Re the stone with the carving, Yes its true, the stone can be seen on the left going down the steps that take you under the rail bridge towards the junction of Bishopton Road & Durham Road. Also correct, it is a shovel shape of sorts. My Dad pointed this out to me when I was in short pants, I think its one of the large stones at the top which used to carry the cast iron railings.
A very large stone it is too, I”ve often seen it from time to time. I don”t know the story behind the marking, but someone did tell me a lot of the railways and bridges were constructed by the Irish Navvies and one was killed by the stone. This tragedy was marked on the stone by a symbol in the form of a shovel. True? I don”t know.
The side of the wall that you can just see the beginning of on the bottom left of this photo, leading down to Bishopton Lane/Durham Road, when you actually walk down this road, these walls are quite a miracle of construction. I was wondering if there is any information available on who built these walls, they must hold up quite a lot of soil and rubble etc as it dips really low and supports the railway bridge leading from the station. Its a massive piece of construction/engineering and must have employed a lot of people when it was first built. Don”t know when that was and would love to research the history of that funny stone, the one with the strange symbol on it. Rumour has it that when the wall was being constructed it fell on a workman and obviously killed him and his workmates put the marking on it to remember him by. I”d like to find out who he was and if its actually true. Can anyone tell me who constructed it please? Already asked at the library and found nothing.
A view of Bishopton Lane in Stockton c1985.
Picture Stockton Archive 
Re the stone with the carving, Yes its true, the stone can be seen on the left going down the steps that take you under the rail bridge towards the junction of Bishopton Road & Durham Road. Also correct, it is a shovel shape of sorts. My Dad pointed this out to me when I was in short pants, I think its one of the large stones at the top which used to carry the cast iron railings.
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A very large stone it is too, I”ve often seen it from time to time. I don”t know the story behind the marking, but someone did tell me a lot of the railways and bridges were constructed by the Irish Navvies and one was killed by the stone. This tragedy was marked on the stone by a symbol in the form of a shovel. True? I don”t know.
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The side of the wall that you can just see the beginning of on the bottom left of this photo, leading down to Bishopton Lane/Durham Road, when you actually walk down this road, these walls are quite a miracle of construction. I was wondering if there is any information available on who built these walls, they must hold up quite a lot of soil and rubble etc as it dips really low and supports the railway bridge leading from the station. Its a massive piece of construction/engineering and must have employed a lot of people when it was first built. Don”t know when that was and would love to research the history of that funny stone, the one with the strange symbol on it. Rumour has it that when the wall was being constructed it fell on a workman and obviously killed him and his workmates put the marking on it to remember him by. I”d like to find out who he was and if its actually true. Can anyone tell me who constructed it please? Already asked at the library and found nothing.
LikeLiked by 1 person