Before the Castlegate redevelopment, this historic part of the High Street included the Unicorn pub, Doggarts department store, Henderson’s (jewellers) and Thomas Hunt, and based on photographs I made this diorama, which includes buses of Stockton and Middlesbrough Corporations. These buildings were demolished in 1970.
Photographs and details courtesy of Andy Wood.
Did these buses boast a/c of a sort(!).Air changed every 5 minutes
Middlesbrough buses of the 1950s had the ‘induction ventilation system’. The air intake of the engine was connected by a duct to the upstairs ceiling, which was perforated. Thus, the stale smoky air from the saloon was sucked away – into the engine. Some in the industry said that as a result of this, Middlesbrough had the only buses with bronchitis. Buses with this system could be identified by the thick pillar between the front upstairs windows, which housed the duct. A few other bus operators specified this system, but most didn’t. I suppose it was a primitive form of air conditioning. Sorry for the long technical story, but that explains it!
Thank you for all your comments
Andy.
Absolutely exquisite.
Very nice looking models. I am modelling mostly around Stockton Station area at the moment.
Thank you for these wonderful historic treasures of my birthplace.
Dead good! Well done, Andy! It must have required a lot of patience as well as artistic skill.