Coal Road

Here's a picture that brings a smile to my heart - it is on the cover of Norman Hill's book "Teeside Railways" and it shows a signal box called 'Coal Road' about two miles east of Barnard Castle. Many is the sunny afternoon that I've spent here with my grandad, it was one of his 'regular turns'and one he liked the most. There was a lovely sunny view from here over Teesdale.

It's 23 August 1952, almost exactly 54 years ago to the day eh? Two class 'J25's from Kirkby Stephen shed have just blasted up from Barnard Castle station yard heading for West Aukland with a mineral train. The fireman on the pilot engine is working hard as the safety valves are lifting, and a brisk westerly wind off the fells is carrying the smoke and steam away. I can almost hear those LNER hoppers creaking and clanking and groaning behind the engines struggling up the 1 in 60. The train engine driver is about to take the 'tablet' from the signalman for the single line ahead through Bluestone Grange cutting to Forthburn.

This might indeed be a 'family photograph' - I just can't tell. Is that my grandfather by the signal box passing the tablet to the driver. He certainly wore a waistcoat like that to work and it's his 'haircut'. And I think the motorbike parked next to the road is a Triumph 'Thunderbird'. It's probably him - I like to think so.