Two miscellaneous points before moving on – the now disused Polar Bear public house on the corner of Derringham St. and Spring Bank is, presumably, so called because east of this point and on the north side of Spring Bank was Hull’s Victorian ‘Zoological Gardens’ with a polar bear as one of its prized possessions. I don’t know if any photos survive/exist but today one can only imagine the plight of the poor imprisoned creature. Secondly, have discovered just this morning that a recently published hard-back book is available from the Carnegie History Centre, Anlaby Road, entitled ‘Hull to Withernsea and Hornsea’ and is about the two rail-lines with lots of pictures, apparently at least one of every station – must get one.
Setting off eastwards from the end of Duesbery St. (s.p.b. and the photo above) the ‘green corridor’ begins. Fortunately a group of local volunteers regularly collect litter along this section of the route and every-time I walk along here I become aware of a chorus of birdsong coming from the trees and bushes around. Where the route crosses Park St. a house alongside the ‘line’ was, presumably, a crossing keeper’s house back in the day, but is grander than most of these surviving elsewhere. In areas like the one here many houses with gardens back/backed onto the rail-line providing, perhaps, a focus for excitement for children and adults alike – except perhaps on washdays.
East of Park Road the route approaches Stepney station site with its very long platforms on either side of the ‘line’, its surviving station-master’s house incorporating waiting -room etc. (used, but not as a residence now) and the silhouette metal figures, erected a few years ago, portraying station workers and expectant passengers. There is also a history information board.