I have just unearthed some photos of Stockton station, taken in December 1963, when it still had its lovely roof, which you might like to consider for putting on the website. For the railway enthusiasts the train is a parcels train being marshalled by loco no.60063 ‘Isinglass’.
Photographs and details courtesy of Garth McLean.
Picture Stockton Archive 
I was a box lad working in Bishopton Lane in 1967 the signalman at that time were if I remember correctly were Tommy Smith who was ex RAF lad originally from Bishop Auckland, John Middlemist from north Northumberland and last but by no means least Charlie Leckonby. Fine gentlemen who allowed us box lads to work the box in preparation for our being signalman in our own right. The box lads worked unusual shifts early turn was 6am to 12.40pm Monday to Saturday and back shift was 12.40pm to 8.40pm Mon to Fri. The station master at the time was Mr Robinson and the signalman inspector who passed me on the block was Mr Charlie Scarll. Of all the trains I signalled I vividly remember the the first ever Freightliner train which think was bell code 3.2.5 and by another unbelievable coincidence the train was driven by my father who was a driver at Thornaby 51L he took it as far as Doncaster and being used to the local loose coupled goods train was amazed at the 75mph max.of the freightliner. Such memories soon to disappear.
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Reporting Number 3B13, the 11.15 a.m. Newcastle to York parcels and stock via Sunderland and Stockton. Looks like the A3 is marshalling its train and often stock was picked up from the centre road in the station and attached. This train should have been diesel hauled, but steam often made substitute appearances right down to 1964-65. 60063 was allocated to Peterborough ( New England) shed at this time.
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Well recorded again, Garth! According to my Ian Allan “shed-book” ‘Isinglass’ was then shedded at 34A (Kings Cross), although my book dates from 1962. Could her shed-plate (34A) be missing from her lower smokebox? What a perfectly dreadful state this wonderful machine was in by that time… As well as sporting the “German” smoke deflectors, she appears to have a GNR “coal-rail” tender and is also hauling empty passenger coaches. In the shot taken adjacent to “Bishy Lane” signalbox, that shunter certainly should not be dangling from the tender handrail during a move, but adds another excellent quirk from that time, if well against the Rules. From an earlier comment, and during this time living above the railway just north of Yarm tunnel, I indeed recall two daily parcels trains (yes – late morning and early afternoon). The latter carried a “Palethorpes Sausages” van – this clearly indicated on the sides.
Note the substantial station water tank and supporting brickwork. (Might well have supplied other water columns, e.g. for the goods lines running behind the station?) Note the longitudinally-timbered (“waybeam”) track on the road underbridge directly in front of the engine. The very grubby windows and a few missing panes add more character to Garth’s shot.
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All the bay platforms were at the east end of the station so it must have drawn the stock out and run round them on the down line before crossing over onto the up line and setting back onto the stock before moving off. (Unless someone knows better!)
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There was also a centre non-platform line and I believe it had pulled some stock out of there.
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The middle road was controlled from one end by Bishopton Lane and the other end by Primrose Hill this middle road was often used for the marshalling of the parcels trains and also for excursions when Primrose Hill switched out usually about 20.00 hours as there was no night shift the middle road would continue to be used from the Bish Lane end only, the dolly that is off for the move used to be number 29 and could also lead through a ladder to the down goods or into South/north Stockton yards the independent between Norton east and Norton west was used a lot to store excursion stock Bishopton Lane was a really nice box to work in and was known for having a light frame as most of the points were just outside the box I think it closed in 1973. Nice photos Garth.
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Garth McLean – thanks for putting the photos up. Sad to see Stockton Station in this sorry state. But I suppose it’s a case of ‘use it or lose it’…
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Isinglass – A3 Class….scrapped in 1964…..seen just in time!
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brilliant……were there two parcels services through Stockton….one late morning and one early afternoon. What a lovely station that was….
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There was certainly a ‘parcels’ late in the evening…towards midnight,…as a youngster we called it the ‘Palethorpe Saussges’….(advertising on carriages )….was always a ‘good’ loco pulling it…..watched it come by Spring Street foot bridge!
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The palethorpe sausage train came through Billingham on saturday mornings useualy pulled by a heavy loco for instance an A2
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