The Fire Brigade tend to a fire at No.65 Woodworkers Supplies Ltd at the south end of Stockton High Street. The Black Lion, Teesside Army Store, William IV Hotel and Greenwoods can also be seen.
Photograph courtesy of Peter Beardsworth and Robbie Marshall.
I was there, my dad took me to see it. It was Hintons so I believe
Long before Health and Safety, everyone crowded in to get a good look at what was happening. Today there would be a 50 metre exclusion zone at least and all the traffic stopped!
What a superb photograph! The fire appliances are of interest, they would have come from the new South Road fire station (in Norton) which opened in 1965. The first appliance is AUP652B a Bedford/Carmichael water tender instantly recognisable by its vista-view cab windows, behind that is the Dennis F27/Metz turntable ladder 250AUP, and behind that is the wheeled escape carrier VPT932 a Bedford J4/Miles. All these appliances originated with Durham fire Brigade joining Teesside fire Brigade in 1968. The Dennis Turntable ladder had the distinction of serving with four Brigades – Durham, Teesside Cleveland and Humberside. It was last recorded as surviving derilict in a field in Kent sometime in the early 90’s. The bus is a former Stockton Corporation Leyland PD2 with Metro Cammell bodywork and is in TMT Turquoise livery together with the Vauxhall Viva officers car (partially visable in front of the first fire appliance) suggests the picture is after 1968.
A great photo. I’m sure I remember watching this after rushing down Regent St from Milbank St