New Shopping Centre, Norton, 1971.

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The images are marked “New Shopping Centre, Norton, 1971”

The photographer looks as if he is stood roughly where The Centenary now is, looking towards Weaverham Road. In the views you can see Hanover Point which is under construction, with scaffold and a crane clearly in view. The low building with the glass frontage is the sales office, which I think was for Hartlepool based Yuill Homes, it is on the corner of The Glebe and the A1027 Ring Road. The sales office was eventually knocked down and the area is now grassed over.

I thought it would be fun to try and repeat the image. I was unable to stand where I believe the previous photographer stood, the Centenary pub is in the way, but I tried to get as close as I could.

Photos and details courtesy of Alex Moody.

Westerdale Hall Youth Hostel

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Haverton Hill school trip to Westerdale Hall on the North Yorkshire moors. Date approx 1963/64

Unfortunately, the photo of popular teacher Mr Bob Chapman is cropped. The group of 9-year-olds consists of myself, Neil Cushin, David Whitehead, Willie Simpson. Remaining names sees me really struggling. Lynn Moon – Pat Boynton? I think the 3rd girl lived at Haverton Hills post office …Allerton perhaps? As I recall, the trip was a three-night stay and could not have been bettered. What a great teacher that guy was.

Photos and details courtesy of Neil Cushin

Thorpe Thewles Viaduct Demolition 1979

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Four photos of the demolition of the viaduct. They are taken from the public viewing area and give an impression of what an event it was.

Photos and details courtesy of Sue Wright.

Update: And in response to a comment about never having seen a photograph of trains on the viaduct we’re very grateful to Garth McLean for sending us these two photos from 1966.

Norton-on-Tees Signal Box, June 2020

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Some images of the Norton-on-Tees signal box, which is at the bottom of Station Road, Norton.

When those photos were taken Network Rail had commenced a project to re-signal the Durham Coast Line between Norton South signal box and Billingham. As a consequence of this work the crossing gates will be automated with a flashing red lights system fitted.

I have also included an image of the Norton Tavern sign, which depicts the signal box.

Photos and details courtesy of Alex Moody.

Furness Cup & Windsor Street School

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Photo one is of a chap called Bill Bowker holding the Furness cup. I can find no other information other than his name on the back of the photo stating he is holding the Furness Cup.


Photo two simply states Windsor Street School football team. A school I know to be in Haverton Hill but no date, and also no names. Perhaps your wider, more knowledgeable audience may have some answers?

Photo and details courtesy of Neil Cushin.

Maxwell’s Corner old & new

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The older photo shows what was later to be called Maxwell’s Corner, by just about everybody. It was taken in 1913.

The newer photo is a comparison from a much later date.

I consider Maxwell’s Corner to be a landmark building in Stockton, it is certainly a reference point, many of us will have said “It’s just past Maxwell’s Corner” or “It’s at the Maxwell’s Corner end of the High Street”.

The old Empire Theatre served the same purpose, in fact I still think of the area around the Swallow Hotel as the Empire End, things from your formative years tend to remain with you.

Does anybody know when the “Maxwell’s Corner” sign was first painted onto the building?

In the older photo there are two people in the window to the right, closer inspection of the newer photo shows that there are two people in the same window, excepting they are sitting down.

The building has barely changed over the years, the frontages have been brought up to date and different paint jobs have been done, but nothing of note has changed.

Photo and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.

A Very Merry Christmas To All!

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Well, what a strange and crazy year we’ve had… Picture Stockton is indebted to those who donate photographs, those who add their stories and comments and also the site visitors who just enjoy the site for what it is. This is what makes Picture Stockton a success. I hope that you have had as much pleasure from visiting the site as I have from running it. I’d like to sincerely thank you all for your kind words and good wishes and to wish all of our friends old and new a very Happy Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year. I will be taking a few days off now but please keep your comments and picture contributions coming (for picture contributions please email: pictures@stockton.gov.uk). Best Wishes, Laura. Picture Stockton will be back in 2021.

The Queensway Billingham c1960

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The Queensway Billingham c1960

An interesting shot of my home town to share with your visitors. Anybody growing up in Billingham in the 1950s will remember this view, it is of the very first part of the new town centre built in the early 1950s. I date this to around about 1960/61, the Queensway is open to traffic and there are no buildings between the town centre and Pentland Avenue in the distance.

Kennedy Garden Flats were constructed around about 1962 and there is no sign of them, the Ford Anglia and Mini were introduced 1958/59ish. I think that the Westminster Bank was added to the row of shops as Broughs was the last shop when the block first opened in 1953.

The Queensway turned to the left at the end of the shopping parade and continued past phase two of the shops to meet the Causeway opposite to the gates of John Whitehead Park, Brown Brothers & Taylor was the shop on the corner.

My wife to be moved to Billingham in 1961 and remembers the town centre just as it is shown in the image.

Photo and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman

Bridge Road 100 Years Apart

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My caption is not strictly accurate, the older photo came with a date of c.1865 and the later photo I judge to be around about the early 1960s. It is quite close to 100 years.

There were many changes over the years and these changes continue, the recent demolition of the buildings along this stretch of Bridge Road prove the point.

Photos and detail courtesy of Bruce Coleman

Golden Jubilee of Richard Hind School

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Some extracts from a booklet printed in 1963 celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Richard Hind Secondary Technical School for boys. This was my final year at the school. It includes a page showing the four headmasters and a page with a group photo of all the teachers in 1962. All their names are included so should bring back many memories.

Photos and information courtesy of Ian Pirie.

Stockton North Shore Branch

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I took these photos of Stockton North Shore Branch in August 1968. North Shore Goods Station had closed in January 1968, having been built as the Stockton & Hartlepool Railway’s station in 1841. Passenger trains were diverted to the present station, which the Leeds Northern Railway opened in 1852, in 1853.

Originally Norton Road was crossed on the level and trains ran into the station on the left of the view of the office block. By 1968 a concrete bridge took the railway across the road. I also include the view from that bridge, looking north, to Clarence Coal Depots, Stockton Gas Works, and the railway to North Shore signal box on the main line. You can see Stockton North Marshalling Yard in the distance. Clarence Coal Depots were on or near the site of the Clarence Railway’s station, which had opened for passengers in 1835, and was replaced by the later stations.

Photographs and details courtesy of Brian Johnson

Joseph Norman Kidd

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We’ve had some more sad news sent to us about another much valued contributor to this website. Joseph Norman Kidd passed away on 16th November aged 92 years. Over many years he contributed to the archive with stories of people and events, particularly related to the railway, that he experienced during his time living in Norton-on-Tees.

Our condolences go to his wife Joyce who told us the news and wished us all well in continuing to share people’s memories on Picture Stockton.

Here is a photograph first sent to us in 2007 showing Private J. Norman Kidd, No. 4 Squad, A Company, DLI Army Cadets, with a link to the original post where Norman shared his recollections of his time in the cadets.

https://picturestocktonarchive.com/2007/01/27/no4-squad-a-company-dli-army-cadets/