pilgrim

interesting comment re Anthony quaile - I was aware of he site at Plessey but of course any information is not easy to get.

ty all -- been many years since I lived there - still have a house at the station which we rent out -- but thought to put in my ragged and random memories afore they were lost forever

ty -will do

thinks... am I mistaken - but during 'the strike' did he not buy a new house and kept it quiet when folk couldn't feed their families??

billy gradwell died on his last day on shift as well

I recall many years spent swimming there etc etc and you could drive in beside the bridge and park etc. - although I am puzzled as to how and under what legislation anyone parking beside the bridge now gets a ticket??????????????????? I am aware that the quarry there was used for the stone for Hartford Hall but I also seem to have found a reference that the stone was used to face tower bridge?? I also believe that there was a 'secret' base in the woods in case of German invasion during WW2 - any info on this??

stumbled on this site whilst looking at local history so chucked my bit in -- born 1955 lived at choppington station - went to Scotland gate school... know a bit about the locality so have posted some stuff which might be of help

I recall visiting the 'domino' when it was a picture house -- used to get the train there from choppington but had to walk back as it was after 9pm and no trains then!! I seem to recall seeing a film called 'Tarzans greatest adventure ' there well under age !!! and oh yes the claggy mat -- I recall it was a bit dull there one night so they had a football match on the 'dance' floor

I seem to recall tony arkle (would be about 60 now) lived in a house located at -- travel from willow bridge toward Scotland gate - over the bridge go up the bank was about the 2nd or third house on the left (west side of road)

there is a 'date' stone on the front -- it was built as a magistrates court with separate entrance and the buildings at the back and linked were the superintendent's quarters.

at the top of the bank and over the railway line on the right side (west) was station terrace - 5 houses - a mrs Syrett lived in no 3 and bred golden retrievers - she had a lodger that worked at remploy and had one of those 3 wheeled invalid cars. next door at no 4 was George Barnfather who had the demolition and scrap yard at the back of the street, then in the last house was the Rice family who had the chip shop at Scotland Gate . the station was used for passenger trains much later than previously stated. a man called Clifford was in the station house, but his wife had a few mental health problems as far as I recall (apologies if that is wrong) next to that was a separate house where an old gent lived (only known as 'old army') barnfather had two sons - one lived on the road to Scotland gate on the left side past willow bridge and the other had a house on willow bridge as far as I recall. there was a shop at the top of the bank in the photo opposite the white swan which was then the Lord Clyde. the shop was owned by norman yarrow and his wife peggy - they had a son brian who is/was a milkman and a daughter Maureen, they opened up a shop in Vulcan place in later years. the lord clyde was owned by mrs wade but run by her son Jacky. when she died he got married and moved to france I think. he had a dion de bouton vintage car stashed away behind the pub. after the beeching report the sidings behind the station were used for storing steam engines prior to being scrapped. I hope this information helps.