Anderston Foundries occupied a massive site next to the railway track in Port Clarence on the north/east side of the Transporter Bridge. These two adverts were in the railways section of an old Engineering Handbook. They show that the foundry produced a good range of rail track equipment, including crossings and points.

Not surprisingly, the overseas market is highlighted in the main advert. In this country, with the introduction of welded track and reinforced concrete sleepers, the steel sleeper, rail chair and fishplate market was disappearing. Nevertheless, the Anderston Foundry were doing the right thing in having an office in Victoria Street, London. No distance from Westminster Abbey.

Images courtesy of Fred Starr.

This is Belasis Bridge in Billingham which carries Belasis Avenue over the Port Clarence Branch Line railway The signal box on the branch line is viewed from the bridge towards Port Clarence.

Photograph and details courtesy of Martin Dunnill.

These photographs show a pair of Class 37 locomotives crossing Hartburn junction with a northbound iron ore train and a Class 40 locomotive approaching the junction in the opposite direction on it’s way to Thornaby depot. Both photo’s show the outline of Head Wrightson’s steelworks beyond Hartburn Lane bridge, the site is now a housing estate.

Photographs and details courtesy of MF Wilson.

I believe this image was taken in Dovecot Street as the car seems to be parked outside the Lit & Phil building with the Alma Hotel next door. I have dated this to the 1960s because of the clothing worn by the onlookers; trousers with turnups and head scarves were still to be seen in the 1960s. I know nothing about the car, it was most likely from 1920s at the latest, though possibly a decade or more earlier. I don’t know if it is the angle of view but the steering wheel looks to be in the middle of the car. Any ideas anybody?

Photograph and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.

Who remembers this small two-seat, three-wheeled car? A photograph showing my brothers Bond Bug parked in Windsor Road in 1983.

Photograph and details courtesy of MF Wilson.

A TMT bus parked in Bath Lane, Stockton waiting for the return trip to school. The date is around 1968/69, 1968 was when TMT was formed and the bus is in that awful livery but the logo hasn’t been applied, the name sticker on the bus side is temporary fix.

Photograph and details courtesy of Alec Moody.

Trains passing Alliance Street & Templar Street c.1978 – These photographs were taken on a Sunday when main line trains were diverted past Stockton to allow engineering work to be carried out between Northallerton and Newcastle. The Deltic is 55022 Royal Scots Grey.

Photographs and details courtesy of MF Wilson.

The site of the ‘new’ Billingham station, taken in April 1966. Visible are some of the earthworks and materials for the new station. For the railway enthusiasts, the train is heading towards Hartlepool and is hauled by 63445.

Photograph and details courtesy of Garth Mclean.

The Railway Centenary: 1825 – 1925 commemorative book, includes an interesting paragraph about the future…

Image and details courtesy of Ian Black.

I recently came across an old advert for a Stockton coach-buidiing business called “E Maule & Sons”, who are known to have built bodies on chassis provided by Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Vauxhall, Crossley, Bugatti, SAVA, Minerva and Dodge. The company was in business for over 100 years, with roots in building horse drawn carriages/coaches at Alnwick.

The E Maule & Sons works are shown as being at 22 Skinner Street in 1890 and 1914 trade directories, (which may have been opposite the junction with Albion Street). The 1881 census shows Edwin, his wife Mary and 6 children (and 1 servant) living in Stockton. In 1890 Edwin Davison Maule is listed as living just around the corner from his works at 13 Hartington Road.

The images show two examples of their work. For those interested, you can read a newsletter article on the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club website.

Images and details courtesy of Jonathan May.

Stockton Corporation had a large fleet of Leyland PD2 buses in the 1950s and 1960s, including XUP 475, a 1958 example. Here are pictures of 1:24 scale models I have made, and also a black and white picture of the actual bus taken by Philip Battersby in 1964 at Low Grange, Billingham.
Middlesbrough Corporation had buses with similar Northern Counties bodies, on Guy Arab chassis – my model shows the Stockton bus in company with Middlesbrough’s GDC 295. The ‘O’ service was a joint operation between Middlesbrough and Stockton Corporations, running between Norton and North Ormesby. The 11 service, Stockton Town Hall to Middlesbrough Exchange, was also jointly run by the two corporations. The black and white shot of Middlesbrough’s GDC 295 was taken by RHG Simpson in the mid-1960s, in Bridge Road, Stockton.

Models and details courtesy of Andy Wood.

I took this photograph of Loco No. 1 in Stockton High Street at the time of the 150th anniversary.

Photograph and details courtesy of Norman Smith.

This shot was taken from an upper floor of the Furness Shipyard Offices, possibly from the window at the end of the corridor. The shipyard gates and gatehouses can be clearly seen, I haven’t had time to research or date this image, judging by the lack of vehicles and the workers on bikes or foot I think this could be as early as the war years or as late as the mid 1950s, it is very likely my father was working at the yard when this was taken 1939-1962. I was hoping the hoarding advertising Digger tobacco would help date it but that particular tobacco was on sale from 1917 until the 1980s. One of the houses on Hope Street on the far side of the line is where my paternal Great Grandparents lived, my Grandfather and his two brothers were born there, my Grandfather worked in the shipyard, his two brothers both worked at the power station on Haverton Hill Road. The white building in the distance I think must be the Queens Hotel. If anybody knows anything about this station or can give an approximate date I would love to hear about it.

Photograph and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.

Taken during the 1960s, these photographs show Billingham Railway Station with a view of the houses on Allendale Road in the background.

Photographs and details courtesy of William Bennett.