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Loftus Scouts Hut destroyed by fire, we wondered “When did this disaster occur, can someone tell us?” Dean Gibson has come to the rescue: “If my memory serves me correctly, the fire took place in second half of 1982, not long after the Troop’s exhibition to mark the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the Scout movement. Several Scouts ran the exhibition, having spent quite a while beforehand tidying the hut up for the event. The hut originally housed workmen building the Ballistic Missile Early Warning Site at RAF Fylingdales and I believe was secured for the Troop by Mr Norman Pass.” Norman Pass was the Scout Leader at Loftus for many years
Image courtesy of Dave Lees; thanks also to Dean for the update and additional information.
This photograph of Loftus Junior School includes the following children:-
Back row: ? Maughan, Joyce Bibby (Markham), Mavis Sawdon, Shiela Breckon, Peggy Adamson (Theaker), Jean Owen (Ogden), Doreen Anderson, Doreen Jackson (Barratt), Mary Skilbeck, Joyce Morley, Emily Stuart, ? Maughan.
Middle row: Doreen Nattress, Hazel Wood, Lillian Hodgeman, Kathleen Trowsdale, Betty Elders.
Front row: Desmond Carter, Jack Noble, Bernard Forrest.
Image and names courtesy of Jackie Noble.
Another image of the opening of Loftus refurbished Fire Station.
Front: John Andre, Peter Glover, (Station Officer) Alan Tose, Neil Garbutt.
Middle: Alan Kirkwood, Harold Found, George Bell, Steve Verrill, (Driver),
On the ladder: Graham George, Chris Marsay, Dave Lees.
The Rescue Vehicle in the background still has the older warning bell system, instead of the modern siren.
Image courtesy Dave Lees.
Margrove Park School Party, initially the location was a mystery; with the building in the background possibly the Exhibition Hall at the Festival of Britain in London, 1951. However Kon Budkiewicz advises us: ”Re location, go on the Festival of Britain and you can see that the oval shaped building is sited near to the current location of the “wheel” on the South Bank of the Thames.” The clothing of the group is of that era. Can someone assist in naming names?
Image courtesy of Howard Wilson and thanks to Kon Budkiewicz for that update.
Loftus Bank; this montage of photographs shows the construction of the culvert to channel Whitecliffe Beck past the Landslip. It was 173 metres long, with a tunnel for the sewer 140 metres long. At the top of the bank the existing road was removed and replaced, with a retaining wall 65 metres long and 4 metres high being constructed. It was one of the biggest engineering projects ever undertaken by Redcar and Cleveland Council. During the works, Road traffic was routed onto the North York Moors A171 road. A 15 mile detour to Teesside, at a cost of £3,000,000. The road finally opened to controversy on September 29th 2000, some nineteen months after the first slip.
Image and detail courtesy Keith Ferry.
After specialist work by rock climbers on the steep cliff face of the narrows, work begins on removing 20,000 tons of unstable ground. And then replacing it with 200,000 tons of fill, using excavated materials from the Skelton and Brotton Bypass then under construction. This occupied the rest of 1999, at first weight restrictions and traffic lights were used to ease traffic flow. But when the bank closed, a 15 mile diversion was in force, via the A171 road over the North York moors.
Image and detail courtesy Keith Ferry.
The devastation after the massive landslide, on Mill Bank Loftus, February 1999.
Image courtesy Keith Ferris.
Whitecliffe beck and wood, Loftus; before the landslip, in 1999.
Image courtesy Keith Ferry.
Bill Hicks, and happy group of children, outside Loftus Fire Station, date possible early 1970s. Were you one of the group, did you sit in the engine and hear the siren? Please let us know.
Paul Hassan tells us:”The appliance in the background is a Dodge K850 water tender built by Carmichael of Worcester. This was one of the first new fire appliances ordered by the newly formed Cleveland County Fire Brigade in 1974/75. The photograph must be dated after this time. Any further information on the appliance would be appreciated: registration etc. I remember this appliance whilst growing up in Guisborough”. Craig White advises: “There is another photograph on here showing the Loftus crew training at ICI with the rear of a fire engine visible . The registration no. is JDC735N which comes up as a red 1975 Dodge on DVLA website so is probably this one”.
See post ‘Loftus Fire Crew – 1978 – @ ICI Wilton on Exercise’.
Image courtesy Dave Lees; thanks to Paul Hassan and Craig White for the updates.
Margrove Park School; three boys, contemplate the flat wheel on the toy truck, spilling it’s load of cotton reels. We asked for ’Names of the pupils and a date, please, if you can help.’ Marian Smith (Holmes) suggests: ”I think Perry Horton, Alan and Brian Drinkall”; Judith Dean has now advised:”Michael Lynas, Alan and Brian Drinkhall”.
Image courtesy Howard Wilson and thanks to Marian Smith (Holmes) and Judith Dean for the updates.
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