Brian Ellison interviewed by Robert Aitchison

Oral history interview with Brian Ellison conducted by Robert Aitchison on 24 February 2004 as part of the Time Tracks oral history collecting initiative. Original duration: 1 hour 13 minutes, however there are many distortions throughout the recording, resulting in 32 minutes of audible recording via the digital access file. Education, All Saints’ School, Timothy Hackworth School, County School; Employment at Shildon Works, boy runner, apprentice fitter, inspection, foreman; apprenticeship, learning to file, marking off drawings, work with a fitter, training by fitter; [00:02:05] post apprenticeship, National Service, return to Works, fitter, promotion, building high-capacity wagons, 1965 onwards, working conditions, good, supervising in paint shop, superintendent Mr. Baldry, line side gear production; Darlington works closure, Shildon Works closure [00:05:20], meetings, possibility of saving Works, NUR involvement; post closure, seeking another job; [00:08:50] 1975 celebrations, Stockton and Darlington 150th anniversary, steward, enjoyable, fantastic, paintings, Sans Pareil painting by John Slater; [00:10:00] life in Shildon, social life, church warden, cinemas, good football team, lots to do but a lot of people in the town; [00:12:30] after works closure, lot of people moved away, wife worked at clothing factory which closed, other closures; [00:13:00] childhood, Sunday School, playing; snow drifts, 15-foot drifts, cut-off from Darlington, snow ploughing; [00:16:20] father’s job, fitter at different firms, visit to Woolsingham Works; [00:17:50] Shildon shops, high street, Mr Pigs store, Mr Crookes chemists, Turnbull General Dealers; [00:18:40] religion, chapel, change in religious interest; [00:19:30] living in Shildon, changed, Works closure affected the area, community revolved around the Works; [00:21:20] meeting a Zambian railway worker who stayed with BE, BE’s wife contributing to interview; church visit; more details of meeting with a railway worker from Zambia [00:31:26]

Time Tracks, Shildon Railway Village Community Project was an initiative funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund that encouraged members of the public to bring photographs and documents at Locomotion to form a community archive, when Locomotion museum was opened in Shildon, 2004. Over 50 oral history interviews were also recorded with members of the community. They shared their memories of Shildon as they knew it in their childhood and throughout their lives, from as early as the 1920s, as well as their work experiences in local factories and industries, including Shildon railway works.