The North Shore signal box in Stockton. c1980 (Photo courtesy of Julian Herbert)
North Shore signal box in Stockton . c1980
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
The North Shore signal box in Stockton. c1980 (Photo courtesy of Julian Herbert)
I was a book lad at North Shore early 80s loved every minute of it. My name was Ian Mclean
I also worked with J.E.Myers as his signal lad from 1958-1959. He also enjoyed smoked kippers for his breakfast. I believe the other two signalmen where H.Tait and C.Leckonby. The other two signal lads being P.Rowbottom and N.Spouse.
It is interesting reading the recollections of ex signal box signalmen. Does anybody remember Freddie Moiser BEM, Fred was Chief Signals Inspector LNER North Eastern Region. I think he covered York and Teeside. His life was railways and he could tell many interesting stories about destroying the myths of which signal box he would next visit. One of his favourites was to board the train on the platform side and and get out of the other side to catch them out. Despite that Fred was a real good guy and Passed most signalmen of the area. His wife Ivy gave me his gold pocket watch with which he checked the train times on the platform. He passed away in the 1960″s before the end of steam in 1968. Electric trains ran on the Hartburn Line well before the 1939 war, I think hauling minerals apart from Telegraph and one other electric passenger train in the North East. Any stories of Freddie Moiser would be welcome. J.N.K.
Sam Buckle, to my knowledge, ended up as Newcastle Divisional Signals Inspector in the late 70s. A senior and powerful position who would make signallers quake when he arrived on a surprise visit to their boxes. These visits although “surprise” were announced along the line from box to box using the internal circuit phones. Whilst a raincrew/Operations Supervisor based at Hartlepool and Sunderland I often used to listen to the open conversations of the signallers on this telephone system. It was the “Jungle Telegraph” and gave me a good lead of who should be allocated the overtime if a signaller went sick. I believe he retired when, under a British Railways reorganisation, the Newcastle Division, along with all Divisions, was disbanded in about 1983 with the authority they held being given to the Area Managers Inspectorate.
I was a book lad at North Shore Jcn in the mid to late 1950s. I worked with a smashing bloke called Teddy Myers (J. E. Myers)who later I think went to open the new Tees Yard box (I was told). Teddy devised a very effective urinal in the porch to save us going downstairs! There was also a great bloke who was a relief signal man called Barney Marshall who lived at Northallerton and he often relieved at North Shore and Bishopton Lane where I also worked for a time. I then went to Darlington North then to Darlington South and worked with 2 other great blokes Ralph Greaves and Walter Robinson also Sammy Buckle who was on relief at the time. 350 entries a shift REALLY!!!
The next signal box to the north of North Shore was Stockton Bank, which controlled the northern outlet from the goods yards. It was opposite the concrete houses in Doncaster Crescent and closed in 1967. I wonder if anyone has a photo of it as the rest of the Stockton and Norton signal boxes seem to be already present on this site, with Stockton Bank the only one missing.
This signal box was of all wood construction and was burned down by vandals, shortly after closure in the 1980s
Ian Naisbitt – When you say worked North Shore you must mean as a book lad, as in those days you could not pass the block until 20. You were lucky with the old style signalmen if they would let you touch the frame and bells at all. Who was in North Shore at the time I was a book lad in there in 1961?
Is this the same Ian Neisbitt I went all through school with, and worked some happy years with your dad Cyril {core maker Downings Iron Foundry} I was never one for sitting at the signal box taking train numbers but splodged for hours in the beck getting stickle backs, running like hell if a blood sucker came near, me and the Swainby lads used to go through the railway tunnel all the way to Eastbourne, between the beck, the pottery, and the old rec, I reckon our generation had more fun than today’s kids with games machines well if this is the same Ian from old, all the best Decca Casey
From the age of five I wished to work on British Railways. At the age of fifteen my dream came true. I was working in Liverpool Street Signal Box London a beautiful box with all electrical switches. We controlled twenty-one platforms. When I was sixteen I got a transfer back up to Stockton and worked North Shore, as I lived in Trent Street this was very close. I then moved to Bishopton Lane, these were fab days I would have done this job for nothing! But then I heard a band called The Beatles. I left the Railway and became a crazy drummer. I often used to go into the sheds and I remember seeing 60021 Wild Swan. It is nice to see these old pictures.
North shore box overlooked the beck which ran behind Swinburn Road & joined Lustrum Beck,main line, behind F W Hills wood factory. Below it was situated Stockton railway shed, identity 51E, under British Railways shed code list. Alongside the shed, which on occasions hosted an ex LNER Sentinel steam railcar, was a well equipped work shop and a turntable. As a youngster, if you were awake late at night, you may have heard the chime of an A4 pacific on the late night express. Julian – thanks for reawakening these memories.