Tanks for the memories

[Bentley Bullet]

Does anyone remember the old WW2 tanks that were left next to the railway at the side of Hexthorpe bridge in the 60/70s?

Us kids used to play in them, even putting the turrets down while we were inside them! Scary stuff to today's standards! There were even the odd hand grenades on the site! I remember my brother threw one at me once, I was so annoyed that I took the pin out and threw it back.


Most kids used to play in the Chiefton's and Churchill's, while I often went for a Sherman.

Does anybody else remember playing in dangerous places back in the day?

[drfchound]

Yes, we lived in Moorends and our house was right next to a lane which led straight onto Thorne Moors.
We were often out for the day, building dens etc and playing in and around the peat bogs.
We once dug one under a Hawthorne bush, a good few feet down and under a track.
Looking back, had it caved in on us no one would have had a clue where we were.

[tommy toes]

Yeah the sherman reminded me.
I lived in Barbados as a lad. There was this huge palm tree near us.  My mate Percy and me used to climb it regularly til one day we had a fight in the tree and I gave him a right pasting.
I often think about punishing Percy in the palm.

[idler]

They were there in the late 50s when some of us lads from Balby used to go down and play in them.
It was a scrap yard of some description I think. Whether it was just waiting to be loaded onto wagons to be melted down or not I don't know.
No health and safety in those days.

[Bentley Bullet]

Pinched this pic off facebook......

[idler]

That brings it all back BB.
I remember one of those tanks having blood in it. I was always very clumsy, even as a kid.
Brad Pitt thought he had it rough, he should have visited Hexthorpe.🤕

[The Red Baron]

Does anyone remember the old WW2 tanks that were left next to the railway at the side of Hexthorpe bridge in the 60/70s?

Us kids used to play in them, even putting the turrets down while we were inside them! Scary stuff to today's standards! There were even the odd hand grenades on the site! I remember my brother threw one at me once, I was so annoyed that I took the pin out and threw it back.


Most kids used to play in the Chiefton's and Churchill's, while I often went for a Sherman.

Does anybody else remember playing in dangerous places back in the day?

"Three German officers in a tank..."

[Bentley Bullet]

I remember a mate of mine banging his head on one of the tank lids as he was climbing out. He said "f*ck*ng stupid b*st*rd lid". It was the early signs of turrets syndrome.

[RedJ]

My cousins and I used to play in the abandoned factories down Coulman Road when I was younger. Think there's houses on that site now.

[yarix]

Was it Cherry Tree sidings or similar ?

Remember the 'Churchills' but never went into the yard, coming from Wheatley Hills to Hexthorpe bridge was adventure enough.

Seem to recall there was an old industrial steam engine there, 'Henry de Lacy' II or III, think it was for scrap as well ?

[Bentley Bullet]

I could be wrong, but I think Cherry Tree sidings was the platform at the bottom of the wooden steps off Hexthorpe bridge, where the trainspotters used to go. The tanks were more towards Hexthorpe, on the other side of the Sheffield line.I'm not sure if that was part of Cherry Tree sidings.

[yarix]

 I think the platform was St James Bridge ( station). The siding / scrap yard was on the right as you came under Hexthorpe Road heading towards Sheffield, as far as I can recall.

[roversdude]

Can remember adventure playground opposite Top shops at Balby had an old fire engine complete with razor sharp edges
Also had a tree house
Waverley Infants had an old steam roller to play on non of this namby pampy soft landing either