Historic Images Of Old Ceylon - Automotive And Otherwise

[Sampath Gunasekera]

I have a huge 'old photos collection' and here I post few of them which show good old vehicles.

1929 - Prince Street

Bristol Hotel

Grand Oriental Hotel

Pettah Main Street / Gas Paha Handiya

1965 – Queen Street

1970s

1970s – Fort

1970s – Fort

1970s – Colombo Port

1970s – Air Port / Air Ceylon

[Sampath Gunasekera]

(Cont.)

1970s Fort

1970s

1970s – Town Hall

Kandy

[Watchman]

Hey Sampath!

You have stuck another gem there with historic photos... I think it should have a thread of its own and everyone can continue sharing more photos there. This thread of sylvi has a wealth of knowledge as it is, so we dont want to be overwhelmed by too much and loose out on any right?

PS: Maybe the mods can help move these to a new thread if they feel it'll be better on another thread?

Edited October 12, 2012 by Watchman

[The Don]

Hey Sampath!

You have stuck another gem there with historic photos... I think it should have a thread of its own and everyone can continue sharing more photos there. This thread of sylvi has a wealth of knowledge as it is, so we dont want to be overwhelmed by too much and loose out on any right?

PS: Maybe the mods can help move these to a new thread if they feel it'll be better on another thread?

Watchman, as far as I can see there is no way to move just posts to a new thread. There also does not seem to be a method to duplicate an existing thread. So at the moment things are not looking great for the idea of moving some posts across. Might have to do things the hard way.

[Sampath Gunasekera]

Hey Sampath!

You have stuck another gem there with historic photos... I think it should have a thread of its own and everyone can continue sharing more photos there. This thread of sylvi has a wealth of knowledge as it is, so we dont want to be overwhelmed by too much and loose out on any right?

PS: Maybe the mods can help move these to a new thread if they feel it'll be better on another thread?

Watchman, as far as I can see there is no way to move just posts to a new thread. There also does not seem to be a method to duplicate an existing thread. So at the moment things are not looking great for the idea of moving some posts across. Might have to do things the hard way.

Dear Watchman / Don,

Even though I have a bulk of historical photos, very few photos are there related to automotive subject. Most of them are about sub areas of Colombo and specially on the demolished Colombo Fort wall in 1870s. So I won’t be able to maintain a separate thread as I did with car catalogs.

I also have some historical photos on tram cars operated in Colombo and will post when thread passes the tram car topic.

So I think it is better to stick to Mr.Silvy’s thread only rather than opening a new thread.

Wachman, I highly appreciate your interest on the subject.

(I obtained those photos from websites, e-mails & from books)

Edited October 12, 2012 by Sampath Gunasekera

[Scooter]

Sam, excellent picture set. Thanks. The Pettah one is particularly content rich. Such a range of vehicles finding their way onto the Island around that time. Over on the BHP forum folk have been contributing some lovely old car stuff from family photo albums. Looking forward to the tram stuff.

[SeanD]

Dear Watchman / Don,

Even though I have a bulk of historical photos, very few photos are there related to automotive subject. Most of them are about sub areas of Colombo and specially on the demolished Colombo Fort wall in 1870s. So I won’t be able to maintain a separate thread as I did with car catalogs.

I also have some historical photos on tram cars operated in Colombo and will post when thread passes the tram car topic.

So I think it is better to stick to Mr.Silvy’s thread only rather than opening a new thread.

Wachman, I highly appreciate your interest on the subject.

(I obtained those photos from websites, e-mails & from books)

Hey Sampath,

I too am a big fan of photos of old Colombo, but most of what you posted (other than those from the 70s) are new to me. It's particularly nice to see that Prince Street (now Baron Jayatillake Mw) has barely changed at all, other than for the cars and fashion of course...(most of the others do seem to have changed) even the letters on the cargills building are probably the ones they still have...I have never seen a picture of that road from that particular elevation, pls let me know if you have more of that same road and the adjoining ones...You should upload them all on a third party site and just post a thread with the links

[Watchman]

Watchman, as far as I can see there is no way to move just posts to a new thread. There also does not seem to be a method to duplicate an existing thread. So at the moment things are not looking great for the idea of moving some posts across. Might have to do things the hard way.

Posts can be moved from one thread to another. Peri used to do that quite often when he moved OT posts to the post-whore thread.

[Watchman]

Dear Watchman / Don,

Even though I have a bulk of historical photos, very few photos are there related to automotive subject. Most of them are about sub areas of Colombo and specially on the demolished Colombo Fort wall in 1870s. So I won’t be able to maintain a separate thread as I did with car catalogs.

I also have some historical photos on tram cars operated in Colombo and will post when thread passes the tram car topic.

So I think it is better to stick to Mr.Silvy’s thread only rather than opening a new thread.

Wachman, I highly appreciate your interest on the subject.

(I obtained those photos from websites, e-mails & from books)

I dont think you need to limit yourself to photos of just cars; sometimes even a simple photo from 30 years ago of a street/building that we see everyday hits a chord within us... And I'm sure once you've got the ball rolling there'll be lots of others contributing. Prime example is this very thread.

Let's see if peri or madz can do something when they're back from their weekends.

[Pericles]

Posts can be moved from one thread to another. Peri used to do that quite often when he moved OT posts to the post-whore thread.

I think what Don means is you can't move it directly to a new thread. What can be done is to move to an existing thread. Which means someone needs to create a thread first. Like Madz created post whoring.

[Sampath Gunasekera]

Finally I could find out a photo showing a yellow top taxi, from the net.

Check the centre of the photo.

Main Street, Pettah – 1970s

Edited October 13, 2012 by Sampath Gunasekera

[Sampath Gunasekera]

Hey Sampath,

I too am a big fan of photos of old Colombo, but most of what you posted (other than those from the 70s) are new to me. It's particularly nice to see that Prince Street (now Baron Jayatillake Mw) has barely changed at all, other than for the cars and fashion of course...(most of the others do seem to have changed) even the letters on the cargills building are probably the ones they still have...I have never seen a picture of that road from that particular elevation, pls let me know if you have more of that same road and the adjoining ones...You should upload them all on a third party site and just post a thread with the links

Best two website for historical photos are,

http://www.imagesofceylon.com/

http://lankapura.com/

But in both websites, photos are not in a proper order with particular places and with time sequence.

In 2005, I categorized Colombo Street photos according to the places and with time sequence. I also had to refer some books to get proper information. (All things I did as a hobby)

Finally I could arrange them in proper way with valuable details and if someone in interest, please PM me, I’ll send by e-mail.

Edited October 13, 2012 by Sampath Gunasekera

[Supra_Natural]

Once more unto the breach then.....

Since Sylvi's History thread has plenty of historic detail as is and since Sampath's collection of old images really does deserve it's own thread, this one is created.

Sampath, Here you go man, post away!

[Watchman]

..

Edited October 14, 2012 by Watchman

[Sampath Gunasekera]

Thanks Supra & Watchy. Here I start.....

[Sampath Gunasekera]

Tramcars in Old Colombo

All about Tramcars in Old Colombo

http://www.tramz.com/tva/lk.html

http://www.slrfc.org...-a-tramcar-ride

http://www.ceylontod...g-the-tram.html

http://www.crazylanka.com/borella.htm

Route

Two types of Tramcars

Type 1

Type 2 (Gaspaha Handiya, Pettha)

Tramcar Ticket

Electrical Lines for Tram Cars at Chatham Street

Can you guess the place? The building with dome is 'Fort Police Station' in front of 'SLT Head Office' (CTO).

Chatham Street , Fort

Two Tramcars

Street Scene - Pettah

Main Starting point – At Grand Oriental Hotel (GOH),Fort

Pettah – Gas Paha Handiya

(Sometimes still can see the remains of tram route. I will try to click a photo. I daily walk Pettah to Fort through this road to get my car from the car park at Fort )

“Kaalaya mevu wenasaka arume” (Fort)

Edited October 14, 2012 by Sampath Gunasekera

[Komisiripala]

Wow! You're a walking talking history museum! Lovely!!

[SeanD]

That's the clearest old photo of the Fort Police station I have seen. At the time this photo was taken, it was known as "Transworks House," then the home of the Public Works Department, sort of like the UDA (all island version) of its day. That's the building that is going to be restored by that Indian property company that is putting up some towers around it (Krrish).

By the way, can anyone note an interesting difference in the building shown in the last two pictures? (Gaffoor building, which I see is once again for sale for about a billion rupees, although a condemned building and the interior largely destroyed by a car park that someone put inside it).

[Sampath Gunasekera]

That's the clearest old photo of the Fort Police station I have seen. At the time this photo was taken, it was known as "Transworks House," then the home of the Public Works Department, sort of like the UDA (all island version) of its day. That's the building that is going to be restored by that Indian property company that is putting up some towers around it (Krrish).

By the way, can anyone note an interesting difference in the building shown in the last two pictures? (Gaffoor building, which I see is once again for sale for about a billion rupees, although a condemned building and the interior largely destroyed by a car park that someone put inside it).

SeanD, There was a large building next to Transworks House, later it demolished and now space use as car park for World Trade Center and for other companies near to that. What was that building? Few months ago I saw a tender advertisement calling for a new building with large car park to be built in same place.

Regarding Gafoor Building, newly painted it few years ago. That dark underground car park is the place I park my car daily & it is rich with rats. Seems they have removed some concrete slab area and covered with a roof and modified the structure. I park only at selected places as still small pieces of old roof plaster fall down some times. Most of the roof area they have repaired.

Edited October 14, 2012 by Sampath Gunasekera

[Schiffer]

Superb machan Superb.

[SeanD]

SeanD, There was a large building next to Transworks House, later it demolished and now space use as car park for World Trade Center and for other companies near to that. What was that building? Few months ago I saw a tender advertisement calling for a new building with large car park to be built in same place.

Regarding Gafoor Building, newly painted it few years ago. That dark underground car park is the place I park my car daily & it is rich with rats. Seems they have removed some concrete slab area and covered with a roof and modified the structure. I park only at selected places as still small pieces of old roof plaster fall down some times. Most of the roof area they have repaired.

Sampath, re. the building I am not sure, I vaguely recall it but will need to ask around and see. Most of that property all originally formed the massive Transworks Square, although it was later disposed of in lots (I believe the Hemas building also stands on some of what was that property), and only about half of the original land is left for the developments that will come up.

As for Gaffoor building, the difference in the two photographs is there is now an additional floor that is not there in the older picture The building is said to be built over some tunnels that were used by the Dutch to ferry goods from the harbour area through to the Slave Island area using the Beira Lake (then much larger in extent). The tunnels were either not properly filled (or were left unfilled) and now the building is actually sinking, perhaps due to the additional weight of the added floor. I am told that a part of it at the back had collapsed in the 1980s and it slowly wound up after being condemned, and only a few encroachers (illegal) had moved in and now apparently cannot be evicted. I recall it was closed up for nearly 20 years, having being taken over by the Ports Authority on security grounds, and when I returned to Sri Lanka a couple of years ago I found it painted up and someone with no artistic sense had knocked out all the beautiful woodwork and glass and put a car park after removing the ground floor slab. The basement at that time was completely flooded, with various small fish also in it. I believe you still cannot get rid of the damp in the place, although I avoid going in there. You can see the concrete is badly spalled (fallen off) on the upper floors, leaving the rebar to corrode (fast, as it's so close to the sea) and it is all round a dangerous thing. The car park is supported by some puny steel girders that are no match for the building.

It is only a matter of time before the place Caves in (pun intended ).

The place anyway has a recent history of dodgy ownership, and I saw it is once again on the market. Perhaps some old timers (including Sylvi) can tell us more.

[NPP]

SeanD, There was a large building next to Transworks House, later it demolished and now space use as car park for World Trade Center and for other companies near to that. What was that building? Few months ago I saw a tender advertisement calling for a new building with large car park to be built in same place.

Regarding Gafoor Building, newly painted it few years ago. That dark underground car park is the place I park my car daily & it is rich with rats. Seems they have removed some concrete slab area and covered with a roof and modified the structure. I park only at selected places as still small pieces of old roof plaster fall down some times. Most of the roof area they have repaired.

transworks square is nor more used as a car park as it has been given on leave for the Krrish property development

[tiv]

Great stuff mate,

[nexus]

nice photos collection Sampath congratulation and post more of them please.

[NZer]

What a nice job. Was wondering what happened to all the Hot girls then?