SINCE writing about Scarborough's cliff railways not so long ago, I've come across a little book of photographs, "Scarborough as it was".

It was published in 1972, which goes back further than I can recall, but nevertheless is full of interest. In it is a picture of the South Cliff Tramway, which linked the Esplanade with the Spa. This tramway, for those who like to remember bits of information, was built in 1875 and was the first cliff tramway in England!

* York wouldn't be York if it didn't have its bars - I mean Monk Bar and the rest - and yet Scarborough also had its bars, and attractive they were, too. Photographs show a bar in 1885 which appears to be close by a junction with Huntriss Row, and almost adjoining the Balmoral Hotel. I expect this one in particular would have restricted traffic movement for, sadly, it was pulled down around 1890. Nothing, it seems, is forever.

* While thinking of Scarborough, the future of Malton's hospital seems in the lap of the gods once again, the gods being Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale Primary Care Trust. It seems set on reducing Malton Hospital's facilities once again, despite all the voluntary effort which is put in to keep it up to date. Malton's liaison with Scarborough has never seemed to be a very happy one, as far as our hospital is concerned, for the folk of Malton seem to have a closer affinity with York - probably in many respects, because Scarborough Hospital is not an easy place to get to. Popping over to York is a far easier bet. Having taken away Malton's operation facilities, which was a wonderful service for local folk, they are faced with a long journey to a strange place. And now I read that the question of dealing with minor injuries is under review, and the people of Ryedale are uneasy as their local facilities are slowly being whittled away. It seems there is always a desire to change things, and one is tempted to ask why.

* I notice that quite a lot of parking is done on the various humps we have around the town and it is worth remembering that these humps are also pedestrian crossings, which makes it an offence under the Road Traffic Act, apart from being very inconsiderate. And as for consideration, I was down at Norton the other day, coming up Wold Street, and approaching me were three horses and riders, abreast, the inner one on the footpath. Any woman with a pushchair, or small walking children would have been straight underneath that last horse as they turned out of St Nicholas Street. Two offences in one here, riding more than two abreast, and being on a public footpath, but basically it is just inconsideration for other folk.

* I was asked if I could trace the loss of some service personnel in 1942 in practice river crossings at Kirkham, and although I looked at photos of the Gazette & Herald for the data advised, I didn't find the report itself. However, when I have a bit more time I'll have another check. I did, however come across a dialect letter from Willie fra Stape, all about Betty fra Stape, who I must admit to not having heard about previously.

* Going down Castlegate the other day in the car, it was something of a snarlup, as the increased traffic flow, due to Blackboards being closed, makes it difficult to turn into Safeway, and someone a few cars in front was wanting to do just that, but wasn't being allowed through.

A WPC was walking a few yards away, glancing in the windows of the travel bureau, so dropping my window I spoke to her, suggesting that perhaps a bit of help from her would get things sorted out. She gave the problem a quick glance, smiled, and replied that it wouldn't make any difference, and that "we usually make it worse anyway", and carried on walking away. She was right, of course, for soon someone (one of the considerate ones, you know) let the would-be shopper across the road, and we all moved again. As for the WPC, she obviously had a sense of humour, and that's a good thing in a PC.

* A sort of on-going thing in this column has been Force Cereal, and its character "Sunny Jim", and over the last year or two quite a few interesting items have come to light. Now, another from Ruth Botterill of Pickering, whose cutting tells us the slogan "High o'er the fence leaps Sunny Jim, 'Force' is the food that raises him". The cutting goes on to tell us that a competition was run by the makers of Force at which time a character by the name of Jim Dumps was created. He became a very sprightly gent after eating Force, and their advertising agents made him popular, "Being as famous as the Bisto Kids, Robertson's Golliwogs and Fry's Five Boys". Now you remember them all don't you? Many thanks, Ruth.

Royal quote: "Dentopedalogy is the science of opening your mouth and putting your foot in it. I've been practicing it for years." (Prince Philip, B 1921)

Updated: 09:40 Wednesday, July 24, 2002