Google Street View Time Machine
realwales
Posts: 3,110 Forum Member
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Google are rolling out a throwback to Street View images from the past. There's a little clock icon that is appearing towards the left of the screen that allows you to look back at images from the last seven years, since it began.
I've had a good look around this evening and I've noticed some quite interesting changes to the area where I used to live, and to a lesser extent where I live now.
Changes I've noticed:
- The quality of the street lighting in the area where I used to live has been upgraded. However, these things are subjective. There are those who would have preferred the more gentle, orange glow to the bright white they've been replaced with. Others will say the new type makes driving safer.
- The relatively small high street near where I used to live hadn't really felt the impact of the recession in the 2007 pictures. There was a far wider variety of shops than there now is, and a lot more privately-owned, independent ones.
- The chip shop near where I used to live was a traditional, English chip shop. It's now more like a downmarket kebab house.
- The pub I used to drink in was still a pub. It still exists in name, but is now effectively a restaurant with a small bar area. Going in just for a pint isn't really encouraged.
- The Co-Op was a Somerfield, and we were better off for it, although it wasn't as good as the Kwik Save of a few years earlier.
- Certain shops close to where I lived, such as the fishmongers and the dairy/milk float depot, are now gone.
- On the plus side, the shabby-looking old community centre has been knocked down, and the new building that replaced it is far better.
It's interesting looking back. Seven years may not seem very long, but there have been some notable changes in that time.
I've had a good look around this evening and I've noticed some quite interesting changes to the area where I used to live, and to a lesser extent where I live now.
Changes I've noticed:
- The quality of the street lighting in the area where I used to live has been upgraded. However, these things are subjective. There are those who would have preferred the more gentle, orange glow to the bright white they've been replaced with. Others will say the new type makes driving safer.
- The relatively small high street near where I used to live hadn't really felt the impact of the recession in the 2007 pictures. There was a far wider variety of shops than there now is, and a lot more privately-owned, independent ones.
- The chip shop near where I used to live was a traditional, English chip shop. It's now more like a downmarket kebab house.
- The pub I used to drink in was still a pub. It still exists in name, but is now effectively a restaurant with a small bar area. Going in just for a pint isn't really encouraged.
- The Co-Op was a Somerfield, and we were better off for it, although it wasn't as good as the Kwik Save of a few years earlier.
- Certain shops close to where I lived, such as the fishmongers and the dairy/milk float depot, are now gone.
- On the plus side, the shabby-looking old community centre has been knocked down, and the new building that replaced it is far better.
It's interesting looking back. Seven years may not seem very long, but there have been some notable changes in that time.
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Comments
My town in the 1920s, that would be fun.
How can you tell, did they do your area at night?
I haven't seen this appear on google maps streetview yet, but on google earth aerial photo view our area goes back to the 1940s, it's fascinating.
I can't understand why some prefer the orange glow from the old fashioned street lamps. I think they look horrible. At least the lamps that give off a white light show the surroundings in their real colours. I've never understood why white light hasn't been used in the past for them.
http://googleblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/go-back-in-time-with-street-view.html