GATESHEAD

Arriving into Gateshead, from up high, there are great views along the Tyne valley.

 In a nearby industrial estate, the then new Federation Brewery, seen in 1980.

Gateshead Omnibus, part of Northern General, had a depot in the town.

A Gateshead tram, seen in the High Street.

Northern General became the main bus operator in NBC days.

OK Motor Services appeared after dereguation.

North Eastern Bus Services was a short lived independent.

Modern buses of the Go Ahead Group are to be found in Gateshead today.

The North Eastern Railway had a major works at Gateshead.

There was also a loco shed - here are some of the staff.

LNER 2403 x 2577 at Gateshead shed 01-11-1924.

LNER no. 736, Gateshead shed 1938.

Now, it's 1964 and 60976 x 60944 are "on shed" (Les Flint}.

Gateshead shed later became a diesel depot.

Now, we're looking across the NER's King Edward Bridge from Gateshead station.

Here's Gateshead West station, just around the corner.

A couple of lost lost boozers of Gateshead, the Atlas Hotel on the High Street and the Steamboat Inn.

Now for some more modern pubs. First, the Central, an excellent free house.

Around the corner, under the railway, the Station East.

One of the suburbs of Gateshead is Felling. John Colliery is seen here from Sunderland Road.

On the railway at Felling, a wreck is being cleared up in 1907.

Gateshead bus 75 serving the Leam Lane Estate in Felling.

A small bus company, A Line, had a depot in Felling.

There's a couple of decent pubs in Felling. First up is the Wheatsheaf, with Big Lamp beers.

Very close is the Old Fox.

Eastwards now to Heworth, that has long been a transport hub.

National Rail services call at Heworth, interchanging with the Tyne & Wear Metro.

Go Ahead buses also serve Heworth.

Further along the railway is Pelaw station. Only Metro trains stop there.

Services for the Durham Coast pass by non-stop.

Back to the Tyne, at Bill Quay.

Pelaw Main Staithes, Bill Quay.

Here's an old view of the Albion Inn and the River Tyne at Bill Quay.

The Albion Inn was a great pub, seen in 2004. Sadly, it closed in 2010.

On that sad note, I'll leave you for now. Next time, we'll be aiming for South Shields.

WEST OF GATESHEAD

The first stop is Emma Colliery at Crawcrook. You can see where it is and where we're going on this map. 

Yet another NER station, this time at Ryton.

The Old Cross at Ryton, seen in in times long past, has recently reopened as a community pub.

Inwards towards Blaydon and Blaydon Burn Colliery with an 0-4-0ST photographed around 1896.

A more modern NCB loco at Blaydon.

Blaydon station, NER.

LNER 0-4-4T no. 405 at Blaydon loco shed.

In BR times, a 2-6-0 at Blaydon MPD.

St Cuthbert's church, Blaydon (Creative Commons License).

A couple of minibuses in Blaydon, operated by Go Ahead Northern.

The Station Hotel in Blaydon is now just a distant memory.

However, the Black Bull is still a thriving boozer.

Just to the east is Swalwell, which once had a NER station.

There's a good pub in Swalwell, the Sun Inn.

Just across the road, a micropub, called Owa The Road.

Now we come to the shopping Mecca of Gateshead Metrocentre. Don't worry, we're not going in, only to the bus station and the car park. At the former, a Blue Bus Bristol LHS and a couple of coaches.

In the car park, a vintage vehicle rally.

In the outskirts of Gateshead is Dunston, best reached by bus.

There is a railway station at Dunston but the service is very limited. Here it is in NER days.

Back in 1990, the Newcastle-Carlisle railway passed over the Garden Festival.

A monorail ran around the site.

In addition, there was a 15" gauge miniature railway with locos borrowed from the Ravenglass & Eskdale railway.

Some road transport in the Garden Festival.

The Tyne & Wear Metro had a unit on display.

There was also a tramway with a ex Sunderland car.

A maritime exhibit.

From the exhibition, a great view of Dunston Staithes.

Finally, a welcome sight, the Riverside Pub, run by Scottish & Newcastle for the duration of the Garden Festival.

Next time, we'll be in Gateshead itself.