A view of the signal box at Billingham Station c1964.
Photograph and details courtesy of Ivan Harrington.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
A view of the signal box at Billingham Station c1964.
Photograph and details courtesy of Ivan Harrington.
Has anyone noticed the iron hoop set in the ground at the near corner of the small building(toilet may be)? It is there today still. It is a bent rail in an upturned U shape and must have taken some making. Why was it made and put there I wonder?
Paul the building used to be the old paraffin house when all signal lights were paraffin the hoops that you mention was were the gate that used to be across there hung on you can see another one on the opposite side of the entrance
Thank you Gordon. It will be a shame to see the local boxes disappear. Did the large single storey building on the south side of Norton on Tees box serve the same purpose do you know?
if you mean the large brick building just behind Norton station Paul then i believe that was some sort of sub station for the Electricity board keep well.
Thank you again. I wondered if it was associated with the signal box but maybe not. Regards.
When my Dad and Freddie Moiser joined up in !914 war they both worked for NER learning singnaling. Dad Joined Synthetic of Ammonia and Fred rejoined LNER and became Chief Signals Inspector NE Region (York-Teeside-Whitby) he could tell some great stories of railway life. He received the BEM for services in keeping the Royal Train Safe on its visits to NE.
J.Norman Kidd
Yes I know this signal box well, I was transferred from Eaglescliffe south SB to Billingham in 1951 until 1953 and then into the RAF for 3 years service. The signal men that I worked with at that time were George Barrett who lived in Cowpen Road, Bill Ventrass from Norton and Charlie Nunn who lived in the bungalow on the New road. Good memories, plenty of rail traffic over the crossing and incidents.
Bill Ventress lived in 7 Oakwell Road, Norton. He had a son Gordon who also worked on the railway as a platelayer. Mr Ventress had an allotment which was on railway property at the bridge over Norton Road and was at the rear of the Blue Hall estate.
Remember Freda Ventress from school, had a soft spot for her but the Army sent me off to remote regions and when I got back she had gone. 50 years later she appeared married to a lad I played Bowls with, still living in Stockton which makes me wonder how few of us leave, or leave and come back, we must love our Town.
Freda was Bill Ventras’s eldest daughter. She was married to Bill Marlow who died recently. They lived in Hartburn Village and he played bowls for the West End bowling club.
Very topical this post… as it seems this box and the bridge are under threat.
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/campaign-save-iconic-110-year-old-billingham-9028623