Snakes & Ladders
£7.45
1:16 Scale Ferguson TE 20
£39.95
Pull-along duck (with hat)
£8.95
Crook Station, Hope Street Crook, 1906
Crook Station had an overall roof before this - does anyone have any photos?
and in 1965 . . .
but sadly by September 1967 this was the scene at Crook
About Crook
Crook is a small market town in County Durham, England situated about 10 miles (16 km) south-west of Durham City.
From the beginnings of human settlement up until the early 19th century Crook was a small agricultural settlement. All this was to change drastically with the onset of the industrial revolution and the opening up of the West Durham Coalfield. From less than two hundred people in 1830 Crook grew to house over 10,000 before the century was out.
Almost as quickly as industrialisation came to Crook it went. From a peak in the early 1950s the coal and associated coke and brick industries rapidly declined so that by 1965 there was nothing left and even the railway (which was an extension of the Stockton and Darlington, the World’s first public railway) was closed down completely.
Now, some 30 years further on little remains to be seen of the industrial era – pitheaps have been levelled, fields restored, woodlands planted and railways converted to paths. Once again Crook is a country town, but still home to more than 9,000 people and growing once more.
Sheltered by the hills of the North Pennines, Crook lies a couple of miles (about 3 km.) north of the River Wear, on the A690 from Sunderland and Durham City. This turns into the A689 leading on up Weardale, through Wolsingham and Stanhope eventually reaching Alston in Cumbria
The North Pennines are designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
If you are considering a holiday or short break in the area have a look at the furnished holiday cottages and caravan site at Bradley Burn - beautifully located in rural Weardale but only a few minutes drive along the A689 west from Crook - and now with a new farm shop and restaurant.
Crook is the administrative centre of the Wear Valley, Crook Civic Centre on North Terrace being the headquarters of Wear Valley District Council. However, the Districts are slated for abolition by 2009 with the whole of the existing County Durham served by a single unitary authority run from County Hall in Durham City. Elections to a shadow authority" to versee the transition are to be held on May 1st. It remains to be seen what services will be provided from Crook, but if the Civic Centre became a a sort of "Branch County Hall" providing a "one stop shop" for all the services of the new Countywide Council it could turn out to be a good thing.
Crook has a famous amateur football team, Crook Town FC who play at the Millfield. Crook Town have won the FA Amateur Cup five times. Hopes are high for the new look Crook side in the Northern League 2nd division this season.There has also been a major refurbishment of the social club facilities. Meanwhile neighbours Tow Law are doing well in the First division.
For latest news on Crook visit the website of Crook's own weekly newspaper, The Wear Valley Mercury. Two recently established voluntary run websites: Crook-town and Crook, Wear Valley aim to provide a forum for local people and others interested in Crook. For information on all of the Durham Dales area click here or on the Durham Dales logo.
The railway photos on this page come from Disused Stations UK which has quite a lot of information on local railway history
