Audio cassette, copy of BBC Radio 4 programme 'Down Your Way' on Shildon

Audio cassette, copy of a 25 minutes extract from BBC Radio 4 programme 'Down Your Way' broadcast on 22 February 1976. In this extract, the presenter, Brian Johnston, who is visiting Shildon for this specific broadcast, is interviewing Jeff Brecknell (Shildon railway works manager), as well as David Kell, Ethel Malcolm, Cecil Atwood, Bill Giles, Frank Thompson and Charlie Raine. Detailed content: Introduction: Shildon, population 15000, between Darlington and Bishop Auckland, first railway town, industries, countryside around [00:01:10] British Rail Engineering Works; interview with Works’s Manager Jeff Brecknell (JB), 58 acre site, 11 acres covered, 2600 staff, repair and make wagons, freight works entirely, modern wagon design, workforce background, family atmosphere, site of place where first passenger train in the World left (1825), why Shildon, first passenger train details, details of engine Locomotion, details of Timothy Hackworth, Timothy Hackworth’s house/museum details; [00:06:00] interview with David Kell (DK), writer of the song The Iron Road; song written with a friend from the group Geordie Penker, explanation of “Penker”, DK works in Accounts section at the Works, family background, memories of 150th Celebrations, DK runs Methodist Youth Club, little socially for young people, boxing club in Shildon; [00:09:40] interview with Miss Ethel Malcolm, ex-school mistress, employed from 1922, seeing miners in the town, memories of father (a miner), memories of children, boot fund for children, memories of depression, fun in the classroom; [00:13:30] interview with Cecil Atwood (CA), Managing Director of paint factory; view from factory includes first railway station in the World, 750 employees, mostly local people, reasons CA has a paint factory, types of paint produced, views about Shildon, interest in horses, show jumping and horse racing links, horse breeding details [00:17:50] interview with Bill Giles, a railway man, pigeon breeder, details of breeding, pigeon fanciers in the North-East, racing pigeons; [00:20:00] interview with Frankie Thompson, a railway man, whippet Club member, whippet racing details, whippet sizes [00:21:10] interview with Charlie Raine, entertainer, ex-boxer, Railway Championship boxing winner, decline in number of boxers, experience as a comedian, singing of George Roby’s song “In other Words”, memories of George Roby, performances now [00:25:32] [end of recording]