Gateshead East Station

[Jonathan1973]

Could anyone point me towards some photographs or plans of the buildings at Gateshead East station. I'm really interested in the station towards the end of its life, but any help would be appreciated.

Best wishes,

Jonathan

[redtoon1892]

This is / was Gateshead Station West at the very end as you can see.

[Malcolm]

Not many photos about, but here are three. Two from the SINE project (okay to post as long as they are not for commercial reasons) and one by Trevor J. Ermel (this one taken from the footbridge at the North end of the station.......see other photo).

Malcolm

[redtoon1892]

In my colour pic the part demolished listed building on the right was the original 19th century station building alongside and I understand George Huson had the top floors as his office at one time, adjacent was the hotel, their last use was hired commercial premises and are now demolished or part demolished. A roundhouse stood where the garage in the background is and a lattice metal footbridge spanned the tracks with the yard box in the centre. the footbridge was a great billet for spotting the comings and goings off shed but the signalman was a crusty old s** who threw lumps of coal at us as it wasnt a public bridge then. The pacifics used to wait for their off shed signal just under the footbridge and it is where the fireman used to fix on the headboard which were lined up against the works wall at this point, anyone could have just picked one up and walked off but you didnt do that those days. they were all there. The Norseman, The Tees - Tyne Pullman, The Northumbrian, Flying Scotsman, Heart of Midlothian, Queen of Scots Pullman, The Elizabethan. The North Briton. Some with red backgrounds, some with black or white, cant remember seeing any blue backgrounds tho. wonder where they all went ?, the footbridge, signal box and coaling stages were removed during the depot modernisation in the very early 60s, the disused roundhouse was removed in the early 80s after being used I believe as a paintshop, the building just visible behind the garage was on Mulgrave Terrace and the site was once used as the offices of Sir Vincent Raven but became a local authority childrens health clinic after modernisation in the late 40s, part of the original building is incorporated into it at the back and is still a council office of sorts. I have tried to persuade the Council to erect a blue heritage plaque onto one of Sir Vincents offices or former house (see earlier topic) but after early promising interest by the Council it appears to have been shelved.
52A may remember all of this and may correct my fading memory.

[redtoon1892]

Wellington Street with Gateshead Station to the right.

[redtoon1892]

A postcard.

[52A]

Sorry about the delay, had a hectic few days. I think some of the photos are mixed up between east and west. The roundhouse you mention was the original works paint shop, I understand some of the other remaining old buildings are going to be preserved. Greensfield box controlled the comings and goings at the east end of the shed and things could become hectic if a few locos arrived in quick succession into the coal stage and blocked the route to/from the High Level Bridge via Gateshead West, that’s when the signalmen really became agitated! There were three exits from the shed and you could choose the exit and route for your destination without having to turn locos on the turntables, very handy when the place was busy. There are quite a number of headboards on display at the NRM and I am sure many more in the hands of private collectors. My picture taken in 1963 shows your footbridge with Greensfield box partly hidden by steam. The new box, also now demolished, is under the bridge to the right. The building you can just see on the right of the photo is the roundhouse you mentioned. The rear of the coal stage is to the left of the tender of the rear loco.

[redtoon1892]

Cheers 52A that pic brings back some memories, I actually have a 52A smokebox shed plate.
In the Hill St pic there is a signal box perched up on the parapets, you can just see the West St / Wellington St girder bridge in the background, long before my time tho.

[52A]

I don't know what happened to that signalbox (fire?) but in my day there was a small wooden building at ground level right at the end of Gateshead West between the lines of the junction which served as High Street box. Incidentaly the rear loco in my photo was en route to Darlington works after, I believe, having an argument with Percy Main North box, the damage is unfortunately on the other side.

[Malcolm]

Really good colour shots here:

http://ronfisher.fotopic.net/c918082.html

Malcolm

[redtoon1892]

Good pic of the bridge on Ernies railway site here :-

http://erniesphotos.fotopic.net/p53357984.html