...is that GGG on the bike riding down to pick up his copy of Radio Constructor??????

Well it's obviously raining, so quite probably yes. If only the Radio Constructor had been bigger I could have used it to keep the Hovis dry.

Keith: it's a well-known fact that around 1960 it was always raining. People put this down to all the nuclear weapons testing going on. Secretly, I just knew that this theory was rubbish, and that it was due to man-made climate change - as a result of all the new Ford Prefects Elliotts was selling!

Well it's obviously raining, so quite probably yes. If only the Radio Constructor had been bigger I could have used it to keep the Hovis dry.

Keith: it's a well-known fact that around 1960 it was always raining. People put this down to all the nuclear weapons testing going on. Secretly, I just knew that this theory was rubbish, and that it was due to man-made climate change - as a result of all the new Ford Prefects Elliotts was selling!

huh I knew that

Well it's obviously raining, so quite probably yes. If only the Radio Constructor had been bigger I could have used it to keep the Hovis dry.

Keith: it's a well-known fact that around 1960 it was always raining. People put this down to all the nuclear weapons testing going on. Secretly, I just knew that this theory was rubbish, and that it was due to man-made climate change - as a result of all the new Ford Prefects Elliotts was selling!

very interesting

I miss the Dominno, Saterday afternoon dances for the kids

This train would be very typical of a football special, bringing the supporters back from St James Park.

This is the very last stream train leaving Furnace Sidings at the Station. The engine was 43070 from North Blyth, date Saturday 9th September 1967. Any ideas whose bus it is in next to the Clayton???

This is the very last stream train leaving Furnace Sidings at the Station. The engine was 43070 from North Blyth, date Saturday 9th September 1967. Any ideas whose bus it is in next to the Clayton???

That looks like the RAISBECK outside the Clayton

Keith, I think you are correct, Cympil has posted some photos of the Raisbeck buses, it looks the same.

An odd place for a bus stop on the Clayton corner,, unless the bus had broken down.

Can anyone remember going down the Hair-Pin bank in an United double decker from Blyth? No seat belts those days.

the raisbeck stopped thier to pick up or to let passengers off due to not being able to use the bus stops being used by the united bus company .

Keith, I think you are correct, Cympil has posted some photos of the Raisbeck buses, it looks the same.

An odd place for a bus stop on the Clayton corner,, unless the bus had broken down.

Can anyone remember going down the Hair-Pin bank in an United double decker from Blyth? No seat belts those days.

Can't remember doing it in a decker but many times in a bull nosed Bedford single decker, and possibly a leyland leopard. There used to be plenty red marks on the furnace bridge.

Try something new, doe's anybody have any tales about this place? Crossy or Pottsy might be a good bet!

Never used the place if you have ever seen me dance you would understand although i think i am pretty good at around 2am....

Never used the place if you have ever seen me dance you would understand although i think i am pretty good at around 2am....

Nor me I'm far too young

I miss having a pint of Carling in the Percy and buying a small portion of chips at kings to eat on the way home for tea.

Try something new, doe's anybody have any tales about this place? Crossy or Pottsy might be a good bet!

1962/63 Shane Fenton and the Fentones apeared there he latter changed his name to Alvin Stardust, if my memory serves me correctly they were number one in the charts when they appeared at the Clayton Ballroom, can not remember the name of the song. The price to see then was three and sixpence two shilling more than normal. The Clayton Ballroom was a good night out on a Monday and Friday night.There was a fire door on the left hand side of the building as you face it, these doors were used if there was any trouble. The bouncers used to force you throught the fire doors and the weight of your body or head used to open the doors as you were ejected. One of the bouncers was named Paddy he was a boxer in the fight booths at the shows.

Thanks for that Pete, funny you should mention Alvin Stardust but I saw him 3 years ago when I went to an open air concert at Lincoln Castle.The headline act was Roy Wood who I went to see and I didn't know Stardust was going to be there.He was actually better than Roy Wood as he was singing blues/rock.My mistake was when I got back to work and told my mates who I had seen, they were all serenading me wearing one glove (his trademark) they still take the "P" three years on.

There was band played at the Clayton Ballroom, I think the band was called Billy Mason. Every Friday and Saturday nights. There were several Special dance nights for example the final of the Picnic Queen contest.

The Shane Fenton show was an all ticket. I seem to recall it was Monday night, the Friday night was the hop and nothing clashed with the hop. I arrived at the Clayton at about 10pm after a few drinks at Craiges. Only to discover that the Bedlington boys had been throwing pennies onto the stage and Fenton had packed up and gone home. I was not happy, but maybe it was a lucky escape. Does anyone else remember that incident ?

I also seem to remember in those days the pubs closed at 10.00pm and the dance hall close at 10.30. Times have certainly changed.

The Shane Fenton show was an all ticket. I seem to recall it was Monday night, the Friday night was the hop and nothing clashed with the hop. I arrived at the Clayton at about 10pm after a few drinks at Craiges. Only to discover that the Bedlington boys had been throwing pennies onto the stage and Fenton had packed up and gone home. I was not happy, but maybe it was a lucky escape. Does anyone else remember that incident ?

I also seem to remember in those days the pubs closed at 10.00pm and the dance hall close at 10.30. Times have certainly changed.

Yes Shane Fenton and the Fentones did appear on the Monday night and it was all ticket, cost three shillings and sixpence. You mention Craiges, do you remember the disco in there? The lights used to make your pint look like a pint of sump oil and if you were wearing a white shirt it became blue.

The Clayton Ballroom used to be a skating rink on a Saturday afternoon (Roller Skates)

Was Craiges the railway?

Was Craiges the railway?

Yes Foxy, Craiges was the railway (Railway Tavern) not sure how long he occupied the pub but it was always known as Craiges. It was a Vauxes Pub

Yes Foxy, Craiges was the railway (Railway Tavern) not sure how long he occupied the pub but it was always known as Craiges. It was a Vauxes Pub

I was often in the place during the 60s when it was known as the "Disc" It was one of the first Discotheque's in the area and was always packed out (lots of fights caused in them days due to pushing and shoving). It was a vaux pub then as well but I always drank bottles of Double Maxim, because the draught beer tasted like Boiled privet hedge !

Edited December 2, 201114 yr by foxy

I miss a really good pork pie.....................

I can remember a NCB boxing tournament which was held at the Clayton, maybe in the late 1950's. In those days amateur boxing was a big sport. Each area Northumberland, Durham etc., had their own champion. You could watch the NCB finals on national TV, if you lucky to own a TV.

The famous North East girl group the Barry Sisters also appear at the Picnic Queen Clayton dance. Today they would have romped home in the X factor.

The landlord who took over from Cragies converted the back room into a discotheque environment. I think the theme was a jail.

I had my very first pint in the Railway (under-age drinking!) - Vaux Gold Tankard, this was in the lounge bar. I clearly remember what a horrible taste it had (soap) and wondered what all the fuss was about ... this drinking lark. Anyway, it had to be toughed-out in front of my mates and a life-long taste for beer was developed; Exhibition when in a 'Blue Star' pub but I always relished a drop of Fed when in the Market Place Club ... again, all under-age drinking. Left when I was 18 be be a student in London and the first night down there went into the student union bar and was presented with taps of Cockney bilge (Watney's and the like) until I spotted on the shelf behind the bar rows of Newcastle Brown and Newcastle Amber .... bliss!