Lane. It's the only time a tram line goes down a CBD laneway, and it goes just one block, to get from William St to Market St.

To contextualise things, Flinders Lane is about the same as the average street in Wellington! I've no fucking clue how they fit trams down Wellington's narrow streets.

 

[coolian2]

Train!

 

[Axver]

I don't know the exact dates, but i'd have to guess from maybe 1930s to 2000 or so.

Ah, OK. I thought the Worriers had always played at Mt Smart?

 

[Axver]

Train!

I can tell it's a push-pull set made from renovated British Rail Mk II carriages.

I love the building behind the line with a window on its lower floor essentially dug into the driveway.

 

[coolian2]

Ah, OK. I thought the Worriers had always played at Mt Smart?

Yeah, they had. I've always considered Mt Smart to be Auckland league just because that's what i've known for most of my life.

Apparently Carlaw Park used to be a feared ground for visiting teams though.

 

[coolian2]

I love the building behind the line with a window on its lower floor essentially dug into the driveway.

Creative building processes

 

[coolian2]

I really like this picture. Probably one of the few parts not covered with graffiti.

 

[coolian2]

And my last Carlaw Park one, for now, the ticket stand/gates.

 

[Axver]

Here's a Z3 turning off William Street onto Flinders Lane.

When I took this photo, I got a really fucking odd look from this woman near me. I guess she's just not cool enough for life or something.

 

[coolian2]

The Henson Park hotel.

 

[Axver]

Yeah, they had. I've always considered Mt Smart to be Auckland league just because that's what i've known for most of my life.

Apparently Carlaw Park used to be a feared ground for visiting teams though.

Ahh, OK. So who used to play at Carlaw Park? My awareness of league history is unsurprisingly very poor.

 

[coolian2]

Here's a Z3 turning off William Street onto Flinders Lane.

When I took this photo, I got a really fucking odd look from this woman near me. I guess she's just not cool enough for life or something.

Some people just don't appreciate the passion.

 

[Axver]

I really like this picture. Probably one of the few parts not covered with graffiti.

Wow, not tagged.

One thing that has struck me about most of Auckland that I've seen is the extreme prevalence of graffiti. I think the only place I've seen that matches it is Beenleigh, between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Oh, and the railway line to the northern Brisbane suburb of Shorncliffe is pretty shocking too.

I always feel it drags the tone of an area down.

 

[Axver]

And my last Carlaw Park one, for now, the ticket stand/gates.

Holy shit, that thing's been graffitied to within an inch of its life!

 

[coolian2]

Ahh, OK. So who used to play at Carlaw Park? My awareness of league history is unsurprisingly very poor.

I'd imagine it was probably used for big games in the Auckland competition. It was also used for New Zealand games and Auckland Rep games.

In 1977, the Auckland rep team beat Australia, England and France in consecutive weeks in an unprecedented performance by a rep side, considering the NZ national side had trouble being all three of those nations.

Last year the Warriors honoured that team by playing in a replica of the Auckland rep strip.

I personally wish they'd always play in that jersey.

 

[coolian2]

Holy shit, that thing's been graffitied to within an inch of its life!

I was just glad not to be chased by homeless guys living there like some other stadium nerds have been

 

[coolian2]

Wow, not tagged.

One thing that has struck me about most of Auckland that I've seen is the extreme prevalence of graffiti. I think the only place I've seen that matches it is Beenleigh, between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Oh, and the railway line to the northern Brisbane suburb of Shorncliffe is pretty shocking too.

I always feel it drags the tone of an area down.

Not tagged and largely not broken.

I fucking hate the graffiti here. The fucking place feels like a ghetto sometimes. Even the buses which are really nice normally still get some graffiti in them.