RACING PIGEON RELEASE NEWHAVEN

I'd had thought the railway sidings at the North Quay would have been one location where you could 'park' a train of carriages and let the pigeons out. 

In which case, the hills seen behind would be Mount Pleasant and South Heighton.

The Oyster Ponds / Tidemills area would be another possibility, but I can't think of where you would have put all those carriages. Were there suitable sidings there back then?

Hi Andy

My father, Bob Cobden, who was a shunter at Newhaven  1946-1964 (and your former next door neighbour!) once told me that they frequently released pigeons at East Quay - just above the beach.  There was a siding extending from the Boat Train station to Tide Mills and on almost to the Buckle until it was covered with tarmac to make a roadway for the construction of the Royal Sovereign Lighthouse in the later 60's.  Regards Alan Cobden 

My dad used to be the Police Sergeant at Newhaven Transport Police, based at Newhaven Harbour. I can remember him taking me to watch the racing pigeons being released from the train carriages on the North Quay, just up from the old swing bridge. There seemed to be thousands of them and it was a thrill to watch them all go. Once they had all gone we were allowed to collect any eggs that were left if we were quick enough. Talking of the old swing bridge, can any of you remember watching the eight men required to wind the bridge open and closed? 

A British Pathe newsreel clip from 1928 showing the release of the pigeons from the railway sidings on the North Quay. 

P.S. Don't forget to click the two arrows in the top right corner of preview picture to enable full screen view.