This photograph of Hartburn Bridge on Darlington Road was taken in August 1974. The bridge was demolished the year after in 1975.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
This photograph of Hartburn Bridge on Darlington Road was taken in August 1974. The bridge was demolished the year after in 1975.
I cycle on the old track lines which are now a walkway/cycle track. I often wondered the route the railway lines took once they crossed this bridge (to the right of bridge as shown) and assumed they joined the Stockton to Yarm line somewhere after the site of the “Brickie”. After speaking to an old neighbour 3/4 years ago, who had been a train driver in the age of steam I decided to go take a closer look. I found the abutments (if that is the correct term ). which supported the bridge this line from Thorpe/Wynyard would have used to cross the Stockton to Yarm line, it then would have gone onto the Bowesfield area, after passing under Yarm road.
After passing over Hartburn bridge I was quite surprised at how close the railway line would have been to the “Brickie”, as it passed between it and the rear gardens of the housing estate across from the main entrance to Ropner park. The rail tunnel still exists under Yarm road although I cannot remember if it was bricked up under the undergrowth .
The trains, waiting to get into M’ro etc, used to queue alongside ‘the tip’ [M’bro side of Yarm Road] and back passed ‘the brickie’, the Hartburn bridge and also the back of houses in Oulston Road then it crossed the road bridge and then behind Grangefield Grammar School. [On Sports days we used to sneak onto the line and walk to Oxbridge Lane & then to the pictures!!] The train drivers would allow us on the footplate and stay there whilst they moved forward in the queue. This was in the mid & late 1950’s.
Where exactly was this bridge? I’m assuming it must have been in the ‘dip’ on the road between Hartburn Village going towards Ropner Park?
Yes, near the brickie.
I remember the brickie well!
Spent many hours riding my Chopper around it in the 70s.
My dad carved his initials “J.O. James” at the top right of the bridge. If I had known it was going to be demolished I would have tried to have retrieved the brick.
My brothers friend was killed in a motorbike accident there, don’t know when though
I remember that, it would have been about 1957. I believe that the rider lost control on the bends and his bike slid under a bus coming in the other direction.
Margaret. I remember the accident, just for a moment I can’t remember his name. He lived in Edward Street and was on leave from the RAF. He was going fishing and was the pillion passenger on a motor bike. I knew his wife very well and she was a nurse at the Darlington Mem Hosp. Now I think his surname was Henderson and it would approx 1957.