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Sally Watson

@salawatson.bsky.social

4.6K followers 1.4K following 350 posts

History, cities, cycling, planning and play. Often on a bike or in a museum. Researcher - Newcastle University Co-host - activetravelcafe.org.uk Trustee - historictownstrust.uk

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Sally Watson @salawatson.bsky.social · Jul 2

Relatedly, if you’re on your way to Active City York today, or just enjoying a morning coffee, you can read about another failed attempt at creating safer streets for children - 50 years ago - in my article for Highways Magazine.

For full text - https://misc.pagesuite.com/pdfdownload/baee12cb-58e4-427b-9f7a-146a848a1df9.pdf

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Reposted by Sally Watson

Jo (unfunded hobbyist) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @hagenilda.bsky.social · 17h

I wrote something on my time on returning to Goldsmiths as an associate lecturer, 17 years after graduating with my first degree. It’s a plea to Frances Corner’s successor to learn from mistakes made over the last 6 years and change course. #UCU #UKHE

ucucommons.org/2025/10/06/c...

Cutting Corners: a message to the next Vice Chancellor at Goldsmiths

On 1 October 2025, a short announcement was put on Goldsmiths’ website to say that Vice Chancellor Frances Corner was stepping down with immediate effect. This came off the back of an announcement …

ucucommons.org

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Sally Watson @salawatson.bsky.social · 1d

Plus all the smaller corner shops on the estate.

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Political Quarterly @politicalquarterly.bsky.social · 6d

There have likely been 10,000 or more university redundancies in the academic year 2024-25.

@gsoh31.bsky.social, Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at Oxford Brookes, argues that the Higher Education system as we know it is coming to an end.

Where now for Britain’s Universities?

UK higher education now faces a very bleak future, retreating in the face of little public sympathy and limited political interest.

politicalquarterly.org.uk

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Sally Watson @salawatson.bsky.social · 4d

People park their SUVs in every gap in the bollards. No bollards would mean no usable pavement.

Reposted by Sally Watson

Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 8d

“An example of the town of the future is Coventry.... Traffic and pedestrians are kept apart and the roads are planned to let traffic flow smoothly”

(Our Land in the Making, 1966)
Artist: Ronald Lampitt

Illustration of the precinct shopping centre in Coventry, with its shiny 1960s architecture, walkways and colourful flower planters

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Veronica White @veronicaawhite.bsky.social · 8d

I'm excited to finally share a short video overview of my low-carbon, human-powered research adventure - cycling 2000 miles across England for my PhD fieldwork! Do let me know what you think!

youtu.be/iDPS9EYVxHY

#PhDbyBike

The Farming Futures Cycle Tour: a cycling-based fieldwork adventure

YouTube video by Veronica White

youtu.be

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Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick @mrcwarwick.bsky.social · 8d

Happy National Sporting Heritage Day - we hold the National Cycling Archive - a treasure trove of resources on the history of cycling, including the pioneering women cyclists of the late nineteenth century explore more here: warwick.ac.uk/services/lib... #NSHD #cycling #sport 🚴‍♀️

Black and white photograph of a woman wearing a black Edwardian outfit (possibly bloomers) balancing on a bicycle with the caption "Miss Harwood - second in six days' race at Royal Aquarium" Photo by H R Gibbs.

Black and white photograph of a woman standing next to a bicycle, holding it by the handlebars, wearing a dark blouse and bloomers and a pale cummerbund and sash with ribbons at her elbows and kneesand a posy of. flowers at her collar. The photograph is captioned "Miss Gambley - Lady Rider at Olympia"

A double portrait black and white photograpgh. On the left is a woman seated on her bicycle wearing a dark blouse and breeches with black stockings and a brooch at her neck. The photograph is captioned Mdlle Lisette, French Lady Champion. On the right is a woman also seated on her bicycle wearing a pale jacket and matching breeches or bloomers with a white short underneath. She also has black stockings and wears a small straw boater on her head. This photograph is captioned "Miss Grace, English Lady Champion". Both photographs are captioned "Professional Lady Cyclists"

Black and white photograph of a woman seated on her bicycle wearing a dark bouse or jacket with white sleeves and a white sailor collar. She is also wearing a medal in the shape of a cross. the photograph is captioned "Miss Frankie Nelson Professional Lady Champion of America"

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Sally Watson @salawatson.bsky.social · 9d

Resurfacing is a total waste of time. The streets they’ve resurfaced round here in the last 10 years are all full of potholes again. They’d be better off just filling in the holes when they appear.

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John Munro @johnmunro.bsky.social · 14d

In the UK, meanwhile, motor industry bosses topped the list of Starmer's biggest donors.

Then we got a declaration that Labour is "on the side of drivers," housing policy visions designed for car owners, billions for new motorways, and a crackdown on green protest.

More study very much needed!

Tara Goddard, PhD @drtaragoddard.com · 14d

whoa. Every single one of the Sinclair advert buyers on this list is automotive or automotive related (insurance). That is one aspect of the power in our society held by car companies that I haven't seen studied enough.

Anthony's Spinning Circles here too! @circlesspinning.bsky.social · 15d

For those in #Sinclair and #Nexstar markets.... #Boycott the advertisers!! After all, Disney got the message that way! There may be some you can’t, but there are some you can!

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Otto Saumarez Smith @osaumarezsmith.bsky.social · 15d

A short post about the Modern British City, out in November: www.lundhumphries.com/blogs/featur...

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Alison Stenning @alisonstenning.bsky.social · 17d

More than 20 play streets in Dublin today!

Any other big play street action for #worldcarfreeday?

@playingout.bsky.social

Emmet Ó Briain @emmet.quiddity.ie · 17d

The massive success of the 20+ play streets across Dublin today will be entirely missed by the naysayers precisely because they only impact (positively) the people who live on the streets concerned - and no one else!!

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Sally Watson @salawatson.bsky.social · 17d

My dad of course whips out his phone and finds a photo of me with Sir Nigel Gresley in Manchester 45 years ago. Must have been after the time I tried to cut my own hair. Only time I ever had a fringe I think.

Photo of little girl with long blond hair and a fringe in a yellow dress holding onto the front of a steam engine with No4498 on the front. It has a black nose and blue body

Same train but with a woman with a brown bob standing next to it wearing blue jeans, a grey top, black puffer jacket and black bag and sunglasses.

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Sally Watson @salawatson.bsky.social · 17d

Took my dad and the oldest to see the trains at Heaton Depot today.

NORTHERN
HEATON 150
HISTORY TO THE TCC
Heaton Train CareCentre is located about 2 miles east of the city centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, between the East Coast Main Line and the Tyneside Metro line to North Shields and Whitley Bay.
It carries on a tradition going back 150 years since a motive power depot was established here in 1875 delivering excellent Safety, Quality of vehicle maintenance and Customer service through it's skitful and committed work force.
As early as 1847 Heaton was set to develop into a railway centre of major importance. The Newcastle and North Shields Railway had been opened in 1839 and eight years later this was absorbed by the Newcastle and Berwick Railway, with a junction between the two lines at Heaton, and the area between the two lines was destined to be developed for a variety of railway uses, especially motive power provision.
In 1875 a motive power depot for steam locomotives was built at Heaton, located in the apex of lines formed by the junction of the ECML and the Coast line. In 1950
the 8 road shed had an allocation of no less than 119 locomotives meeting local needs as well as freight and passengers services on the ECML. Heaton served as a steam depot until it was closed in June 1963, its remaining allocation being transferred to Gateshead depot. However, it was used for the storage and stabling of steam locomotives, more or less as a sub-shed of Gateshead, for another three years.
northernraitway.co.uk
Find your fun
by train

Photo of the front of a Deltic train with yellow nose, lime green base and dark green and red on top.

Photo of the flat yellow front of a pacer train.

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Sally Watson @salawatson.bsky.social · 21d

Mine is allotmenting. Badly but enjoyably. There are even things to eat sometimes. A major plus point.

Sally Watson @salawatson.bsky.social · 22d

But it’s ok we can eat the cups 👀

Reposted by Sally Watson

Laura Laker @lauralaker.bsky.social · 22d

I visited a brand-new mile-long stretch of rural path last week nr Shepton Mallet as volunteers and contractors did the final touches. An incredible community effort to help complete the 76-mile Somerset Circle, with John Grimshaw (pictured) and Caroline Levett helping lead it (sound is poor, sorry)

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Historic Towns Trust @historictownstrust.bsky.social · 24d

Join us this Saturday at the South Square Centre — 1pm for our free Heritage Open Day talk on mapping Bradford's history!

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Zarah Sultana MP @zarahsultana.bsky.social · 26d

Over 1,600 people have been arrested since Labour banned Palestine Action — the first time a non-violent direct action group has ever been proscribed in Britain.

The UN has condemned it as “disproportionate” and “unnecessary”.

Opposing genocide isn’t a crime, it’s a moral duty.

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Rima I Anabtawi @rimaanabtawi.bsky.social · 24d

Destruction and Pillage of Palestinian Cultural Heritage, archives and libraries since 1948

blogs.library.columbia.edu/global-studi...

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Dr Jessamy Carlson @jessamycarlson.bsky.social · Aug 12

There’s a webinar coming up to launch Spaces, Places & Belonging! Learn about the new AHRC funded Community Hub, which will support inclusive, community led research across the UK GLAM and heritage sectors.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spaces-pla...

Spaces, Places and Belonging: Community Hub Launch Webinar

Learn about the new AHRC funded Community Hub, which will support inclusive, community led research across the UK GLAM and heritage sectors.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 25d

Building ‘Homes for Tomorrow’: Lambeth’s Council Housing of 1965 to 1980 - this week's new blog post looks at the exhibition celebrating the social ideals and path-breaking design of the borough's housing in its heyday:
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/09/09/b...

Old people's club room architect's drawing

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Transport Action Network @transportaction.bsky.social · 25d

Did you know, the government stopped collecting data on how children travel to school in 2011?

Children’s travel matters, and that's why it must be properl

In 2011 the government stopped collecting data on how children travel to school. With the government failing to meet its walking to school targets, as was revea

www.transportxtra.com

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Nick Gray @path-dependent.bsky.social · 26d

Who cares? It's all just the provinces.

The priority is a Reform UK government who will deliver deep spending cuts and tax cuts.

Celia Richardson @celiarichardson.bsky.social · 26d

Also. FAO Daily Telegraph: this is the Penshaw Monument, not the Pembroke Monument. Penshaw is in the North East of England. Pembroke is in West Wales. They’re about 350 miles apart.

Celia Richardson @celiarichardson.bsky.social · 26d

Telegraph headline feels inflammatory - there's no tearing, just careful removal of a flag from a grade 1 listed historic monument that belongs to the nation.

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Sally Watson @salawatson.bsky.social · 26d

Thank you so much for coming!

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Northumbria IWW @northumbriaiww.bsky.social · 26d

Passed on to us by some dear friends. Be there if you can! Help us spread the word 🏴

Kick the racists out of Newcastle! On the 27th September, Tommy Robinson is planning to lead the far-right on a march through Newcastle, joined by Nick Tenconi from UKIP. Anti-racists need to be on the streets. Let's show that NEWCASTLE IS ANTI-FASCIST!! Counter-demo 27th September, location TBA.

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