Bedlington Railway Station

[keith lockey]

Just come across this brilliant site. Some cracking photos.

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/bedlington/index.shtml

[Canny lass]

Are those buildings used at all now?

[keith lockey]

Are those buildings used at all now?

The signal box is still operational, I believe, but the station is just a 'maintanence depot' as far as I can gather. But there are wild rumours that the railroad is going to be working again - so who knows. But that high footbridge was one we went across on our way to school.

Edited January 13, 2013 by keith lockey

[Malcolm Robinson]

Brilliant site keef........

[keith lockey]

I was amazed at the date for the footbridge being dismantled - 1973. But I remember going to Newbiggin on the train, from that station, in the sixties, and that was the last time I was on a train until I went to summer camp at Stirling University - over thirty years later. (Still the same sandwiches!)

Edited January 14, 2013 by keith lockey

[Keith Scantlebury]

I was amazed at the date for the footbridge being dismantled - 1973. But I remember going to Newbiggin on the train, from that station, in the sixties, and that was the last time I was on a train until I went to summer camp at Stirling University - over thirty years later. (Still the same sandwiches!)

If you remember, our Frank's brother John worked in the signal box

[keith lockey]

If you remember, our Frank's brother John worked in the signal box

Billy Woollett, my next door neighbour at Terrier Close, was in the little signal box behind the chemist. He forgot his bait box one day and we took it down for him. He was snug as a bug in there with his own coal fire and kettle. (Actually I'm saying signal box it may have been something else - maybe changing the lines? I'll have to find that out!)

Edited January 14, 2013 by keith lockey

[johndawsonjune1955]

Can anyone remember the train crash at the station ?

I do, got some good pics too.

Lets share our memories.

Got a cracking story as of late on the station too.

You will be creased in laughter, but that will be in a day or two.

I am off to beddies now, but hopefully back on Thursday or Friday as i got a bit to do for the group.

See you all soon.

Oh Malcolm, just love that pic of you in the car from 1935.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Oh Malcolm, just love that pic of you in the car from 1935.

[keith lockey]

Can anyone remember the train crash at the station ?

I do, got some good pics too.

Lets share our memories.

Got a cracking story as of late on the station too.

You will be creased in laughter, but that will be in a day or two.

I am off to beddies now, but hopefully back on Thursday or Friday as i got a bit to do for the group.

See you all soon.

Oh Malcolm, just love that pic of you in the car from 1935.

What year was the train crash?

[Adam Hogg]

Does anyone have photos of the Station pre 1970 taken Ravenworth Street because I am interested after reading the document of the website and it saying the following:

The platform survives together with two separate sections of the former buildings, the central portion having been demolished.

[Symptoms]

I can still remember the signal box gadgie manically rotating the wooden control wheel (it was like a big old-fashioned ship steering wheel) to open and shut the crossing gates for the passing trains. We used to dare each other to run through at the last minute before the gates clashed together ... very naughty.

I don't have a clear memory of a pedestrian side-gate ... was there one?

[Keith Scantlebury]

I can still remember the signal box gadgie manically rotating the wooden control wheel (it was like a big old-fashioned ship steering wheel) to open and shut the crossing gates for the passing trains. We used to dare each other to run through at the last minute before the gates clashed together ... very naughty.

I don't have a clear memory of a pedestrian side-gate ... was there one?

There was a pedestrian gate beside the signal box

[Maggie/915]

What about standing on top to get the full benefit of the steam.Pollution was not seen as a problem.

Train journeys to Blyth and Whitley Bay.

The Hotspur, I think and the Fat Ox!

[johndawsonjune1955]

There was a pedestrian gate beside the signal box

Pic from 1936

[johndawsonjune1955]

What year was the train crash?

it was 1949

i have only two photocopy pics. not very good, but give you an idea of the crash site.

[keith lockey]

it was 1949

i have only two photocopy pics. not very good, but give you an idea of the crash site.

Cheers, John, I wasn't born until 1956 but I am surprised my mother or granny didn't mention it.

[Barton Lad]

There was another crash several years later, when some British rail wagons got loose from the "A pit" and ran down the incline into the rail crossing. But this time the wagons demolished the foot bridge. The ones in the picture above look like NCB wagons, and I suspect only ran between the A pit and the doctor pit.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Barton Rafie

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

What about standing on top to get the full benefit of the steam.Pollution was not seen as a problem.

Train journeys to Blyth and Whitley Bay.

The Hotspur, I think and the Fat Ox!

Yep, we did that often and we never got told off for been polluted. Stand at the top and wait for the train to pass, blow the steam up through the gaps in the planks. Found this was a good way to disguise the fact that we had been smoking cigs. Never considered that a spark would flee up our short trouser legs (yes we wore them) and set ahad to the Y fronts!

[keith lockey]

Yep, we did that often and we never got told off for been polluted. Stand at the top and wait for the train to pass, blow the steam up through the gaps in the planks. Found this was a good way to disguise the fact that we had been smoking cigs. Never considered that a spark would flee up our short trouser legs (yes we wore them) and set ahad to the Y fronts!

So you are the one who started the 'hot pants' craze, Eggy!

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

So you are the one who started the 'hot pants' craze, Eggy!

Could be true, my white shorts were so tight I was not allowed to climb the stairs on the hourly bus to Cambois beach. Was that the number 44 - early 1960s?

[keith lockey]

Could be true, my white shorts were so tight I was not allowed to climb the stairs on the hourly bus to Cambois beach. Was that the number 44 - early 1960s?

Was it not the 444? I vaguely remember that bus. I got on at Stead Lane once and asked for a single to Ashington. The driver said "Are you sure?" About an hour later I arrived in Ashington having been to places I never knew existed. It was a bit like the old 343 from Morpeth to Whitley Bay. You took a packed lunch and a book to read.

Edited May 21, 2013 by keith lockey

[the lone ranger]

the number of the bus from bedlington station to cambois was the 44.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Was it not the 444? I vaguely remember that bus. I got on at Stead Lane once and asked for a single to Ashington. The driver said "Are you sure?" About an hour later I arrived in Ashington having been to places I never knew existed. It was a bit like the old 343 from Morpeth to Whitley Bay. You took a packed lunch and a book to read.

Your right Keith, it did become the 444, but prior to that - 1950s-early 1960s it was the 44, as confirmed by 'the lone ranger'. As you say 343 you probably never got its predecessor the 42 - still Morpeth to Whitley Bay. It stopped on Station Road and the driver would get off the bus, go for his bait, or even home at the end of his shift. A replacement driver took over for the second half of the journey, so if he was late the bus + passengers just had to sit and wait until he turned up. Edited May 22, 2013 by Eggy1948

[keith lockey]

Thanks for putting me right about the 444 - 44; I can remember one but vaguely the other. Now the 42, I may be wrong here but I'm sure that went to North Shields. We had friends in South Shields and we caught the 42 to the quayside and got the ferry across. In fact the 42 was still running that way until a couple of years ago - maybe it still is!!!

Edited May 22, 2013 by keith lockey