The railway lines at Saltburn originally extended directly into the back of the Zetland Hotel as can be seen in this 1950s photo from the East Cleveland Image Archive.
There used to be a pedestrian subway to get under the lines at the rear of the main station.
I recall this as a child (early 80s) but cannot remember exactly when it was filled in although this sign on the wall to “Please Be Tidy” is still visible
There is a beam stamped with the date 1865, but it cannot now be seen as the area is within someones private garden.
yogi59 has kindly allowed me to use the following photo which shows the subway being filled and the date stamped beam.
As you know, I lived in Saltburn for quite a time and the subway was the only real access for pedestrians across the railway alignment, so it was always busy. It was filled in in the very early 1980’s when the Station was redeveloped and the new supermarket built with access from both Milton Street and Station Square. This was followed by the building of the houses on what was an informal green area fronting Dundas Street East a year or so later. I suspect that if this was to happen now, there would be a revolt !
As a child, back in the 1960’s and 70’s, on day trips to Saltburn from South Bank and later Stockton I recall that the trains (which don’t seem to have changed much in the last 40 years) used to pull towards the back of the Hotel? Of course this has all been blocked off and built on which is a great shame! š
Just to agree that the trains have – as Paul said – ‘not changed much’.. In the 1970’s they were basic BR class 101 Diesel Multiple Units (DMU’s) which, whilst sturdy, stank of unburnt diesel and exhaust fumes, Now we have various brands of 1980’s vintage ‘Pacer’ DMU’s which are arguably worse than the 101’s and which threaten to be with us into the 2020’s……
The Railway line to the rear of The Zetland Hotel was terminated in 1970 after British Railways sold the building. The Subway was filled in as part of the Gateway Supermarket development in 1983.
The subway had substantial metal handrails, and you certainly needed them in winter if the Council was slow to grit the slopes down under the railway. Carol Burgin tells me that in the early 1960s she used to rollerskate down there, getting up as much speed as possible to be able to zoom up the rise on the other side. I did the same on my bike. The spice of excitement was that when setting off on your unstoppable downward rush you couldn’t see the opposite end, so had no idea if some nervous old lady laden with shopping bags was setting of towards you at the same time.
For more on this, go to: http://www.saltburnbysea.com/html/sanderson.html