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HPW. It's funny how my simple question has brought a flood of such interesting memories back to you. Unfortunately, I can add only a little to your stories - I was still a lad when I left Ashington so I've never had the experience of living as a 'grownup' in the town and having to endure the fortunes or misfortunes of having a pit house for myself. As a child, all I knew was that the pit provided the house, the pit provided the coal to keep it warm and every few years, my mother would repaper everything.! Life as a child seemed simple. My family lived in 5th Row and then the11th so I didn't know anybody who lived at the Hirst. You mentioned the tub rails and that has brought back what must be my earliest possible memory because I can remember those rails. And I seem to recall the time when they concreted the roads which must have been when they were removing the rails. That would have been when I lived in the Fifth Row so it must have been around 1932 - 34. I can't recall any 'earth' lavatories so maybe the flush ones were installed at the same time as the roads were concreted. Newbedders. Thanks for putting on that map of old Ashington which brought back a few memories. I think I spent half my childhood in that Recreation Ground !

These two old maps show the railway line between the rows.

My only claim to football fame was a Sunday afternoon in Green Lane, Stobhil - early 60's -l when i got one past Wor Jackie (Milburn)! He was a really nice guy who kicked a ball around on the cenral green area with the local kids whenever he got the opportunity.

Excellent love the new Gateway Features

Is there enough space for the legendary 8-foot sandwich? I thought this thread was about the tunnel by the lion roundabout!