ok, this is a bit weird but i just wanted to know if anyone in sheff remembers how deep the diving pool was in the old sheaf valley baths (now knocked down)??? i can remember they used to let anyone jump of the diving boards, and they felt bloody high at about 8yrs old!!?? i managed the middle one but fresked out at the top one! it would never be allowed today, pity xx anyway i have a bet going on and the theory rangers from 4 to 12 meters deep, does anyone know the truth???? many thanks

No, I can't recall exactly how deep it was. I liked Sheaf valley baths very much and was sad to see it go. I went off the top a few times back then and I remember it seemed to take ages to get back up to the surface. There used to be a painting on the wall by Rolf Harris near at the shallow end. I wonder what became of that?

For a dare I jumped off the top once and scared the living daylights out of myself. I hurt the soles of my feet and my bikini top ended up around my neck.

That diving pool was deeeeep! we used to go there from Wisewood Comp i.e the legion of the great unwashed and I'm sure they used to put more chlorine in before we got there......anyway, sorry if anyone was at wisewood. But that pool was too deep. we used to dare each other to throw ourselves of the top splash in various ways. The lifeguards always had tattoos and looked like they were on probation!

I dont know how deep it was, but yeah it felt like endless when you were a kid.. I jumped off the top board and never went on them again... hehe

When I was able-bodied, I loved going to the SV baths...

I took my son there swimming, 20 yrs ago when he was but a tot of three yrs old. he learnt to swim there.

I remember the diving pool very well.

It was about 13 feet or so deep, (that's three metres in "new money) IIRC. the very "top splash " was about 10 metres, high, I think.

What i remember about the diving pool was how stinkin'-rotten cold it was! it was bloomin' FREEZING!

The tiny pool, for the toddlers, was quite hot, presumably for safety reasons (the risk of toddlers getting hypothermia because of their relatively small body-mass)

The main pool was fairly cool; sometimes it was cold enough to take your breath a little, sometimes it was a touch warmer, but the diving pool was perishing!

PT

Originally posted by Lickszz
No, I can't recall exactly how deep it was. I liked Sheaf valley baths very much and was sad to see it go. I went off the top a few times back then and I remember it seemed to take ages to get back up to the surface. There used to be a painting on the wall by Rolf Harris near at the shallow end. I wonder what became of that?
The picture Rolph harris painted was bought by Fletchers the bakery and is on show in the reception.

Fletchers got it? Seriously?!? Whayhayyy! Sheffield isn't a complete cultural vacuum after all!

Can yer tell what it iz yit? :D :banana: :clap:

I thought the diving pool was around 18 feet deep. Yes, and it was cold!

As for the picture by Rolf Harris - didn't he donate that when he did a public information advertisment for learning to swim which was filmed at Sheaf Valley Baths?

As I recall, he told a story in the film about how he nearly drowned in the fishpond in the garden when he was a toddler, and his parents had him taught to swim straight away.

They showed that film for years.

I was told that the final scene of the 'ad' where he is in a swimming pool, was filmed at Sheaf valley.

Am I dreaming?

I can vaguely remember Sheaf Valley, the pool seemed so long. Was it 33 1/3 metres?

I do however know that Ponds Forge's diving pool is 5.8 metres deep and the diving boards are 1 metre, 3, 5, 7.5 and 10 metres with 8 spring boards 2 at 1 metre high & the other 2 at 3 metres.

It was so much better than Pond's Forge, and they pulled it down!

Pond's Forge changing facilities for the leisure pool are nothing short of disgusting. You can't get stripped off for a shower - it's public, the cubicles are too small, they are unisex, half of them have been vandalised and the locks don't work properly.

Swimming is supposed to be relaxing, but on the odd occasion that I take my lad there, I get really wound up. ARGH!!!

Bring back Sheaf Valley!

Originally posted by stella fan
The picture Rolph harris painted was bought by Fletchers the bakery and is on show in the reception.

How much for?

Did you ever go to Sheaf Valley swimming baths !?

If so ... what can you remember about them ?

I remember it had 3 pools ...

Diving pool was fun ... off the top splash !!

Remember the old vending machines ... with like monster munch n stuff !!

And the changing rooms with those hanging baskets with room at the bottom for shoes ...

Can you remember anything else !? ....

Threads merged.

Originally posted by Sam Miguel
It was so much better than Pond's Forge, and they pulled it down!

Pond's Forge changing facilities for the leisure pool are nothing short of disgusting. You can't get stripped off for a shower - it's public, the cubicles are too small, they are unisex, half of them have been vandalised and the locks don't work properly.

Swimming is supposed to be relaxing, but on the odd occasion that I take my lad there, I get really wound up. ARGH!!!

Bring back Sheaf Valley! I totally agree with the whole content of this post. Kids in the water they love it.

Originally posted by Jamie
Did you ever go to Sheaf Valley swimming baths !?

If so ... what can you remember about them ?

I remember it had 3 pools ...

Diving pool was fun ... off the top splash !!

Remember the old vending machines ... with like monster munch n stuff !!

And the changing rooms with those hanging baskets with room at the bottom for shoes ...

Can you remember anything else !? ....
Remember the vending machines,used to love the blackcurrent drink:)

Originally posted by deano
Remember the vending machines,used to love the blackcurrent drink:)

As a youngster I remember standing on the top diving board and a kid infront of me was hesitating about jumping, he finally jumped off but instead of jumping straight ahead he went at an angle and from up above it looked like he was going to land on the edge... ouch! he did'nt of course but it scared me to death.

The main pool was 50m in lenght approx, I read some where that the pool was built 2 inches too short of 50m, so that meant it could not be used for sporting events, not sure if that was true or not.

The vending machines at swimming baths were the only place that you could buy that stuff made of rice crispies glued together, and shoved in a clear wrapper. mmmm.

I remember Rolf Harris being on TV and opening it. The pool was 33m long and quite wide - a useless size for competition - and deep in the middle too, which made it interesting. I remember as I grew up I could bob up and down in the deep end and breathe etc. Did my 'Mile' there while still at school.

I used to try and swim a width - could do it if I dived in and the but not from a standing start in the pool. I later managed 25 yards underwater at Glossop Road.

Jumped off top splash 1000 times or more - loved it. It was quite deep - 5m or more - but I could touch the bottom after jumping off the top.

I could never figure out what all the seats were for - like - who the hell want's to watch people swimming. Rarely saw anyone up there.

sheaf valley baths , excellent place used to spend most sat there with mates ,

baby pool was lovely and warm , probably from all the baby wee
the main pool was massive to us kids at the time
and the i thnk the it was about 5/6 metre in the dving pool

my dads mate chucked me off the first splash and i thought i was gonna drown

soon made it up to the top splash great way to impress the girlies at the time

and yes the vending machines monster munch and hot chocalote for me tho

Originally posted by Lickszz
No, I can't recall exactly how deep it was. I liked Sheaf valley baths very much and was sad to see it go. I went off the top a few times back then and I remember it seemed to take ages to get back up to the surface. There used to be a painting on the wall by Rolf Harris near at the shallow end. I wonder what became of that? iwas there when rolf harris opened the baths.....and having visited the place 100's of times i still never worked out what the painting was of:confused: :confused:

I used to go down to the sauna and steam room, it was like a club with the same faces: heyhey: on display week after week, and the attendants were a bit like a comedy duo. what a superb atmosphere they created, pity there's no where that compares to it now.

Are you sure Fletcher's got the Rolf Harris mural? I always thought the work was destroyed when the baths were pulled down. Though this always seemed unlikely to me, there is this piece on the BBC website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/southyorkshire/features/secret_tour/rolf_harris.shtml

what i remember of Sheaf valley was when you had got changed,you had to walk through a tiny pool of cold water to clean your feet before you got to the main pools.And also remember the coloured bands you had to wear around your wrist,then a noice would sound and a coloured light matching your bang would flash,to indicate your time was up.

I'd rather have Sheaf Valley baths rather than Ponds Forge any day!.
I remember going down EVERY day in the 6 week holidays and swimming all day for 10 pence (using my passport to leisure). It is where i took all my badges, 25m,50m,100m,200m,400m,800m and my mile. The mile took me a full afternoon and they cordened off a full strip of the main pool just for me and one more lad to do it.
Thinking of the original question. Maybe there is some confusion between meters and feet. Is'nt 4meters nearly 12 feet?

Originally posted by vidster
I'd rather have Sheaf Valley baths rather than Ponds Forge any day!.
I remember going down EVERY day in the 6 week holidays and swimming all day for 10 pence (using my passport to leisure). It is where i took all my badges, 25m,50m,100m,200m,400m,800m and my mile. The mile took me a full afternoon and they cordened off a full strip of the main pool just for me and one more lad to do it.
Thinking of the original question. Maybe there is some confusion between meters and feet. Is'nt 4meters nearly 12 feet?

no, vidster, four yards (which are shorter than a metre, by three inches) is exactly 12 feet. four metres is over 12 feet.

Four metres, which is four lots of three-feet three inches is exactly THIRTEEN feet.

PT

Originally posted by Plain Talker
no, vidster, four yards (which are shorter than a metre, by three inches) is exactly 12 feet. four metres is over 12 feet.

Four metres, which is four lots of three-feet three inches is exactly THIRTEEN feet.

PT

It was only a suggestion and being as though the original post was not that exact, i thought that the people that had been debating the subject may have got their wires crossed.
Ohh, and a meter is actually 3ft 3inches and 3 eighths

So size does matter ;)

Why did they knock it down? There is nothing there in its place except grass, am I right?

Sheaf Valley was great. I remember the Rolf Harris painting near the huge windows. (I too remember the advert where he advises us all to swim, where he sinks into the water head first leaving his big toe sticking out of the water!!)

Do you also remember the different coloured lights and sirens? You were given a coloured rubber wrist band which indicated when you were to get out of the pools. So, obviously, a red light flashing and the sirens wailing meant out you get you red wristed swimmers! Seemed really cool at the time; seems incredibly 1970s now!

Wasn't there an upstairs cafe also? I was too scared to venture into the diving pool but would watch my friends throw themselves off that top board - which seemed to be in the heavens - with both amazement and a degree of jealousy! The baby pool was always very warm, the larger pool, less so.

And ofcause, the bit I hated most was having to walk through the cold foot pools en route to the main pool area, thinking of all those other feet with their bunnions and callouses that had just trampled through that dirty water!

And as for Vending Machines. Huge sized Monster Munch and Texan Bars every time.

Ah, good old Sheaf Valley. You'd have an hour of great swimming and larking about, get changed and come out feeling fit and healthy.

Then, you'd walk out of those glassed swing-doors and inhale the toxic fumes of diesel that all the busses were churning into the air at the nearby bus station....,

Originally posted by owdlad
I used to go down to the sauna and steam room

:o :o :o :o :o
didn't realise we had them in the 70's:o

Originally posted by kirky
:o :o :o :o :o
didn't realise we had them in the 70's:o


come on kirky keep up, tha gerrin slow, that was days ago ;)

Originally posted by owdlad
come on kirky keep up, tha gerrin slow, that was days ago ;)

soz dint see it:(

Originally posted by goldenfleece
Why did they knock it down? There is nothing there in its place except grass, am I right?

They knocked the Sheaf Valley Baths (SVB) down, as it was superceded by the Ponds Forge leisure centre...

You know, the white elephant, that was built for the 1991 "world student games", that every Sheffield "ratepayer" will be paying for, till approximately 2031....

the one with doors, so tall and heavy, that even able bodied users of the centre struggle to push them open! (really well designed!!!)

The changing rooms are unisex at PF, so there have been alleged problems with alleged perverts, looking at women and children geting changed. At least SVB had segregated male and female changing rooms, which meant that there was privacy and safety in that method!!!

The PF doesn't have the turkish baths underneath... the PF doesn't have that freezing-cold "hygeine bath" thing that you used to have to wade through, to get into the pool area... that some of us have mentioned on here...

and more to the point, the diving pool at SVB was not off-limits to the ordinary user who paid his or her entry fee. (PF's diving pool is out of bounds to the ordinary Schmo... it's only for actual diving teams, not open to the public, which i think is absolutely criminal!)

the PF cafe was much more basic, but (to my teenaged/ younger self) much more inviting. (and yes, there *was* another cafe, upstairs, which was a bit more swish than the snack-bar thing that was downstairs near the entrance)

the SVB was much better.

the SVB site is about to be swallowed up by this stupid, much feted "E-campus" for the Sheffield Hallam University (SHU = "Sheffield POLYTECHNIC, in "old money") as is much of the lower part of the bus station (which, I believe, is also in the process of demolition, despite being not yet 15 years old.....)

Sad days.

I miss SVB...
can't we start a campaign, folks, and get the SVB "un-demolished? (LOL ;) )

PT

I have to say that Ponds Forge is a hell of alot better then Sheaf valley. Much better leisure pool for the kids,a proper gym,proper sports hall,brillent Staff recognised around the country bet no one out of Sheffield has ever heard of Sheaf Valley.
Regarding the Heavy doors im sure somebody would open them for you if you asked there are always people passing and aleast there are no steps. So i would say that it has really good access.(SVB had steps to the front)

As for the World Student Games i personally feel they did a lot for this city.look at the facilties we have now. Thank god for the Arena and all the bands it attracts. There are a lot of cities who would love our stadia and indeed practically every city has followed our lead in building Arenas. So lets not knock our great assets.

Originally posted by unners
a proper gym,proper sports hall,brillent Staff recognised around the country
This may be true but we are only commenting on the baths.

Originally posted by vidster
This may be true but we are only commenting on the baths.

Sorry!

Originally posted by unners
Sorry!

that told ya:)

Originally posted by unners
Sorry!
It is me that's sorry unners for coming across a bit terse. No offence intended :thumbsup:

Originally posted by vidster
It is me that's sorry unners for coming across a bit terse. No offence intended :thumbsup:

No probs

i had to jump of the top one for my life saving,in clothes then tread water and make a float out of my clothes,i was petrified

I really enjoyed reading this thread .I just had a lovely trip down memory lane. All the funny little things mentioned e.g clothes basket,wrist bands and lights ,monster munch after.
I can picture myself there so clearly (only after reading this ,I'd never of thought to recall it myself).I remember the picture, but never new it was by Rolf Harris.I loved the diving boards, theres no way I'd dare now.I had no fear then!And the lovely warmth of the baby pool after.
I've been meaning to take my kids swimming for ages .I finnaly got around to taking my son to Pondsforge a couple of weeks ago.(it was half term so I was expecting it to be busy). There are hardly any family cubicles 3/4? there are 2 doors on them so 1 of them is often locked even when it's vacant, then the other door is tricky to get to (around/ through other cubicles).The nappy bin stank. You can see through the door seals.We left the cubicle the floor stank of wee, I wasn't imagining this as I over heard another couple commenting on it, struggled all our stuff (quite a bit as we'd been in town earlier) from the cubicle to find a vacant locker (also tricky) found one loaded it up , put the money in , and it doesn't work ,try another! The force of the river ride, on entry I find a little worrying, if a small child escaped the grasp of a parent....
We had some good quality time together, but it was freezing, and near impossible to get a ring.Then at 5.55 they announced it would be closing in 5 minutes which surprised me, we'd not been their long I pressumed it would shut at about 10.00 on a saturday.So everyone got out at the same time , about 30+ people queueing for a shower before us, and we weren't aloud to use the ones for the other pool, so we had to skip that.Obviosly the family rooms were all taken so I found My son a cubicle and told him to wait while I got our stuff,(I was uncomfortable about leaving him alone, got back to him with all our stuff , and he couldn't open the doors, whilst trying to hold on to everything I was telling him to push the lever on the bench which releases the lock , the place was so noisy he could hardly hear me, and he couldn't do it , by this time he was really cold and in tears.A teenage girl offered to climb over , she released the lock mannualy as it was faulty.
The whole experience was a nightmare, totaly un-relaxing. O.K moan over!
And my childhood memories of sheaf valley are lovely , so thanks to the OP for reminding me!

peakma - your post seems to be a sad portrayal of 'today', how we seem to accept things that we simply shouldn't. I haven't been to Ponds Forge and probably never will, but if I want to swim today I go to Heeley Swimming Baths which is a good, straight-forward swimming baths with decent sized changing cubicles, is rarely too busy and is easy to get to and park.

In other words, you could say 'it's a bit seventies'! Going to Sheaf Valley was always an exciting time for me - it was an occasion - and I too fondly remember the place (as you'll have seen in my earlier post).

We knock down things that were great, had nothing wrong with them and replace them with poorer quality buildings, run in a shabby way, and probably pay through the nose to use the facilities (which, through our council tax we'll be paying for till Kingdom Come).

Maybe because the 1970's were so long ago, we tend to reflect on the good things and forget the bad; but I'm still pretty sure it was better than what we put up with nowadays!

Ousetunes,

Regarding Heeley baths, when you say 'it's a bit seventies' do you mean 1870s?

Only joking! I know what you mean. Wasn't it built around 1904 or something?

Heeley pool is a charming place, with changing cubicles along the sides.

There's also seating pace above, presumably built for when competitions are being held.

I think Heeley is a 25-yard pool.

There were rumours a couple of years ago that it was in danger of shutting down. That was before the Virgin gym was built.

It the future of Heeley pool safe?

Dishwasher - I don't see why Virgin megaletsgethealthybutitllcostyouafortune should be a threat to dear old Heeley baths! You don't have to be a member or pay a subscription at Heeley. It's pay-on-the-door (or failing that, put the money in an envelope and post it through the letter box).

I think both can survive. I've been a member in a couple of gyms before - the once superb YMCA and The Fitness Club in town, but my membership never stretched beyond a couple of years. The YM closed and parking at The Fitness Club, on Surrey Street rendered it a no-no.

So, if you want a swim and nothing more, Heeley baths is the ticket. If anything, such a place should benefit from the likes of Virgin, Greens et al.

Ousetunes,

Apologies for not making my previous posting clear.

The talk and chatter of Heeley closing was way, way before the Virgin gym was built. Before it was even known that there was going to be a state-of-the-art in that location.

Talk of its closure (which came from staff working at the baths at the time) had somthing to do with a company independent of the council taking over the running of the place.

I used to be a regular at Heeley and always enjoyed swimming there and the banter with the staff and the other regulars.

The only problem was that the times available were fairly restrictive, from what I can remember.

You couldn't just turn up anytime and plough a few lengths.

Whatever, swimming is fantastic excercise, I'm sure you'll agree.

dishwasher - comments taken onboard! I used to go to Heeley every Sunday morning between 1978-1980 with my (late) father and some friends of the family. Y'know, those trips have become one of the Golden Memories of childhood? Just a regular, innocent trip to the swimming baths has become lodged in my memory.

Maybe it's just a mood I'm in (reflective) - I'm listening to songs from April 1976 on Radio York (via the web) and all the memories of being a 6 year old etc are at the forefront of my mind. Around the same time I used to pop down sheaf Valley with my father.

Warm memories indeed....,

With the deep end in the middle and the diving pool. As kids we all used to go on friday night. I once tried to "dive" off the top board and almost broke my back in the proccess. Afterwards we all used to have a hot chocolate and a packet of mini chedders as a treat.

Sometimes used to go on Sunday mornings but I hated the place. You could never have a proper swim, folks swimming in all directions!

I wonder what happened to that big painting rolf harris did?

Was'nt it Rolf harris who opened the baths as he was an olympic swimmer in his youth.

I know he opened it but didn`t know about him being an olympic swimmer himself

Try looking in this thread.
http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6798&highlight=sheaf+valley+baths

For future reference, the search button is over <--------there ;)

I must correct myself' just read " Rolf harris was the Australian junior backstroke chapion"

Even champion lol.

I remember the baths well, didnt like the diving pool, fell off from the top once never went up again.

[MOD NOTE] Threads Merged.

where is heeley baths? i gather its in heeley but whereabouts? where is it near?

heeley baths is on broadfield road, which runs between london road and abbeydale road :)

I used to go to sheaf valley baths very often I taught my eldest lad to swim there.
I also used to go to the Sauna underneath ( which was a "proper Sauna" lol ) every Saturday and spend the whole day in there. There were quite a few " character's" used to go in as well. It was a Smashing day,Saturday and we would trapse off to the "Penny Black" after ( to put a bit of the sweat back)

the picture Rolph harris painted was bought by Fletchers bakery and is on one of the lannams i worked on for 15years and had to look at it for 12 hours a day i can tell you it soon became an eye sore. lol paul fletcher bought it for is daugter for £1000 and its still there now on lannam 5:thumbsup:

I remember going to see Rolf paint that. It was something about a tiger? He did indeed ask "Can you guess what it is yet?" The problem was that I couldn't guess, even after he'd finished!

Not one of his best...

this brings back memories! i used to go with a bunch of friends, i only jumped off the top diving board as a lad i fancied said he would go out with me:) if i did.

i remember we used to have hot chocolate after and then go up onto the gallery in pond street for half a bag of chips;)

The picture Rolph harris painted was bought by Fletchers the bakery and is on show in the reception.


Can anyone tell what it is yet?:)

I used to work at SVB many years ago and was in the diving club too! In answer to your question how deep was that pool.

At its deepest point under the top splash (or 5mtr board) approx 12 foot at the shallowest point opposite the boards it was around 6 ft 6 inch deep.

They had 3 boards, ranging in height:

1 mtr spring board
3 mtr spring board
and of course the high board at 5 mtrs, sorry to blow some of your bubbles!

The main pool was 33 1/3 mtrs long and built this way on purpose to supposedly save money, the original plans were for a 50 mtr pool!

There are other similar pools to SVB, the closest I can remember if it is still there was Maltby baths (we trained there as a club, when SVB shut for refurbishment in 1975, the year I came 5th in the national 1mtr ladies comp). We also used Harrogate and Huddersfield, because Leeds International was also closed for essential repairs!

Unfortunately SVB had to be knocked down because the foundations were slipping and major cracks were appearing all over the building, eventually they reckoned the pool would have ended up in the river.

It was a very sad day when it closed down, I eventually ended up working at the new one in 1991 just in time for the world student games "Ponds Forge" named after the forge that was originally in its place.

I no longer work in this field and do miss it at times, I originally started out working at Glossop Rd Baths (which is now a pub) progress eh!

I got all my swimming certificates there with school, remember doing enless lengths in my pyjamas & diving for the black brick. Also that top board jeez it's high when up ther remember my jelly legs as I approached the edge & my mates cheerin me on as I stepped off into the void AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

the diving pool at sheaf valley was 15m deep i think. the diving boards wer 1st splash=1m. 2nd splash=3m and top splash was 5m. i used to be in diving club(1981-83) old man colin hyde was the coach RIP.

Dont know why but i always had to have a hot chocolate when i got out of sheaf valley baths ! must have spent 90% of the 6 week holidays there . thats a lorra lorra hot choccy :)

I was scared of the top level diving board too. I did it a couple of times, but preferred the middle one.
Also remember the baskets and the little pool of water to walk through. As for the coloured bands you wore. Remember those? When your time was up, loud music would come on and a flashing light the same colour as your band would light up on the wall which meant you had to get out. Well the changeover of colours in the boys and girls changing rooms didn't always coincide and many times my brother or I would be gloating as we got extra time while the other had to climb out. Aahh memories. I also got a gold medal at Sheaf Valley in a swimming gala. Usually we just got certificates, but because it was the silver jubilee the winners all got medals that year.

Ha Ha i love this thread, some great memories being brought up here! I remember using my passport to leisure (how good were they???) then a packet of mini cookies and a hot choc for after or a trip to the Friary for a chip buttie.

I actually ended up doing my work experience at Sheaf Valley too, when i was 15 (Top Bombing LOL!)

Great times at Sheaf Valley Baths, Used to go Saturday mornings with mi dad, then go for dinner to the Minerva up on't gallery :D
Anyone got any pics of the baths?

yes any pictures please. The baths were unusual as they had a deep end in the middle and shallow ends at either end.

I think it was SV where I hit the bottom of the main pool as I didn't realise the deepest part was in the middle with both ends being shallow or am I thinking of somewhere else :confused:

I think it was SV where I hit the bottom of the main pool as I didn't realise the deepest part was in the middle with both ends being shallow or am I thinking of somewhere else :confused:

That`s right. As i remember the deep part was REALLY deep or was that because i was just smaller then ;)

Great times at Sheaf Valley Baths, Used to go Saturday mornings with mi dad, then go for dinner to the Minerva up on't gallery :D
Anyone got any pics of the baths?

Here's one Billy, the main pool looks really small in this picture.http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s21912.jpg I seem to remember thinking how big it was when I was young.
From the outside.http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s21913.jpg

Here's one Billy, the main pool looks really small in this picture.http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s21912.jpg I seem to remember thinking how big it was when I was young.

Cheers! That diving pool :o...Only ever went off lowest board! :hihi:

Cheers! That diving pool :o...Only ever went off lowest board! :hihi:

I used to jump off the second and third, once tried to dive off the second board and nearly broke my back. I Remember the baby pool as well, used to consists of 25% water and 75% chlorine, you didn't need a bath for a week if you spent ten minutes in there.

I used to jump off the second and third, once tried to dive off the second board and nearly broke my back. I Remember the baby pool as well, used to consists of 25% water and 75% chlorine, you didn't need a bath for a week if you spent ten minutes in there.lol at baby pool, it was always hot in there, as for the 2nd dive board it was lethal, no matter how much you adjusted it, it still had too much spring, i nearly broke me neck a couple of times

I did attempt to dive off the third once and only once. It nearly killed me. I get sweaty palms just thinking about it even now :gag:

lol at baby pool, it was always hot in there, as for the 2nd dive board it was lethal, no matter how much you adjusted it, it still had too much spring, i nearly broke me neck a couple of times

We used to have a quick dip in the baby pool when the main pool was a bit nippy. I also always remember that some bloke or older lad would attempt to do a Johnny Weismuller like dive off one of the top two boards to impress the ladies, he'd come up gasping for air and then climb out of the diving pool red faced and walk back to the changing rooms doing an impersonation of the Tin Man from the Wizard Of Oz.

dove off top regular found it easier than 2nd which was too springy as said it was about 13-14 ft deep in the middle but needed because of the height and if you were on the beefy side you take some stopping

Were Sheaf Valley baths demolished because they were too small for International events?

i remember sheaf valley baths was i bit small but if am right it was demolished due to ponds fordge been built for international events like the world students games

Do you remember the big mural next to the diving pool? Rolf Harris did it when Sheaf Valley opened, 1973?

My pal was a life guard there, His name is Jan Pal Dziewior.

Better known as Jevvy round town.

I remember Sheaf Valley Baths as not having the international standard of a 50m pool but I do not know if it was demolished because of this.
I have very fond memoires however of the ‘Top Splash. I never had the nerve to dive off it, but jumped off it many times feet first and always trying to swim down and touch the bottom of the pool.

Were Sheaf Valley baths demolished because they were too small for International events?

i remember sheaf valley baths was i bit small but if am right it was demolished due to ponds fordge been built for international events like the world students games

it was slightly short, as a pool, but I was told the reason for the demolition was that the ground kept shifting under the building, and caused cracks and leaks in the pool.

Whatever happened to that painting? it must be worth a fortune. Top splash was fantastic but I loved the middle board. Boing boing boing, I'm flying, splat. Screamng under water is fun until you remember you have to breathe in.

The painting was bought by Fletchers Bakery on Claywheels Lane and hung behind the reception desk. It appears that it was destroyed in the fire a few years ago.

...previous topic all about the SV baths here !........

http://bit.ly/ehnbaI

i loved svb, me an my mates used to go every sat ,in the hope of pullin some boys lol.i used to jump off 1st an 2nd splash,only ever attempted top splash once,i sat on edge with my feet danglin tryin to pluck up courage wen i finally did it all went wrong an i hit the water with a slap,thought i,d split my stomach open,never did it again.i remember the bands all colour coded,and the attendants chair on the wall,an if you didn,t get out he,d fetch ya basket out with all ya clothes in lol.then we,d av mini cookies an hot choc after,they were the days.its funny cos my 1st serious bf used to dive for sheaf valley wen he was younger,an my oh bestmate well his dad was the attendant i remember an he,s got some funny storys to tell about svb.reckons he used to put bleach in water on sunday mornings as it was same as chlorine lol,dont know if he just pulling my leg lol.

1 metre = 39.37 inches to two decimal places and I always understood an olympic pool was 33 and 1/3 metres long.

I remember doing a reverse dive off the middle board , not sure of the technical term but stand on the end of the board with your back to the pool , couple of bounces and then a jump back and up so you could tuck forward ( pike ? ) and then drop into the water. Looked great until I got it wrong and it turned into a double somersault with reverse head butt onto the end of the springboard , followed by two cartwheels , a belly flop and a trip to A&E to have my head stitched back together. I came out of the pool looking like someone had stocked it with piranha fish.

i thought it was demolished because the pool wasnt alimbpick size i never saw any cracks when i went

Threads merged.

True olympic size pools are 50m. Sheaf Valley was nothing like as big as that.

Did you ever go to Sheaf Valley swimming baths !?

If so ... what can you remember about them ?

I remember it had 3 pools ...

Diving pool was fun ... off the top splash !!

Remember the old vending machines ... with like monster munch n stuff !!

And the changing rooms with those hanging baskets with room at the bottom for shoes ...

Can you remember anything else !? ....

ye the kids swimming pool we used to sneak in cus it was warmer than the others :D

Somewhere around the house I have a 10x8 black+white photo of Sheaf Valley baths which was taken a few weeks before it was demolished, I use to go a lot with my mate and spend
a lot of time in the diving pool................depth of the diving pool was 17'6".

No, I can't recall exactly how deep it was. I liked Sheaf valley baths very much and was sad to see it go. I went off the top a few times back then and I remember it seemed to take ages to get back up to the surface. There used to be a painting on the wall by Rolf Harris near at the shallow end. I wonder what became of that?

i remember sheaf valley baths and rolf harris pianting a mural on a wall . because one of the walls was made of glass it was reported un the Star that buses would be fitted wirh curtains to stop people looking at the girls this report went out on April the 1st

Oh my what memories, the rubber wrist bands and you would hate your colour going off, those police type flashing lights, they did wicked salt and vin crips in the machine though.

Is there a picture of the Rolf mural anywhere?

im sure it was 5 meters. I used to train there 5 days a week and was in the diving team.
I remember Duncan Goodhew coming to teach us for a week. I loved that pool!

I remember going to jump off the top diving board and i looked down and though there is no way i'm going to jump off that so i turned round and went back down the steps.

PLEASE can you put them pix up again Stan? The links dont work. I used to go to the baths EVERY sat for like 2 years.. Great memories. I would love to just see the baths again. And any more pix guys would be awesome.. !

I remember going off the top splash at Sheaf. It seemed a long time on the way down and the scamble back to the surface was longer than I expected. They have some good diving medals (http://www.sportstrophy.co/uk/swimming_medals.html), swimming trophies (http://www.sportstrophy.co/uk/swimming_trophies.html) and swimming medals (http://www.sportstrophy.co/uk/swimming_medals.html) at sportstrophy.co if you feel like awarding yourself.

It was so much better than Pond's Forge, and they pulled it down!

Pond's Forge changing facilities for the leisure pool are nothing short of disgusting. You can't get stripped off for a shower - it's public, the cubicles are too small, they are unisex, half of them have been vandalised and the locks don't work properly.

Swimming is supposed to be relaxing, but on the odd occasion that I take my lad there, I get really wound up. ARGH!!!

Bring back Sheaf Valley!
I worked on Sheaf Valley for the P.W.D. The forman on site was Gilbert Hartley from Walkley.
I never thought that it would be demolished in my lifetime but this is Sheffield build it, tell everyone its the finest building ever, then twenty years later decide it was no good anyway.

I worked on Sheaf Valley for the P.W.D. The forman on site was Gilbert Hartley from Walkley.
I never thought that it would be demolished in my lifetime but this is Sheffield build it, tell everyone its the finest building ever, then twenty years later decide it was no good anyway.

Bad brickwork caused by to many lunchtimes in the Queens Head.

Town Hall was built in 1976-77 and now that's the winter gardens, don't tell me tha were on that job anall.

Bad brickwork caused by to many lunchtimes in the Queens Head.

Town Hall was built in 1976-77 and now that's the winter gardens, don't tell me they were on that job anall.
I know you could climb up walls when us lot had done , now,t to do with Queens head though just the £10 per thousand.
As for the Town Hall i take it you mean the Egg Box . no brickwork on that job mate just Ticky Tack but they still pulled it down so as the PLANNERS could start all over again and justify there existence.

I remember going to jump off the top diving board and i looked down and though there is no way i'm going to jump off that so i turned round and went back down the steps.

Wimp.

I did it once. I was about 15 and had gone up there with a girl that I fancied. She jumped, so I had very little choice.

It was a very long way down... and even further back up to the surface.

Sadly, it got me nowhere:D

I know you could climb up walls when us lot had done , now,t to do with Queens head though just the £10 per thousand.
As for the Town Hall i take it you mean the Egg Box . no brickwork on that job mate just Ticky Tack but they still pulled it down so as the PLANNERS could start all over again and justify there existence.

You could have 3 months paid on the sick with the PWD though.
I had a short spell with them working wth Tommy Smedley on the Waterthorpe.

You could have 3 months paid on the sick with the PWD though.
I had a short spell with them working with Tommy Smedley on the Waterthorpe.
It was marvelous how the lads seemed to have a miraculous cure to the illness just the day after the 3 months.

My mum used to work in the cafe at Sheaf Valley. Brilliant chip butties.

I can still remember the phone number too 24267 lol