These photographs show the interior of Stockton Station Roof as it fell into disrepair prior to its final removal. These pictures were taken on a wet day in December 1978. Photos courtesy of Mr Alan Davis, Perth, Western Australia. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Whatever happened to the old 4-wheeled coach on a plinth? I assume it went to a museum but which one?
I left from Stockton station in March 1969 to take up a career in the RAF. I relocated back to Teesside in 2004 to find quite a change to the once grand structure, no respect for history at all. I also went on the trip from Newtown Junior Mixed to the lake district in the 50s, it is hard to remember how we packed so much into just one day. It was an historic event in railway terms too but I can”t remember why, I do remember that we were pulled by two steam locomotives for the journey.
How well I remember the Stockton Station and the number of times I travelled from there to King”s Cross in the 1950″s as a child going to visit my Grandparents. The sound, sight and smell of the trains will remain with me forever. The tunnel under the lines in the station fascinated me as we would run from one platform to another on occasions when we were late. The old carriage on the station was also there as I remember later in life also remember the trip from Stockton Station to the Lake District with Newtown Junior School in the late 50″s – a first away from parents for me. I believe the story of so many children going away for the day even got on the nightly news – I wonder if the footage is still around. Great site everybody and all the best to Steve and the Team.
What interesting stories could be told by the many thousands that have left Stockton Station over its many years of service. People that emigrated from the area to live all over the world and make new furrows in their lives pattern. I left my home and Stockton in 1951 the first time I had “fled the nest” to work in a city when my life unfolded and opened a complete new confident lifestyle after so many false starts. It saddens me to see the shell of Stockton Station which now looks no more than a halt. Was this another “Beeching Folly” in rationalisation ? My late family and friends would not believe the sacrilege that has been performed.
I remember leaving home for the first time on May the 9th 1972 from Stockton Station to join the boys army, I”m pretty sure the train went all the way without changes to Taunton in Somerset, It was tidy but complete in 72, locos were diesel hauled, but it appears the authorities were happy to let the birth place of the passenger railways fall into decay.
I was born in 1940 and lived in Norton from about 1949 to 1955ish. I was a pupil at The Frederick Nattrass School at Norton and Grangefield Grammar School, but only when I had nothing better in the railway world to occupy my mind. Long hours were spent at this once fine and imposing Station, the Staff were particularly friendly towards well behaved young “spotters”. Many a day we were allowed to help the Porters load the mailbags onto trolleys, the reward being nothing more than access to the platforms without the need for a “Platform Ticket”. After all a penny saved was another sweet you could buy! I remember too when Stockton warranted a “Station Pilot” loco – this was a J72 (I think) and many was the time the Drivers used to say “come on then” and we got a ride up to the Gasworks, or perhaps picked up some coaches and brought them into the Station to be attached to a train. No”Elf and Safety” then thank heavens. I remember too the goldfish in the reservoir at the bottom of the water tower on Platform 1. Alas all gone now, like most of the other busy Stations in and around Teesside – I do have one thing to remind me though – I managed to acquire one of the Waiting Room benches. It is in a sunny spot in the garden and I often have a wee sit on it – giving my feet a rest after another long trudge down Memory Lane! Happy Days.
May I ask if anyone remembers an exhibition of rolling stock at Stockton station in September? 1950, which would have been the 125th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway? It was not on the scale of the 150th celebrations in 1975, but I believe that the LNER record breaker “Mallard” ,now in the NRM at York, was an exhibit.
Stockton Station. I remember it as my last view of Stockton before coming to Australia, all my Family were standing on the Station, most of them crying, thinking their little son/brother was going to the ends of the Earth and they would never see him and his wife and two children again.
The last bus from Norton 11-15, the walk down an almost deserted Bishopton Lane to the portico in front of the station, no shops open , not even a fish-shop. The weary ticket collector checking your leave-pass “, Change Kings-Cross for Bedford” Glad for my greatcoat as the wind whistles down the platform, meet up with a couple of Bods going same way. The signal-arm drops and the train appears in the distance to pull up, we follow an empty door, and pile in, as usual its full of servicemen going back from a “48er” so its sit in the corridor till York where if your lucky some squaddies and R.A.F de-train Squashed into a seat the air thick with tobacco-smoke, it is possible to sleep , no chance of over sleeping as Kings-Cross is journeys end. In the grim gray dawn, eyes and mouth dry and gritty a journey which started in the cold 5 1/2 hours ago under that big clock on Stockton. Station.
I used to wait on Stockton station, going back off leave on a Sunday night, waiting for the midnight train to Kings-Cross. I was stationed at Aldershot. You would have to stand all the way to Grantham or Peterboro before you got a seat.
I left this station on my honeymoon in 1970 I cannot believe the amount of decay in only eight years.