Blyth

[Michael Dixon]

HenryWood,

 And the railways were big employers in mid 1900s.

Blyth commuting suburb for Newcastle ?

Currently there are 9 different bus routes doing Blyth>< Newcastle. (Journey duration c60 mins)

 For the last few years they has been efforts (as yet unsuccessful) to resurrect the passenger rail line
( Bedlington-Bebside-Newsham-New Hartley- Seaton Delaval) to link up with the northern part of the Metro rail system, to give quicker access to Newcastle.


When the Butchers ( Billy and his brother and their wifes) lost their shop in Bebside, they got shop in Briardale Road.

The shop in the "dip" at Cowpen Village was general dealers and sub Post Office. Still a thriving general store. The shop at the top of  the "dip" became a tiny bookmakers, now a normal house.

The co-op shop on Cowpen Lane ( now Cowpen Road) opposite the Windmill pub, is now a restuarant (at least up to 2 yrs ago ? ) 13887 was our divi number.

Michael

[HenryWood]

Thanks for all that, Michael.

How could I forget the railways? We even used to catch the train from Blyth to go trainspotting at Newcastle Central station. IIRC we called in at Newsham station on the way. Plessey Checks was another favourite viewing spot. I've seen reports of the attempts to run the Metro system into the area and I read somewhere a few weeks ago about some house building permission being refused in the Bebside Inn/railway cottages area in case the line plans come to anything.

I forgot about Billy Butcher's brother, but I can see him now, and Mrs. Butcher with her white hair. I also forgot about the "dip" shop being the sub Post Office, and wasn't there a very good fish 'n' chip shop somewhere there on the opposite side of the road? Great suppers but a long hike to get them as no cars in those days.

Aye, store check numbers! I remember once I had to collect a message for my granny of a container of cream from the Co-op bakery at Newsham and pay for it at the time. The lady gave me the cream, took the money and asked, "What's your nanna's check number, again?"
I couldn't remember it so blurted out ours, "10071!"
"That's not your nanna's number," she sternly told me. "Whose is it?"
It was if I was trying to forge a cheque or something.

[HenryWood]

Currently there are 9 different bus routes doing Blyth>< Newcastle. (Journey duration c60 mins)

Nine! I remember two service numbers, 6 and 4 if memory serves me right which ran once an hour. The No. 6 left on the hour and went up the Cowpen Road route and the No. 4 went via Newsham. I never paid much attention to the times of the No. 4 after we moved from Newsham to Cowpen Estate. It's all rather hazy after that

[emmadog]

O.M.G how spooky, I was at work on friday and had the boring job of reducing the price of some cream soda thinking of the bottles of Woods pop my grandad used to have delivered to his smallholding down in the woods at Bedlington.  I think that was the only reason I used to go up there as we very rarely got pop at home!!! (on our uppers ha, ha.)

I can also remember going down to Walter Wilsons near the shipyard (we lived in the bottom lot of houses in Salisbury St.) and looking into the glass fronted tins of biscuits thinking ooo I could eat a handful of all of them.

Living so near to the shipyard we quite often used to go to the launchings.  If I asked my younger brother about it I would guarantee he would come up with the name "Chapel River" as the one he could remember.

Barbara

[rentaship]

Certainly the posts are sparking some memories.

The Butchers were Billy and Elsie as well as John and Hannah. Remember when I was young I used to go to the shop on a regular basis and often went out with Billy on a Friday evening when he was delivering from his shooting brake. It was during the period of the exodus from Bebside to Cowpen and before the shop at Cowpen was built. Customers were loyal in those days and he used to delivery bread on a Friday and then go with general goods on a Saturday. After they retired I often saw Billy at Newcastle races.

Next to Billy’s new shop was Carlos Coffee Bar and was the other shop on the block not Harry Magwicks?

The fish shop in Cowpen Village was Nixon’s I believe, whilst a couple of doors away was Archie Elliot’s general shop. I cannot remember the newsagents shop name but it did become Marshalls and thereafter is unknown to me.

Train spotting was also an interest of mine and I do regret not visiting Hughes Bolckows, as they in addition to breaking ships also broke up steam locomotives including main line pacifics. . A good site is www.railuk.info/steam/steam_search.php  Full of information. North and South Blyth shed reference is 52F.

Peter

[Bill_r]

You've brought back a lot of memories. Am I right in thinking Carlos had a juke box?

Remember this

 

[rentaship]

It certainly did. Owned by Charlie??

The good old ships head that stood in the front of the offices. i wonder whatever happened to her?

Peter

[HenryWood]

You've brought back a lot of memories. Am I right in thinking Carlos had a juke box?

He did, Charlie Robertson, kind of a "big" guy. 

[pityackafromblyth]

Billr, I do not remember "this", and it certainly was not Carlos's wife. Carlos coffee bar was owned by Charlie Robertson, and he also had the general shop on Cowpen Road, just1-2 doors away from the dentist; and they were just up from British Celanese factory.
Oh yes and blythboy, I stand corrected yet again.  It looks like Newsham was NOT the centre of the world.  From what has been disclosed over the last few posts, it looks as though  it  was/still is Cowpen and Bebside.
emmadog, you should not disclose family shame. Your Granda had Woods Ice Cream Soda delivered to his smallholding ? My gawd, worse than being an alcoholic.  My lips are sealed.
And only two buses to Newcastle ?  The No.6 and the No.4?  What about the No. 8 , didn't it go to Newcastle via Whitley Bay.  Sorry mispelt that, it should be Pitley Way. And also the No.7, yellow in colour, which went to Tynemouth.  Tynemouth Borough Corporation colours ?  They also had their own Poliss Force.