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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Durham => Topic started by: Cloud on Thursday 27 February 25 15:32 GMT (UK)
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A storyboard on the Haswell to Hart railway footpath has this info about Crimdon "holiday makers could take a terrifying "aerial flight" from the clifftop to the beach". I have tried Durham Archives at "The Story", Hartlepool Central Library and Hartlepool Library Local Studies Centre at Sir William Grey House but no one has any knowledge of such a thing.
I should be very grateful if anyone has more information e.g. date, but especially a photograph.
Thank you in advance, Yvonne
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https://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/routeslinkswalks/durham-coastal-footpath-walking-route
under the bottom photo is mention of an aerial flight.
Could an old remainder of the coal industry have been turned into a tourist attraction. 🤔
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Thank you for taking the time to investigate and your reply. Crimdon never had a colliery. However, your right, theirs could have been inspired by the aerial flights delivering colliery waste onto the beach further north at Easington and Blackhall. Other than its mention on this storyboard I've yet to find any solid evidence of its existence either written, in local memory or a photograph.
Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you and best wishes, Yvonne
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I suppose it could be read that the holiday makers were staying in Crimdon but the attraction was elsewhere, they even may have had to take a train to get there.
Image of aerial flight.
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1610042
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https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3030262
Info on buckets.
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I grew up in Horden which also had an aerial flight dumping coal mine waste into the sea. That's how the coal ended up being washed up by the waves and could be picked up or even shovelled up into lorries.
Useful for kids searching for fossils which were mostly Tree Fern bark and frond images but also once my mate found a stone with three footprints on it. Each print about a cm long.
I recall seeing a postcard advertising the beach at the end of Castle Eden dene being suitable for holidays! Even now I doubt whether the beach is clear of coal particles and black slime.
We used to take the bus to Crimdon dene to go swimming etc. I recall coming out of the sea once and every hair on my body was covered in coal dust making me look very hairy which I was not. Had to get back in to wash it off.
Ask I recall the "cliff" at Crimson is of no great hight and the slope to the beach is slight so it does not sound a great place for any sort of Zip Wire. When was it supposed to have been in operation?
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Like you I remember in the late 50's and early 60's coming out of the sea at Crimdon covered in coal dust. I have no idea when this holidaymakers "aerial flight" was supposed to be in operation. Visitors / holidaymakers have been visiting Blackhall Rocks and Crimdon long before the holiday camp was opened. Maybe it was during the early days of the holiday camp development. I imagine it to be similar to a ski lift, perhaps!! Or as it's described as "terrifying" maybe more like a zip wire. But my question is who knows? The only place I've seen it mentioned is on a storyboard on the Haswell to Hart railway footpath; I think the storyboard was located near Monk Hesleden. Unfortunately there was no photo on the storyboard. See photo attached of storyboard.
Hopefully someone in their late 80's or 90's (years old) may remember it.
Thanks for your interest. Best wishes, Yvonne
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At least one of the links I gave mention the film Get Carter.
There is a photo here showing what must be the aeriel flight. A cable with buckets.
Looks like good fun . >:(
https://www.thegentlemansjournal.com/article/get-carter-at-50-inside-story-british-gangster-classic-michael-caine/
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I've checked newspapers for mentions of Crimdon Dene from 1920 to 1950 and found no mention of any aerial ride for holidaymakers.
I suspect someone may have heard of the coal mines Aerial Flights and got mixed up as to what they actually were.
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Ha ha!! Those aerial flights were for dumping colliery waste onto the beach. The buckets turned upside down to drop the waste from a great height. That would be really "terrifying" for the holidaymakers; even in early days it would be against health and safety regulations. Hopefully at Crimdon it was more like a chair-lift.
I'm beginning to think the same Spelk i.e. that it's a mix up. Although the storyboards are official; not sure if they were erected by Durham County Council, Hartlepool Council or as part of the "Turning the Tide" programme.
Best wishes, Yvonne