The Industrial Rise & Catastrophic Fall of Newcastle’s West End

[@Thoushaltplaymore]

This is tv documentary worthy !

[@ianeagleburger3724]

As a born and bred Southerner I have tenuous links to this area but my old man was born in Wallsend and came down to East London in the 1920s! He only went back for weddings, funerals etc. but for some reason these nostalgic videos tug at my heart strings. On a humorous note he used to sing the cockney interpretation of the Blaydon Races, the cockneys not knowing Blaydon thought they were singing " Ganning along the Scotswood road to see the bleedin rices.

[@TynesideLife]

😂 thanks for sharing Ian 👊🏻👍🏻

[@Mistressofthegroove]

Im 56 and lived in high rise flat in Benwell with my parents in the 70s, left home at 17 after my dad died and got a flat in the Beeches Cruddas Park, lived with my fiance in a flat in Buddle Street, walked along Scotswood Road to College and back, I remember all the terraces and the pubs. Drank in the Robin Adair, the Villa Victoria and the Chieftain on the shopping centre. Walked to Newcastle to work when the Benwell riots happened and the buses refused to go to the area. This video has made me very sad and nostalgic. The people were the best and I have fond memories. Best video I have seen on the area. Keep them coming!

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you for sharing this

[@nicolastelferguimera]

Great video, I’m from Spain and went to Newcastle College in 2003. I lived for 2 years in one of those student accommodation flats in Crudas Park! didn’t know then anything about the history of the area. Great content! Geordie forever

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Nicolas 👊🏻👍🏻

[@kenneyraikkonen]

Vamos nicolas

[@helenaconway9738]

U said there was a difference between being poor and poverty, what's the difference between Biker and Scotchy ?

[@kenneyraikkonen]

@@helenaconway9738 byker is a shit hole. Scotchy is the land of the greats

[@neilthomas9244]

I'm an old Welshman, but I remember Geordie coal miners in South Wales, because of the closure of local mines. Same as it ever was, the working class get the short end of the stick.

[@louisdale7115]

IT MADE ME SAD AS AN 82-YEAR-OLD MAN, Born and bred in Elswick we had a good life.😪Thanks for your video although sad I had some nice memories.👍👍

[@MichaelCampin]

Vickers or Vickers Armstrongs got their welding jig from Krupps in 1919 which was repatriated to the UK after the end of WWI. I think it was kept until comparatively recently, when Armstrongs ceased being in the West End

[@HugoHome67]

Born in the general hospital , first 3 houses were in Elswick then Scotswood , moved to Blakelaw when I was 16 until I left home at 21 and got my first flat in Benwell until I was 29 . I could see the writing was on the wall and there was no way I was bringing my kids up in my beloved west end . Moved to Cramlington and love it here but the west end still tugs on my heartstrings , I still drive through it at least once a week varying my routes and I find it hard to believe the state of it . We all know who and what's to blame , no it's not what you think !! It's the likes of the government and local councils who have allowed this decimation of the area , they only care for themselves and don't have to live among it . Don't get me on or I'll be here all week . Brilliant video as usual Eddie .

[@TynesideLife]

Thanks for sharing bud 👍🏻

[@kevh7941]

High levels of immigration by ant chance?

[@tomonetruth]

@@kevh7941 No, just decades without sufficient public investment. The immigrants came after the decline, because the place became undesirable, and therefore cheap. That said, Newcastle doesn't suffer from many of the social cohesion problems that some towns in the north-west do, for instance.

[@badofcheese]

@@kevh7941You literally read the comment that tried to knock your racism on the head and just decided to crack on with it anyway. Away to vote for the Toad with you.

[@kevh7941]

@@badofcheese my racism? Mentioning the word 'immigration' and the race card comes out. Typical lefty come back right there. Keep your head buried firmly in the sand with your lefty world view and us on the right will vote our way out of this mess.

[@ShackleJC]

I lived in Northbourne Street (Elswick) from the '70s till the '90s, which brought back a lot of memories, Vickers used to test their tanks up & down the street, as it was that steep. I used to knock around Noble Street, till it got pulled down, very bad place to live in. not much left of the old West end now.

[@Geordie_Peter]

Excellent video Eddie, I was born in Arthurs Hill in 1958 and I went to Rutherford school, I remember one day a Tank from Vickers came rumbling down the West road, the whole school was shaking. It was a bit sad when you highlighted the demise of the heavy industry that kept people so many people employed, If Vickers were still going the West end would be a different place today .

[@TynesideLife]

Aye, the area did come across as quite sad now unfortunately

[@michaels09]

I was born and raised in Arthur’s hill. Absolute dump of a place.

[@executivehire]

I went to Rutherford too from 1967 to 73

[@christinehales4222]

We had to choose 3 schools to go to ,aged 11 . Rutherford was always top of the list but I went to Kenton - loved it

[@Nill2323-l8s]

Makes you realise that today’s problems aren’t all recent… very much needed to understand this. Thanks for the video!

[@biGGLew]

My grandad still lives on ladykirk road and I lived most of my early life off the west road on Baldwin avenue. I left Newcastle 10 years ago but always return to see my grandad it just feels like the west road and areas go from bad to increasingly worse. The rubbish on the old remaining terrace streets is absolutely shocking, you mention poverty but poverty was always there. Some horrible people moved into the area and have really dragged the place down.

[@TynesideLife]

I try to tell the story of the difference between being poor and poverty. Up until the 1970’s people had work. They were poor but proud. Like other council estates, of which I grew up, families didn’t know they were poor. The destruction of the west end has left living people in abject poverty and a destroyed community

[@MohammedAli-lq6yr]

I live on ladykirk it's a piece of shit road now

[@richiehall4832]

Another great video Eddie lad, Im Born and Bred west end, Sctchy and Benwell have lost their identities and the west rd has been lost to other cultures, lack of investment and employment and moving out of families has destroyed the communities we had.

[@TynesideLife]

Thanks for sharing Richie 👍🏻

[@eclipse7436]

​@@listeyThey treat it like a public skip!

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

@@listey the long term effects of multi culturalism have yet to be seen .....-we cant say at this point whether it is a positive or negative . .. . -for example have you ever been to London ...?

[@boyfromblackstuff7859]

​@@listey Many countries around the world are still mono cultures and are perfectly functioning. This country of my birth is in a controlled deconstruction in every aspect!

[@royfontaine5526]

@@listey😂

[@northernmonkey176]

Great video! I was a design engineer at Vickers, on the tanks for ten years. I lived in the West End but the crime and violence got too much and so I packed my bags in the nineties. I hated seeing the old pubs being torched. It all seemed to implode. I'm settled now in Singapore but I still feel sad that so much was thrown away - for nowt.

[@TynesideLife]

Thanks for sharing bud 🙏👊🏻

[@stuco81]

Has that knowledge gone forever? I see the 'new' tanks (tarted up Challenger 2s) are being built by Rheinmettal. And General Dynamics have made a complete hash-up of the new Ajax fighting vehicle.

[@chrisdixon9697]

Well done Eddie, great video and some excellent archive footage that I've never seen before. I was born on Gerald St in 1951, the extended family occupied three homes within 50yards or each other, Gerald St, Armstrong Rd and Joan St. The two most abiding memories I have of those days were my chronic respiratory problems involving many prolonged stays in Newcastle General. This was cured by moving to Fenham when I was 9 years old. The water running down the walls, the freezing draughty rooms and chronic air pollution undoubtedly the main cause of my health problems. Some days the air itself was an orangy yellow colour, from the factory chimneys and open coal fires in all the houses. The other memory was learning that not ALL the local women were my Aunties, I was in my early teens before this fact dawned on me :) Happy days??? (but it could have been a short life).

[@TynesideLife]

Haha! I love that. Thanks for sharing Chris 👊🏻👍🏻

[@HedleyOnTheHill]

Im 18 years old now and I remember when my grandma used to live up Scotswood way in one of the remaining houses, I used to play out with some of the local kids there. We used to sneak through the fenced off areas where the new builds are being developed on Atkinson Road. It was a weird feeling knowing how rich the history was where we stood and played compared to what remains. Brilliant documentary mate.

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers 👊🏻👍🏻

[@jonnyrobb6003]

Thoroughly enjoyed that mate, absolutely great job! 👍

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Jonny 👊🏻👍🏻

[@demonhuntergeneral]

Superb video Eddie, being born and raised in Scotswood I loved the area. Growing up there in the 80’s and 90’s was fantastic we were all one big community then the council decided again to take it all away and disperse friends and families

[@TynesideLife]

👊🏻👍🏻

[@robertcooper3491]

AYE …friggin council’s everywhere have a lot to answer for

[@-GeordieDan-]

Great video, Eddie. I did my uni dissertation on the war effort and heavy industry of Tyneside during WWII. I was able to handle original Vickers-Armstrong production plans stored in the Tyne & Wear Archives. The strong smell of smoke on them was amazing after all the years gone by. It really connected you to the past, making it very real.

[@TynesideLife]

Were there any attempts to bomb the factories?

[@-GeordieDan-]

@@TynesideLife Vickers was targeted, however luckily never hit. Though the Luftwaffe did come close in April 1941 during the Newcastle Blitz, when they targeted heavy industry along the Tyne (including the newly built aircraft carrier, HMS Victorious). Fortunately Vickers-Armstrong and the Victorious were not hit. Though sadly, during the raid civilians were killed as houses were hit around Tyneside. Such as the raid of April 25th 1941, where 47 people were killed in one night. I recommend a few books on this including Tyneside at War by Clive Hardy/Paul Harris and Tyneside In The Second World War by Craig Armstrong.

[@TynesideLife]

@@-GeordieDan- thank you Dan 👍🏻

[@-GeordieDan-]

@@TynesideLife No probs, Eddie! 👍

[@gazof-the-north1980]

I'm from Hexham (a town 20 miles West of Elswick) but I once worked with someone who told me that Benwell was actually a nice area in days-gone-by. But the council moved a load of "wrong un's" into the area in the 70's and it went down hill quicky?

[@rtphotoshh6032]

Spot on as that is what happened

[@hoyhoytoo6772]

Eddy A fascinating look into another area of my favourite English City. I’m a new subscriber and look forward to viewing your back catalogue.

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you 🙏 👊🏻

[@CaptainChuckles]

My grandad was a works Policeman (security ) for Vickers after the 2nd War and he told us some hilarious stories about the blokes who tried to smuggle stuff out. Like the winter of 48 a bloke in a ex army greatcoat fell over by the gate the security lads and his mates could not lift him up he was that heavy with the amount of brass offcuts stuffed in his coat. Another one with an army great coat and a flat cap was a tall thin bloke held up by two of his mates when checked it was a oxygen gas bottle with a coat hanger attached to bulk it out. My grandad loved that job and strangely he was always well liked even thogh he did a security role. The lads gave him a great send off when he retired we went to pick him up from the pub and he was well pickled. Happy days different times.

[@TynesideLife]

😂 thanks for sharing bud 👊🏻👍🏻

[@WOLFIE-96B-UK]

Fantastic video Eddie, thoroughly researched and professionally presented. Our city has been through some bad times but the Geordie spirit and pride will always be there.

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers bud 👊🏻👍🏻

My Uncle & Aunt & cousins lived in James St. Elswick in the 50s/60s, I used to visit a lot and had some very happy childhood times there, everyone knew their neighbours an all looked out for each others kids. It was a very friendly close community.

[@nilpoints]

This was a grim reminder. Basically a video about why I and so many others left Tyneside for an new life. The loss of heavy industry caused a sizable Geordie diaspora.

[@thomasgraham1221]

Great video Eddie, love how you give care to detail of Newcastle upon Tyne and Newcastle United. I’m a west end lad living in Fenham, Newbiggin Hall and now West Denton. Area needs investment, care and community initiatives created

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Thomas 👊🏻👍🏻

[@carh8069]

My late mother in law worked in Vickers during the war , she inspected the shells , she wrote an article for a booklet called Voices from Vickers . My husband previously worked there on the big horizontal borers.

[@TynesideLife]

Thanks for sharing 👊🏻👍🏻

[@kaidowney4967]

Newcastle has changed so much, I remember when my dad used to take me to watch the motorbikes pulling wheelies etc on Westgate Road, the crowds of people used to line the streets, there's nothing like that now!

[@steverae68]

Absolutely excellent video. I remember the riots on the 80’s in Meadowell and elswick. I’m a Wallsend lad born in the early 70’s so although not from the west end, I have fond memories of Newcastle in the late 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Such a shame what happened to the area.

[@tommyduk1779]

They're running East to West because people like evening sunlight. Eddie, I love that you've done this. Top quality research, great footage from back in the day. Perhaps you could look for some modern-day positives. We're a resilient bunch; some interviews with West-End residents might have added some perspective, and an element of hope.

[@TynesideLife]

I was hoping to get a couple of interviews on there as I enjoy interviewing folk, but the ones I asked wouldn’t go on camera and they only had negative things to say about the area anyway 🤷🏻‍♂️ It’s a task that’s easier said than done. I hoped to have added some optimism at the end when I was discussing the new builds, new hopes and new communities 👍🏻

[@dominicharvey1590]

Thanks for sharing Eddy. I grew up in Gateshead and then Fenham from 1972 to 1981 before joining the Army so it was nice to relive some memories 😊

[@robcavenphotography5231]

Great video Eddie! Love these retrospective looks back blending into the modern, especially now as an ex-pat living in NZ. I was born in the General in '71, Nan lived in Sutton Dwellings (gone now) just over Barrack Road from the stadium, and our last house in Newcastle was just off Elswick Road, loved the place. I look at your match day videos outside the stadium and I'm blown away by the changes, even from the mid-90's. Going back further to my childhood stomping grounds, it is a strange thing to only see the bare bones of what used to be, unsettling and encouraging at the same time. Progress I guess.

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Rob. Aye, things have changed a lot!

[@tommaley530]

Great video Eddie, I subcontracted for Vickers in the Eighties and worked for few years for an engineering design agency who were all ex Vickers Engineers, all brilliant engineers, I learned a lot from these guys, it could rise again one day, the talent is still there.

[@TynesideLife]

Thanks for sharing Tom 👍🏻

[@bodinski100]

i never knew any of this Eddie..i'm a geordie....you are doin gods work mate....a likeable geordie taking pride in his region....and once its on the internet its here forever...cheers for this mate....could watch stuff like this all day. HWTL

[@TynesideLife]

🙏☝️👊🏻👍🏻

[@terrybutler1096]

Hi Eddy I was born at home in Ramshaw Street , Elswick in1948, which was between St. Michael's RC Church and North/South Westmorland Road and Scotswood Road . Leaving there to go to the new estate in Longbenton when `I was 7. I remember my granda Bob taking me to Vickers Armstrongs where he worked on the Chieftain Tank. I sat on the turret above the main gun. A long long time ago to me now. A great video, you brought it all back to me. Thanks

[@TynesideLife]

Thanks for sharing Terry 🙏👊🏻

[@AmbiguousMrE]

When I lived in Elswick it was rough AF and Paddy ran the pub around from my house on Northbourne Street. Not been back in years.

[@AmbiguousMrE]

@@davidknowles7466 I know Bull, he and Paddy always were good to me, and I remember the shopkeeper at the bottom of the street, Mrs Singh, liked them.

[@steviepee8624]

@@AmbiguousMrE my mam used to work for me Singh and his daughter was in the year above me at school…needless to say she was a very intelligent young lady….lovely family

[@MONTYMAGPIE2K15]

​@@AmbiguousMrE look at paddy now in his 60s sitting in some grubby shed being m8s with a convicted sex offender and grassing on everyone going 😂😂 paddy is nowt but a scruffy old grass

[@proudtobeageordie9490]

I'm pretty sure the 1st black and white clip of the 3 youngins going in to the shop am sure the 1st lad is paddy when he was a child he mentioned it in one of his videos

[@sandykenuk]

Very interesting to me, although I was raised in Manchester, a massive part of my family was from in a around the Jarrow area, and most of them worked in the ship yards and mines. The family history goes back a long way, even having 2 of the family being on the Jarrow march. So thanks for this, I can pass this family history, on to my children and 15 grandchildren.

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you for sharing Sandy 👍🏻

[@Abigail-bb3tr]

Great one Eddy. Interesting new info for me on the Swing Bridge with the original Georgian bridge stone arches. Aww the little laddies eyeing up the toffee cakes in the Newsagents.

[@TynesideLife]

Glad you enjoyed it Abigail

[@steviepee8624]

Brought back floods of memories this vid….also why I joined the RAF as soon as I could to get away from all that…another good video thanks Eddy… it’s triggered me to watch our friends from the north again….keep them coming Eddy ❤

[@TynesideLife]

Glad you enjoyed it Stevie 👊🏻👍🏻

[@ADZ01982]

Alot of people moved out to the newer estates like Newbiggin Hall Kenton Bar which was new estates on the 1960s. Great video. Always have been interested in the West End.

[@stephenbrown5844]

Absolutely fantastic my friend. Beautifully put😊❤❤💚👌🇬🇧🇬🇧and a perfectly made program....

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Stephen 👊🏻👍🏻

[@Ashtonionated]

Nice one, Eddie, this was great. More please

[@TynesideLife]

👊🏻👍🏻

[@georgewalker7884]

Great video Eddie as a lad from the west end you've told the story of our area well. 👍

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you George 🙏

[@patmillar961]

I'd describe it as bereft! Generations of both sides of my family lived there and some still do. It breaks my heart to see it now. They pulled down what they described as slums and that's fair enough but the people who once lived in those houses had pride in their homes and the streets they lived in. Sad to see it now...but grateful for the memories I have. Great video. Thank you 👍

[@TynesideLife]

☝️👊🏻👍🏻

[@marcusoreallly]

Yes. Keep going, Eddy. You're going to blow up. Love it. Your channel keeps getting better and better.

[@TynesideLife]

🙏👊🏻👍🏻

[@marcusoreallly]

You're around my age. The punk rock era. We understand cycles. However, I truly believe Newcastle will see a big trophy in our lifetime.

[@TynesideLife]

@@marcusoreallly me too 🤞🏻

[@Tad1945]

Thank you so much for this I used work in the West End area. I’m from the byker area myself I grew up in the 70s.

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Ted. Releasing my Byker Wall video this week 👍🏻

[@Tad1945]

@@TynesideLife That will be very interesting mate thanks 👍. I look very forward seeing it. Just subbed 👊👍.

[@Biking360]

This is part of a fascinating series and one you should be proud of. I am from Yorkshire but lived in Newcastle, including Benwell, for 20 years. Both my lads were born in Newcastle and are proud Geordies. God bless. JP

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you 🙏 👊🏻

[@Henry-jp3mc]

Fascinating history. I grew up in Scotswood Benwell and Elswick. I remember seing a car on fire and the post office being robbed at gun point in the 90s. It was a interesting childhood. 😂

[@TynesideLife]

Thanks for sharing Henry 👍🏻

[@Dave-ug9bh]

Fancy seeing you here buddy 😄

[@moiragoldsmith7052]

So it was you, you little flamer! 😂😂

[@kevin4havis]

Amazing video Eddy, your back to your best. The information and videography are combined to perfection.

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you 🙏 👊🏻👍🏻

[@stephenbilclough759]

Thanks for that Eddy A brilliant video as always. Keep them coming.

[@TynesideLife]

👊🏻👍🏻

[@ianjames9166]

Fascinating video, Eddy, very well done. You were born to do this.

[@TynesideLife]

Haha! Cheers Ian 🙏👊🏻

[@derekoetting4245]

Mitchells bearings is no longer on scotchy road either. Dont care what anyone says labour let the whole of the westend of newcastle down and i can't stand labour for that. Community's that were together for a very long time all dispersed. Thanks for doing this eddie

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you Derek 👊🏻

[@derekoetting4245]

@@TynesideLife no problem eddie i grew up in deleval gardens where the new builds are in scotswood. I have not had a sense of community ever since. It had everything there many schools libraries baths sports centres parks youth clubs so you can see why people who grew up there are angry. And to call it the rise is and absolute piss take after it was there failures that brought it to and end.

[@HugoHome67]

Agree completely mate , Labour never cared , they pretend they care with all of the false promises but never carry them through. Voted Labour until my fifties and finally woke up and voted Tory but it turns out I was wrong about them also judging by what's going on these days .

[@boyfromblackstuff7859]

​@@HugoHome67Labour, Tories,it matters not, they are all members of the Fabian Society. Democracy is an illusion. Parliament is not running this country and hasn't been for roughly two centuries.

[@proudtobeageordie9490]

​@@HugoHome67there no difference between the two partys there exactly the same it's sad

[@gorillaz308]

I’m 30 years old, grown up in North Tyneside. I’m very passionate about where I live and was raised. These videos are great, very informative and interesting. Keep them coming! Subscribed.

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you 👊🏻👍🏻

[@jamesrussell4772]

worked at Vickers Armstrong's in 1965 after leaving school for a couple of years. Bit of a hike for a 15 yr old from Cramlington.

[@northeastpyro8796]

Ny grandad George William mcdonald worked there if you can remember his name. This would be amazing

[@PSYCHICLJLULUSCOPE]

Loved this it was like going back in time , My Dad was born & bred on Scotswood road , New Subscriber ;)

[@TynesideLife]

🙏👊🏻👍🏻

[@melonycrumpet]

Loved the video Eddy, well done and looking forward to seeing more 🍉👍🍉

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you 🙏

[@williamanderson5437]

Very Well presented Eddie, Another classic on Geordie Life. How about covering some of the Tyneside locations (and outlying such as Beamish locations), where the Brilliant series (all four), of 'When The Boat Comes In' were filmed - those that still survive - apart from three books (by James Mitchell), there has been little to accompany this 5* Wonderful production. Cheers, keep your magnificient videos coming.

[@TynesideLife]

👍🏻 will do Bill

[@nautilus4599]

Excellent content! So glad you’re back! 👍

[@TynesideLife]

🙏👊🏻👍🏻

[@Flyingwithoutmings]

Great video. Lived in Newcastle for 3 years and am familiar with almost all of it other than the west end.

[@christopherclark383]

Fantastic! Love the way the channel has pivoted!

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Chris 👊🏻👍🏻

[@liamrobinson1056]

Iv just relocated from hull to the new builds at the end off your video, all positive so far lovely place to live, just need to sort out the local shops again and a decent local pub and it will be perfect, quiet and grate place to bring my young family off 4 up

[@jackstraughan24]

Fantastic video Eddy, brilliant editing! Love your historical content

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Jack 👊🏻👍🏻

[@christopherspoors894]

Thanks for the video and research, I only knew a little bit about it, thanks again

[@chrisTombo31]

Top journalist Eddy. Allways interesting and factual. Keep it up Ed

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Chris 👊🏻👍🏻

[@Zharkov1969A]

I was living in Fenham back in 1991. I remember it well.

[@DMid-d2q]

Good video, grew up in scotchy just behind where your stood up the hill, so different now, drove through it a few month back was down there watching Blue Star

[@alancurry4161]

Nice one Eddie, really love this new direction you’ve taken. For someone living abroad like me it’s even more informative. I’ll be walking the full length of Hadrian’s wall in 4 days again in May and the final days walk along the banks of the Tyne still gives me shivers only a Geordie would understand. Keep them coming mate

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Alan. The Hadrian’s way walk is on my list and I’ve already done the research and planning for a 6 day walk. I’ll be doing the West Highland Way May/June. 4 days is a good effort 👍🏻

[@7kingkev]

Another great informative video Eddie ,keep up your great work,keep posting !

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you 👊🏻👍🏻

[@raymondrichardson6061]

Eddie, TV has to come calling for you soon. Great stuff. I got promoted to Sgt there, in 2000. Never worked North of the Tyne before. Absolutely loved it . The West Rd Police Station Station, was on the site of a Roman station. So many architectural gems still left from the old money industrialists. The ethnic diversity had an absolute energy to it, with an East European influence increasingly coming in, to the Asian and indigenous mix, and a few “ Get Carter” locations. I guess change is the only constant, but it holds only fond memories for me.

[@TynesideLife]

Haha! I doubt it. I’m best as a lone wolf. Thanks for sharing the history 👊🏻👍🏻

[@GaryG-gk2dp]

Absolutely love your channel. Born in Wallsend 1961 and live in Brisbane now but always love coming home to the toon. Keep up the fantastic videos 👍

[@DerekSkelton]

A superb piece of work

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you Derek 🙏👊🏻

[@bluesscribe]

I used to stay at my half cousin's house in Benwell when I was in my late teens going out with him, and his friends. Great times, and no trouble. His Father had worked at the galvanising plant down at Elswick. We were in Leah Bell's parent's home for New Year's Eve once. I would have liked to have seen photo credit for Jimmy Forsyth's photographs that are used.

[@Littlemoo403]

Eddie great video 👍🏽 watching from the tower blocks on Scotwood Road 😊

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers 👊🏻👍🏻

[@One.man.one.leg.casting]

Great videos these really informative and interesting about the local area well done 👍

[@RobertHeslop]

Fascinating learning more and more about the very city in which I'm from

[@TynesideLife]

👊🏻👍🏻

[@Magspanner]

How did they get away with painting the swing bridge red and white? My great grandmother lived in one of the tower blocks and it was horrible. It would be nice to have a documentary about Sunderland and Middlesbrough to compare the same social development period as you have done with Newcastle. I live in Washington which is a Newtown place and fully developed now, but even when the first tower blocks were put up next to scotswood road, it didn't exist. This type of resource is priceless and you have done it really well, well done.

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you 🙏 👊🏻👍🏻

[@terracehead]

Great vid, sir. More of this please.

[@TynesideLife]

🫡

[@ToonBano]

Enjoyed that Eddy. I grew up in Benwell in the late 80s and early 90s. Moved away completely but I'm back in Denton now for a couple of years. Hopefully they keep making more and more new builds as the contrast is stark. Long way to go.

[@geoffburlinson8909]

Great video Eddie, thanks for all your hard work and a trip down memory lane. 👍👍👍

[@TynesideLife]

🙏👊🏻👍🏻

[@thefordster1]

9:04 I saw you recording this bit. I was driving the bus when you was recording

[@TynesideLife]

😃👍🏻

[@RUTLEP1]

Really interesting to watch some of the north east past and see how things have changed over time be-it for better or worse. Great job Eddy

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers 👊🏻👍🏻

[@johnorange3797]

Such a brilliant video Eddie I'm a born and bred Scotswood lad I've lived here my whole life, I was amazed at all our previous history although I've herd many a story about the old Scotswood road It was great to see it in such depth, so thank you once again for all your hard work mate and keep them coming 🖤🤍

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers John 🙏👊🏻

[@abd9633]

Great video, you deserve a tv documentary series

[@TynesideLife]

😅👊🏻👍🏻

[@magscheshire8375]

Definitely a good move with the documentary style approach. Really enjoyed this video mate

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers bud 👊🏻👍🏻

[@alanurwin7619]

Great video Eddie! Keep up the good work 👍

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Alan 👊🏻👍🏻

[@fenham]

I was born in Elswick in the mid-50s and lived in Scotswood until I think the mid 60s when we moved up the hill to Fenham. Went to school in Benwell (admittedly a grammar school). I stayed in Fenham until I migrated to Australia in the early 80s. Did not return to Newcastle until the early 2000s for a visit. Scotswood is unrecognisable these days. The street on which I lived no longer exists it’s a bit of tarmac and green grass basically a carpark. Thanks Eddy

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you for sharing 👊🏻👍🏻

[@Flukey_1970]

Brilliant video mate! very interesting. I used to work in Michell Bearings back in the 90 and obviously back then the Vickers factory was still working as well.

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Martin 👊🏻👍🏻

[@binhvu147]

Great video. I currently live in a new build area called The Rise in Scootwood. To be honest, I did not know much about the history of the area before until this video. I am happy now with the community we have here. Most of the people in the new build are not local but very much diversity. I hope the area is rising again.

[@TynesideLife]

☝️👊🏻

[@hereIam1965]

Born 65 & lived just west to scotchy. I recall around mid 70s picking up parts for a van with my dad on the quayside at the vehicle scrap yards. The same place now is where the new pub/ restaurant overlooks the Tyne, The pitcher & piano . The contrast now to the cobbled walkway lined with high sheds with rail lines bedded in Soaked in mud and oils in mid winter is poles apart .

[@keithrichardsom1898]

Fantastic Eddie I remember the West end during my childhood and especially Scotwood Road fantastic memories well done again

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Keith 👊🏻👍🏻

[@livingonthetyne]

Yes Eddie, this is the content I love. Great video and well made, LOVE the history.

[@TynesideLife]

That’s appreciated pal 👊🏻👍🏻

[@lauraditchburn1857]

I've just found your video and I love it. Although Im probably a bit 'posh' now I still love to go to the Benwell shops for a slice of real life (and some shopping). Its so busy its clearly serving the needs of people who live there. Im not ignoring the deprivation and hardship but I enjoy the richness, friendliness and diversity of the area. I like to take my 4 year old grandson there and I find people are so warm and friendly towards him.

[@TynesideLife]

Lovely message thank you Laura

[@scarymac9423]

Was at northumbria uni and lived in Cruddas Park (The Larches) in 1993. Occasionally went drinking in The Chieftain and The Broken Doll. Dodgy af at times, but God I loved the view from the 12th floor all along the river. I even got to see the famous fog on the Tyne. Glad I found your channel, I still miss Newcastle 26 years after leaving

[@TynesideLife]

☝️👊🏻👍🏻

[@dtfootball14]

Just came here after your Byker video and it’s sad to see that both the east and west ends of Newcastle have got like this. The Geordies are the friendliest people on Earth and deserve so much better than the areas they now have. Such a shame However, glad to drive through the west end and see that parts of it (Fenham) are looking good

[@TynesideLife]

👊🏻👍🏻

[@gordon4213]

Another cracking video Eddy, I lived on Grove st and started school at Cambridge St school at the bottom of Rye Hill. We were moved out mid sixties, lost my community for the sake of an inside bog 😢

[@TynesideLife]

Thanks for sharing 👊🏻👍🏻

[@martingreen331]

Great video. I worked in Scotswood in the 1980,s and it was a tough place with really great people. I hope it is on the rise again. Thanks for a really interesting trip down memory lane

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Martin 👊🏻👍🏻

[@adrian29459]

I've grown up in the West End, Denton Burn. Things are improving a little, Scotswood Dene is cleaner these days now with a parkrun on Saturdays. Scotswood Garden is a lovely feature, a part of John Marley Centre which is home to lots of groups, arts & classes plus a cheap & friendly gym

[@chrislibby5716]

We call it Denton Dene parkrun and its great to get along on a Saturday morning. Although I'm suffering from a long injury caused by 50+ years of sedentary living, having raced Big Bren in my School Days and Seb Coe from Uni Days. New Cafe in the Sir Bobby Robson Lounge worth a visit!

[@Jamie_A_Newcastle_Tenerife]

This is the best video you have put out yet for me. Well done Eddie💪🏼👏🏻

[@TynesideLife]

Thank you Jamie 🙏👊🏻

[@melonycrumpet]

1 minute in Eddy and I’m hooked….👍👍👍

[@robertbagrie1151]

Brilliant insight into the West End of Newcastle. Confession I am Tricky Geordie Nottingham Forests biggest Geordie Fan. Great topic of conversation when Newcastle and Forest meet. Apparently I am a rare species. Anyway concerning Scotswood Road. One of my Great Great Uncles used to own the Glasper Arms. I have a lot of documentation surrounding the pubs ownership and trading history. Anyway just a quick resume. Born Elswick 1952, went to Wingrove and Newcastle Cathedral School. Lived on Cedar Road, in Fenham. Moved to Newark 1964. Although he has moved away now my mate Steve Tansey came to Newark 1991, hows that for a coincidence. Keep up the great work. Follow your Footie exploits. Still follow my home town team's fortunes.

[@TynesideLife]

Cheers Rob and thanks for sharing 👊🏻👍🏻

[@lainealexander5927]

It's like the third world there now, I was working there this week, rough as funk!

[@TynesideLife]

👍🏻

[@TheEcholima07]

Aye, rubbish everywhere on the West Road, absolute pig sty now. People parking everywhere (including on zebra crossings). All kebab shops and barbers now.