Small Paintings Project

With a break in the bad weather I took the opportunity to nip out and takes some reference photos of some of the buildings I'd like to paint.In no particular order, here they are: -

This is the signal box just opposite Port Talbot railway station

Port Talbot British Legion - on the right you can just see the building that has replaced the Customs House

The Corner House: Currently Taste Bistro - and the new Port Talbot Parkway railway station

The Corner House - Currently Taste Bistro

The Former Magistrates Court - now home of the Youth Offending team

The derelict Port Talbot Workingmen's Club - empty for several years now

Taibach Rugby Club

Express Cafe Tollgate Margam

Tollgate Margam

Tollgate Margam

Twelve Knights Margam

Bar Gallois Aberavon

Jubilee Building - occupying former site of Vivian Park Hotel. You couldn't say that it's not pleasant enough - it's just a shame that they had to demolish the Vivian Park Hotel to build it. 

Victoria Road

Nisa Local from different angle

The Craddock Arms, Aberavon

In addition to these there are a few I took in the rain of yesterday : -

Barclays Bank, Station Road. Same architect as the Customs House perhaps?

Old Aberavon Fire Station. This unprepossessing building is the oldest surviving fire station building in the local area, although it hasn't been used as a fire station for a very long time.  The last I heard, the council were planning to renovate the station as an employability centre. 

Old Aberavon Fire Station

Old Aberavon Fire Station

Aberavon Local Supermarket. This one literally sticks out like a sore thumb, because it is in the middle of a group of perfectly pleasant but unremarkable residential streets of terraced houses. It gives just a hint of the sort of buildings that were destroyed in the redevelopment of the town centre in the 70s and 80s which saw the building of the Afan Centre shopping centre, and eventually the Civic Centre/Princess Royal Theatre.  I'm not blinkered about this - much of the development took place before I moved to Port Talbot, and I know plenty of people who tell horrendous tales of traffic congestion at the level crossing at the junction of Station Road and Water Street. But I can't help wondering if at least a little more character couldn't have been kept at the time.

Station Road, Port Talbot

Station Road, Port Talbot. Impressive, stately buildings, full of character. Hopefully they'll at least see out my time.