June 15, 2010 Great North Run Finish

Ever wondered what the Finish line of the great North Run looks like at South Shields - well this is the view that awaits me in 12 weeks and it's a familiar one as I will be completing my 30th GNR in September.

My first run was in 1981 when i managed a time of 1hour 59 minutes ..... as you can see 30 years on and I'm still getting faster !!!

Please check out my sponsor site which isin aid of the Percy Hedley School in North Tyneside.

http://www.justgiving.com/Steve-Pratt

Percy Hedley School specialises in working with three distinct groups of children. Our work with children who have cerebral palsy is based on Conductive Education as practised at the Peto Institute in Budapest. Specialist teachers and therapists provide an integrated approach to working with children who have speech, language and communication difficulties and complex difficulties including dyspraxia, dyslexia and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). The school has considerable experience of working with children on the autistic spectrum who show the potential to access a group approach with support. Following our merger with Northern Counties School we have launched a new, highly specialised education provision for children with hearing impairment based at our secondary school provision.

Northern Counties School has a national reputation for excellent practice and provides education, therapy and care for children with hearing and visual impairment, complex needs and autism. The school specialises in a total communication approach.

June 09, 2010 St Hilda's Sundial

I came across this Sundial whilst in St Hilda's church grounds - not much of a story ... ut it is very old - 1724 it says on this side and on the front it says 1704. 

June 06, 2010 South Shields Old Town Hall

Here is a full view of the old Town hall at South Shields taken from near the market stalls - the church you can see in the background is St Hildas which will feature in future posts - the local colliery in South Shields was actually also named St Hildas Colliery  and closed in 1940.
The enterprising Simon Temple, Esq., first won a colliery here on the ground of the dean and chapter of Durham, which was hence called Chapter Main Colliery. The first coals were conveyed to the spout, amidst great rejoicings, on April 23, 1810. The great expense of the undertaking, however, compelled that gentleman to stop payment; when the concern fell into the hands of Messrs. Brown, of London, proprietors of Jarrow Colliery, and who sold the lease to Messrs. Devey. The present colliery belongs to Robert, William, and John Brandling, Esqrs. The pit was bottomed at the Bensham Seam in July, 1825; the shaft being about 143 fathoms deep. The average thickness of the seam is about 6 feet; and the workings extend to the south of the shaft, which is situated at a short distance from St. Hilda's church, South Shields. The strata rise towards the sea. The pumping engine is of 90 horse power; and there are two drawing engines, each of 30 horse power. There is also a steam-engine of 20 horse power in the mine. The shaft is divided into an upcast and downcast, by means of a brattice.

June 05, 2010 South Shields Market Place

This is the view from the centre of South Shields market place - obviously not on a market day. The building I am standing underneath sits at the centre of the square and in fact used to be South Shields Town Hall until 1910 when the magnificent new Town Hall was built. The old Town Hall was built in 1768 and the centre column pictured here  is reputed to be the remains of an earlier market cross.

April 17, 2010 Two Reds - Two Shields

A view across the River Tyne from North Shields to South Shields where two red objects can be seen.

The Red Buoy in the foreground is on the North Shileds side just along from the Fish Quay - Four huge red shipping buoys salvaged from the river have been installed on the land to the east of the fort, reclaimed in the nineteenth century. These are also acting as markers at the confluence of two national and one regional cycle routes.

The red object on the South Shields side is the Groyne which dates back to the 19th century - 1866 - South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade is formed, using the watch house on the South pier as their base. They were the first brigade to make a rescue using the breeches buoy. Also this year an outbreak of cholera badly affects the town.

April 01, 2010

South Shields ferry landing with the Tyne Pride ferry berthed - you can see the Customs House at South Shields just on the extreme left and the view down the river looking east (upstream) to the Readhead Shipyard at Tynedock.
The Oilrig 'AH001' is at the McNulty yard on the river for repair.

March 21, 2010 Marine College

South Shields College is also known as marine college, it specialises in maritime studies and has a worldwide reputation for the quality of its marine training. The first-rate teaching staff offer a very wide range of knowledge, skills and experience. Most have worked in the Merchant Navy and combine their industry expertise with up-to-date teaching methods.
You can see the old planetarium dome on the right which was used for naivigation training but with modern GPS advances it became redundant and all the equipment was relocated to the Wynyard Planetarium near Stockton.

march 20,2010 South Shields Zoo

South Shields Zoo complete with Panda & Elephant ... situated just below Crossgate, straight behind Wicks, not a place many people would find but it's on the cycle highway !!

March 18, 2010 Captains Wharfe

The old dock at South Shields which now is the redeveloped Captains Wharfe housing development. The dock now has these interesting steel galleons and the other interesting fact is that at this location you can stand on the 55N meridian which passes straight through South Shields before heading across the river through Wallsend, Gosforth & Newcastle

February 28, 2010 South Shields Groyne

South Shields groyne on a stormy High Tide - the waves where sweeping over the piers and you can see inside the piers the sea was still quite rough.
In the distance across the river you can see Tynemouth Priory and the statue to Lord Collingwood who took command of the British fleet after the death of Nelson at Trafalgar.

February 6, 2010 Great North

This is the view at the finish of the Great North Run lloking from the tented village out to the piers at the mouth of the Tyne at South Shields and Tynemouth. The Great North Run is the largest participation race in Europe and the biggest half marathon in the world.

Oh and I've done every one - all 29

February 3, 2010 Conversation Piece

This photo was taken on the seafront at South Shields and is part of a public work of art created by acclaimed Spanish sculptor, Juan Munoz in 1999. The 22 bronze life size figures command a superb view of South Shields harbour and the Tyne Piers, while greeting visitors from land and sea. They converse with each other, with those that come to meet them and in turn become the subject of conversation. Each figure weighs approximately a quarter of a tonne and stands 1.5 metres high.

Here's a link to more info

http://visitsouthshields.com/tag/conversation-piece/

January 24, 2010 Tynemouth Piers

The mouth of the River Tyne taken from near the end of the South Pier at South Shields - the pier on the left if on the North side of the river at Tynemouth.

January 18, 2010 South Shields Groyne & Tynemouth

This is the view from between the piers at South Shields looking over the Groyne and across the River to Tynemouth where you can see Tynemouth Priory and Lord Collingwoods memorial.