Symptoms

Years ago on the telly I saw a programme about the tube and I recall a couple of geological facts mentioned. Imagine London as the face of a clock. Between 7 o'clock, through noon and then around to 3 o'clock London is essentially built on clay so it's relatively easy to tunnel. Between 3 o'clock around to 7 o'clock it's built on mainly gravel type stuff and so is relatively difficult to tunnel through (keep the water out). This is one reason why SE London has few or no tube lines (until recently). It was also cheaper to run surface track into SE London ... lots of it on 'elevated' track for Southern Region (or whatever they were called way back). I also think that some of the tunnels had to go down deep (one is 200ft down) to miss the numerous rivers which ran north/south into the Thames. I'm sure there must be other factors. Of course a lot of the lines are near the surface and were constructed by 'cut and cover'. Anybody here who's ever travelled on the Underground will remember the strange sensations of the movement of the carriage - up and down, left and right - as the train moves forward through tunnels that are not straight or level. Factor in the building development of SE London ... this FOLLOWED after the surface tracks were built. So all those agricultural spaces between the small villages and hamlets south of the Thames got built on

Yeh, but what sort of Rover? A Range Rover?

When I was a student I came back up to the North East for the Summer and got a holiday job in a meat processing factory on the quayside in Newcastle, this was 1970. The factory made pies and sausages for the street sellers who flogged the stuff on the streets in the Toon ... our older viewers will remember these sellers with their bicycle-powered stalls (they were really tricycles with the white painted stall at the front); swarms of them would also be seen flogging their stuff at Toon matches. Anyway, there were big open vats with gas rings below for heating the ingredients and my job was to stir the mix with a big paddle. The problem was that the factory had glass roof windows (northlights) and exposed structural steel roof supports. Quite a few of the windows were broken so the pigeons got in and roosted on the roof beams. There was a high mortality rate in this resident bird population so in the mornings on arrival at work one of my jobs was to collect the corpses and dispose of the bodies. I was told by the foreman to drop them in the cooking mix as this is what they had always done ... I worked there for three weeks. This is a true story. Needless to say that I have NEVER eaten bought pie or sausage since I was 19.

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?

This is all very well but Keith hasn't denied ownership of a Range Rover.

I had to think about that one Mal. What threw me was that Summer thing as I spelt august without a capital letter: august - full of solemn splendour and dignity August - in the Gregorian calendar, the eighth month of the year, lasting 31 days and for us therefore in the Summer. Or where you referring to "camp"?

So as Keith gets lifted the Peelers notice the frock and he gets stuck with an additional charge of 'going equipped for importuning' and ends up on the S_x R_gister* *Please note that I didn't spell out this term in case somebody Googled "Keith" and found a reference to the S_x R_gister. For any Googlers arriving here all the above is a joke and none of it's true.

Just to remind folks here that if your computer is connected to the outside world by copper wire (or a strand of glass fibre*) you can be found. Oh, and don't think you're safe doing it via wireless at home. *has Bedders been cabled for fibre yet or is it all still copper?

Mal wrote: "... it's the people running it because they are doing it for their benefit not ours!" Of course that's true but it's true of 90% of those holding or running for public office however big or small. I've always thought that just about everybody is either corrupt or corruptible ... in other words we've all got a price. Yep, there will be the odd morally upright individual whose motive is true service* but the rest are just shysters, con artist or thieves, but usually all three. *obviously I'm a member of this august group.

Keith, just make sure your car is taxed, insured and has a MOT. I reckon you'll be punished by the Peelers for holding those views. Just imagine the scene: Keith is driving his Range Rover down Front Street, blue lights, "get out of the car Sla* (Slag)", "Tazer him Sarg - he's that cu*t who rubbished us in the boss's survey". "Yes your Honour, I thought he was reaching for a shooter and had to take him down", "good work Officers", "prisoner in the dock I sentence you to 6 months for expressing your views openly in Bedlington - take him down". Remember, they know where we all live; they DO know where most of our computers are so they can come for us.

Remember boys & girls I began my contribution with: "Perhaps the following will add to the debate here;" ... and it did. Just because the fella got some funding from the EU and others 'over there' it doesn't disqualify him from commenting or there being no merit in what he's saying. Just as I wouldn't attempt to gag or rubbish what the knuckle-dragging Little Englander apologists have to contribute to the debate. Look, the real agenda for the urban white middle- class is fear. Fear of a black neighbour, fear for their kids being taught alongside black kids, fear of having to share a pavement with a black person, and so on. Of course, they can't be open and say this so it's codified: academy schools (selection); boundary changes; anti-EU hysteria vomited out by the poor, dumb white 'underclass' who act as proxies for the UWM-C. After all, it would be impolite for the UWM-C to espouse such views. Yep, I suspect that Bedders is still 'terribly white' so the fear in the village is only imagined but is being manipulated by a small group of flag-waving crazzies (zoom out and this is true for the whole of the UK).

Perhaps the following will add to the debate here; it was written by Simon Sweeney, a Lecturer in international political economy, University of York. ".... What did the EEC/EU ever do for us? Not much, apart from: providing 57% of our trade; structural funding to areas hit by industrial decline; clean beaches and rivers; cleaner air; lead free petrol; restrictions on landfill dumping; a recycling culture; cheaper mobile charges; cheaper air travel; improved consumer protection and food labelling; a ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additives; better product safety; single market competition bringing quality improvements and better industrial performance; break up of monopolies; Europe-wide patent and copyright protection; no paperwork or customs for exports throughout the single market; price transparency and removal of commission on currency exchanges across the eurozone; freedom to travel, live and work across Europe; funded opportunities for young people to undertake study or work placements abroad; access to European health services; labour protection and enhanced social welfare; smoke-free workplaces; equal pay legislation; holiday entitlement; the right not to work more than a 48-hour week without overtime; strongest wildlife protection in the world; improved animal welfare in food production; EU-funded research and industrial collaboration; EU representation in international forums; bloc EEA negotiation at the WTO; EU diplomatic efforts to uphold the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; European arrest warrant; cross border policing to combat human trafficking, arms and drug smuggling; counter terrorism intelligence; European civil and military co-operation in post-conflict zones in Europe and Africa; support for democracy and human rights across Europe and beyond; investment across Europe contributing to better living standards and educational, social and cultural capital. All of this is nothing compared with its greatest achievements: the EU has for 60 years been the foundation of peace between European neighbours after centuries of bloodshed. It furthermore assisted the extraordinary political, social and economic transformation of 13 former dictatorships, now EU members, since 1980. Now the union faces major challenges brought on by neoliberal economic globalisation, and worsened by its own systemic weaknesses. It is taking measures to overcome these. We in the UK should reflect on whether our net contribution of £7bn out of total government expenditure of £695bn is good value. We must play a full part in enabling the union to be a force for good in a multipolar global future." Yep, I know he hasn't mentioned those Johnny Foreigner stories so loved by the hateful Daily Mail - you know, those ones about the 'dusky hordes' from the East, the rules about 'straight' cucumbers, and how all the council houses have been taken over by EU benefit scroungers.

Apologies if others have previously posted this stuff on the Forum but I was sniffing arount Northumberland CC website and thought these may be of interest ... even just for the nice photos. Bedlington.pdf Bedlington Conservation Area Character Appraisal January 2011.pdf

The Forum rings to the sound of 'plopping' as they are extracted one-by-one.

Keith - thanks for those - I've seen them before but not relevant to me. I've got other Westridge photos with me in them but not the one mentioned earlier - maybe when I've got a minute I'll upload them for all to see and share. Perhaps others with Westridge class photos might also like to share. I think the sharing of photos on the Forum, especially old Bedders ones in History Hollow, has brought tons of extra interest.

Canny - yep, I agree about the location of the cookery rooms and access to the library. In my time there (62 - 67) the front right-hand entrance was for girls only but the inside lobby gave access to the staircase leading up the landing off which was the library. The classroom access up there was through the library. You're also right about the long corridor with girls cloakroom at one end and boys at the other ... the boys only entrance to the school was a rear entrance into the clockroom area (left end of the school). I had a crush on Miss Wilson (she taught English ... hence being next to the library) but remember her as being tall with long dark hair, oh - and beautiful. My parents did have a class photo but misplaced it some years ago (kicking myself about it now) in one of their house moves. The more I think about it I'm sure she was single and left Westridge to get married. My parents had moved from Bedders in late '69 and I was a student in London but believe Northumberland CC re-organised school provision I think in 1972(ish) and gave over Westridge to the Catholic Diocese.

I watched the Sir Patrick Moore celebration night a couple of days ago (in truth I recorded it and watching bits of it) - great stuff. I only hope there isn't a Newsnight exposé lying on the cutting room floor.

I agree, most young folk are great and I'm glad they entered the spirit of the evening ... but, but, but never let them near the Jukebox. It'll be wall-to-wall gangsta rap music (?) all night long!

I've just searched my PC for that layout plan of Westridge but it isn't there - poo! I recall seeing it on St. Benet Biscop School website maybe 3 years ago but I've just visited there to discover it's new and with no Westridge plan. Perhaps I'll email them for a copy.

Canny - I have a clear memory of the cookery room being near the library on the first floor above the main entrance ... was there another cookery room next to it? There was a classroom up there too - it was my form room when I was in the second year (1963/4), form teacher Mrs Wilson (or it might have been Miss). I'm sure I have seen a copy of the plan of the school somewhere so will try to find it to confirm matters. Thanks for that photo Foxy ... yep, the memory was correct about the shared entrance to the shop.

Mayday, Mayday for old photos of that top bit of Front Street. I checked out the Gallery Section here but the cupboard was bare.

What about those who have leccy slot meters? How can they be issued with paper bills when their payments are by shoving a shilling* in the meter? * or whatever those thing take these days.

A couple of interesting articles from The Engineer Magazine of 1895 about the Metropolitian Line; the first one is about the rolling stock and the second about the line engineering. That second article clearly shows how the tube is all 'ups and downs' (even the new lines are), something obvious even today when taking the tube - you feel the motors pulling up gradient and coasting down gradient. The second article also outlines all the ventilation factors as hinted at by Keith. http://www.theengineer.co.uk/journals/pdf/24214.pdf http://www.theengineer.co.uk/journals/pdf/24215.pdf

Another new question about shops. Early to mid-60s at the top end of Front Street I recall a short parade of shops then the old Top Club; I don't have a clear enough memory of the first shop but think it may have been a newsagent/sweet shop, next door was a fruit and veg shop run by the mother of a friend of mine (his name was Jeremy Patton). This fruit and veg shop I think had one of those 'shared' angled entrances to the shop next door. Any old photos or info? Jeremy had an older sister and the family lived in a big house opposite next to Gordon's the Undertakers (now Grenfell's according to Google Streetview). I was sure that side of Front Street was much more banked-up than Streetview shows so it just shows how memory can't really be relied on. Does anybody have any info about Jeremy?

John - I stand corrected about the pub's name ... it was the Tankerville and not the Alma however my description above now transfers to the Tank.