Stockton-on-Tees was famously at the eastern end of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, which opened in 1825, but the S&DR terminus was on a different site to today’s station, which opened in 1852 for the Leeds Northern Railway. It was rebuilt in 1893 by the North Eastern Railway, when it gained its impressive overall roof – similar in style to those that can be found at Darlington. ‘Deltic’ No. D9020 (55020) Nimbus is seen on November 3, 1968 bypassing Stockton station on the goods lines as it heads south with the diverted 1A39/13.30 Newcastle-King’s Cross.
JOHN M BOYES
Stockton today is much reduced from its heyday, the overall roof falling into disrepair through the 1960s and 70s until finally it was dismantled in 1979. The amount of traffic through the station, particularly freight, has also diminished and so gone are the myriad of goods lines and sidings. On a dull November 27, 2023, Nos. 68022 Resolution and 66426 topand-tail the 3J77/06.07 Carlisle Kingmoor to Nunthorpe RHTT working through the platforms at Stockton, the reference points to the 1968 shot being the remaining brick support for the overall roof (right) and the station buildings (left), which are no longer in rail use having been converted to flats.
ALEX AYRE