After watching some of the days fast trains at Low Fell Station and no doubt being black smudged by some as I was always trying to see down the smoke stack from the Bridge, I would wander to Gateshead, (C. Durham') Saltwell Park to catch Sticklebacks. The Museum there housed a Marine collection containing many magnificent Tyne Shipbuilders scale models. I nearly wore my nose out on the cases examining every feature. By the entrance were the monstrous jawbones of a Blue Whale. Then if cold home via the Swimming Baths to buy a Hot Penny Dippie in the corner shop. ( Cob cut in two & then dipped in Meat gravy.) The park had: a Maze, not very good as worn out and merely shrubby, hardly a puzzle for nosy kids. Giant outdoor Chess, Draughts Sets & Board which fascinated me. It was lovely to see the old uns playing. I wasnt interested in the Game just the Chess pieces and the atmosphere of it. Bowls later back home in Nottm., grabbed me that way too. I was happy for hours just watching the games but with that was the added aspect of pace and accuracy as with our marbles played in dusty scooped out holes in a small Victorian Park behind my aunts house. In the winters a gang of us would roll giant snowballs in the little park, allow them to freeze overnight and then carve them out into Igloo's the next day with our Sheath Knives and spades. Many a bent beach one was cast aside! Amazingly warm from Candle heat. I recall one prank we got up to, Colleridge Ave was a hill and so unlike the Park it was much easier for just a few of us to roll the giants? After one heavy nights 9" snowfall we were all up and out very early, as one did at snowtime, and rolled say a dozen of them which made about a 6 ft high barricade at the flat crossroads halfway down! It closed the road completelyto all traffic! :-)) They had to bring a lorry with a snow plough out to remove it before the small horsedrawn milk cart arrived. Needless to say we having made it scarpered indoors and watched the fun from front bedrooms and lounges!! Very oddly no one asked us about it later either? Not even my Uncle who was a tad of a disciplinarian stickler and didnt understand children but kind (he also gave me my first drink, some fancy liquour with cream). That tho was a touch galling to us not being quizzed about our pride and joy, but looking back now perhaps the adults had enjoyed it too as they all knew very well who had built it & would again? Regards, Mikey. Spectemur Agendo. Sign seen at the side of a Sussex road: SLOW CATTLE CROSSING. NO OVERTAKING FOR THE NEXT 100 YRS.