Keith Scantlebury

It will link the car park with the front of the shops, will have seats and a flowered / lawned area and will be camera'd up to discourage vandalism. It is also going to be locked at nights. As far as I know , EBPC is to pay for this work in return for (I think) 5 years rent free from Maurice Muter (who owns the land). Who is going to lock and re-open the gates each day ? What happens at the end of the lease ?. Whats to stop the landlord from taking it back when all of the hard / costly work has been done ? I think that it is a really good thing that EBPC is taking steps to brighten the place up and creating places like this in Bedlington Station. The entrance to the car park , Khans corner has been sorted out this year. Councillor Allan Stewart has worked particularly hard along with the Parish Clerk, Ron Thornton in bulb and flower planting in the last year or so (only to be let down by NCC lack of grass cutting etc and kids nicking flowers and trying to sell them door to door) but there is still a long way to go before Bedlington Station is anywhere near as good as Bedlington itself. It would help if the owners of building showed a modecum of pride and made an attempt to tidy them up. Jakes bar has been empty for about 12 years now and is derelict, even more disgraceful is the Clayton Arms. That is a business that is still trading and most of the downstairs windows are broken. Those two buildings alone are making the Station an eyesore, particularly the Clayton. It is the most imposing building here, seen by everyone passing through the Station. Allan Stewart said at the South East Area Committee meeting earlier this month that EBPC has no control or responsibility over the infrastructure, and that Bedlington Station "has never been the prettiest of places" . That may be so, but the owners of these buildings should be shamed into repairing them, or sell them to someone who will keep them in good order and The Station might just have a chance in becoming a pretty place. Until the residents and business owners start to take some pride in where they live, EBPC will be peeing into the wind in their efforts to brighten the place up.

And a very happy xmas to you and yours.Just been talking to my mate who lives in Lethbridge and works for H&R trucking. He is en-route from Vancouver (stopped at Golden last night) and he just said that normally it would take about 7 hours to get back from Golden, but it is so icy that he is worried about getting back to Lethbridge in time for xmas....... but I'm sure he will.

Born 1 pm today . Boy 8lb 4 oz

My Dad also worked at Netherton pit, he would only ever take jam sandwiches to work for his bait

Nowt wrong with that, There was a kid at college who always put jam on his bacon sarnie

Thanks to you all, even to the deeply confused Keith L. As for a pint Foxy, I need to keep off the sauce as a trip to Carlisle may be on the agenda (apart from that, I'm skint). How's this for coincidence. Had my dad still been with us , yesterday would have been his Birthday, 17 / 12 / 1923 --- my Dad 18 / 12 / 1955 --- me 18 / 12 / 1976 --- I got married 18 / 12 / 2000 --- youngest son born 18 / 12 / 2012 --- a grandchild is in the process of being born as I type this

You sure it wasn't something else putting a sparkle in your eyes Keith

None of ours are working

That's funny (not) Keith, my sides are aching, you really should be on the stage ................ there's one leaving in 20 mins

Senior moment........ till the next time

Aye and Johnny Barnes' behind it Pioneer boot factory is where Andersons motors is now, on Pioneer Tce at the top of Waverley Drive. Blyth store used to order my dads pipe baccy in specially for him Scots Cake it was called. If you remember, Keith, Alan Miller was killed on his motor bike outside Blyth store, in the early 70's.

Does that mean you are sitting on the fence Adam ? ARGREE , is that a hybrid of argue / agree. (only joking) Probably see you tonight as well

Can't argue with that Malcolm.... see you tonight likely .

Aye Pete, it was the switch on last Tuesday and a mega cock u it was too. Apart from anything else, they switched them on and nothing happened, Apparently no-one from the council turned up with the proper fuse. They're still not on .

Good greif old bean , it looks like it has eaten you Alan !!

I knew it was around beyond the '60's because I left school in '71 and it was still around for a year or two after that. I think that the 1972 statement is a bit of an exaggeration. We know the place succumed to some vandalism ( the scourge of the '70's), but I dont think it was as extreme as that statement suggests. I know that there was some issue with rubbish being tipped over from the houses etc above the free side, that was addressed. The river suffered a bit with junk thrown in from the bridges, (not just the furnace bridge) as did the Wansbeck and the Coquet. I have always been very proud of Bedlingtons "rural" retreats from Plessey to Humford to Atlee Park and all the way down to the Kitty Brewster bridge and Granary Point. Yes, they did suffer spells of Pollution (from the factories) and vandalism. The latter continues with the wrecking of the picnic tables AND NCC's refusal to gut the grass, claiming that it is their "grow wild" conservation area. (at the Bank top)

Let me think, where is there a forgotten community ? ..... eerrrm............... Oh Aye........BEDLINGTON STATION !!!!!!

Anyone seen the lights in the station ? no? thought so, neither has anyone else, What a bloody joke, at least they save on erection and dismantling costs 'cos they have been up for 3 years solid. We must be the laughing stock of South East Northumberland.

AHHHHH shucks I missed it but happy umpteenth birthday anyway !!!

I knew that, wheres me prize ?

I'll have you know that I am the chairman of the South East Northumberland Temperance Society (SENTS) I was there in my capacity as the alcohol reclamation service exectutive ( ARSE). All alcohol is brought to my home and disposed of hic %^%r% responsibly. I am just about to go to the Railway and dispose of their illicit drink hic &^%%$ Oh aye, itsnot bad in there

Gonna feed mine with nowt else as from next year. The way we are hit by wage freezes and cut backs over here Brian, it will be all we can afford

I watched some of the filming of Vera outside the Creswell Arms and on the bay at Newbiggin . Get Carter was also filmed on the Staithes at North Blyth. They filmed the Jungle Book at Plessey woods. Baghera and Sher Khan spent their spare time on the golf course, where they were also filming Watership down. It seemed they got barred from the area for eating Watership Down cast members. The Savanna scenes of the Lion King were filmed at Atlee park. Dumbo, the Muppet show and Pinochio were all fimed at County Hall

possibly