Keith Scantlebury

Not sure, I do know that a spectator was hurt. Whether that was the reason for the demise of the grasstrack there I dont know. The sand racing stopped as well but that was for conservation reasons I think. The trials were moved up to the Rothbury area and I cant remember where the scramble was moved to .

No heaps if they were on the coast , Bates Cambois Lynemouth etc. The spoils whent out to sea. Sea coal washed up. The beaches were dirty. I really cannot understand why anybody would prefer to have that pitheap here. We now have a much cleaner place to live. As far as unemployment is concerned, I was lucky I started as an apprentice at Ashington farm, 2 weeks after leaving school in 1971. A few of my mateswhent down the pit and couldn't wait to get out. I would like to bet that there was just as mny unemployed then than there is now, if not more. Ted Heaths government, the 1st miners strike, the 4 day week, electricity rationing / power cuts. Yep they were the good old days ! Yes the pits did provide work, they kept local businesses and suppliers / fringe trades going etc. (including hospital wards and pulminary units) There was a certain cameraderie among the workers. BUT give me the much cleaner place which we live in now. You really did have to be there Adam!

Bedlington & District Motor Club used to have their grass track meeting there Keith, not just the sidecar, solo machines as well. They also had the occaisional trials meetings on the free side, but mostly they held them at Plessey woods. Their sand racing was held at Duridge Bay. That meeting drew riders from all over the UK as well as works riders from BSA, NORTON, TRIUMPH etc. I remember my dad hammering two BSA works riders. He had asked BSA if a certain bike could be modified for sand racing, they laughed at him and said no, so he did it anyway. Guess what, two works riders turned up with the very same bike,.... modified. My dad knocked them into a cocked hat, he didnt just beat them he absolutely left them stranded.

some of them were half decent Keith, our Frank was the county keeper. He had one or two opportunities to go pro. He played for the Police and he now trains referees.

Youre doddering memory is correct.

............ and remember that everything that we own has been on a truck at one stage or another, so it really does affect us ALL.

The Ha'penny side ( where it is) belonged to the Blagdon estate- Lord Ridley as far as I know so he would have been hunting with the Blagdon hounds. I bet if you whent to the Estate office there would be a record of the events.

Poplar trees, think they got a hammering in strong winds in the 80's (either that or cut down for firewood during the miners strike)

As viewed from Vulcan Place and Moorland Avenue ( would be about just after the lights were put there I suppose). These photo's confirm my reasons for not backing Adams nostalgic wish for the return of the pits to Bedlington. Who in their right mind would want to go back to the days of that thing dominating the skyline. Yes there were happy memories playing on it, we knew no better at the time. I wouldn't like my kids playing on there now. Bedlington is a far cleaner and healthier place to live without it. When the wind got up Bedlington got covered in crap, sorry Adam but you weren't around to witness it like many of us were.

Nope. Those are too posh for the likes of me !!

I've had no bother. Whent in last Saturday afternoon, told them by dosh was not in. They checked up on the regularity of the payments and they paid me what I would normally receive. SIMPLES

You still swinging Malcolm?

I think he whent over with his horse and a few hounds...... not the fox. Most of us had a go at that stone over the years. Its on the cliff beside where the seven sisters were.

He just got too close to the edge and cowped owa.

The trouble was, you had to go, it was compulsory, well more like you would miss something if you didn't go. The pubs in the station miss the place because they dont get the "last hour" trade that they used to, customers filling up before they whent to the Domino.

It got burned down, the guy that burned it down got a job rebuilding it when he got out of jail. Wont mention his name (he still has family living localy ) but he commited a particuarly nasty crime later on.

Anywhere else and Watney's Red Barrel was a good pint, but in the Domino ugh !!! 1 part beer / 3 parts water = twice pub price. yet we still bought it and drank it.

County Council needs grass cutters .......... only they dont seem to realise it yet !!!

Thats it , you gerra telt !!

I for one wouldn't want to see them back

happy umpteenth birthday Foxy

I think Pete mentioned Wakes once. He's the one to ask

Agreed, Cyril, Bob Stokoe was a smashing man, how i never recognised him that night, I do not know. It was the time when NUFC were close to dropping to the old 3rd division and we were discussing if Keegan was the man to prevent the drop. He said, what they needed was another year or two in the 2nd division to steady the ship, he also said that Brian "killer" Kilcline would be Keegans most important signing at the time. I felt a right prat after I realised who I was talking to, the man was a proper gent. He was living in Carlise to be near his daughter, he was the northern area scout for Bolton ( I think) and he was a freind of one of our vets, whom he was out with that night, that is how I ended up talking to him. I .met him quite a few times after that

Too right !!

Noticed Mark Webber was there as well Foxy seen him on the telly