Mike Amos, who spent more than 50 years with the paper, described both of the events in Shildon as “wonderful occasions”.
Described as social history lightly written, the 92,000-word book titled ‘All Change’ compares the town of his formative years with the Shildon of today but is aimed at a regional audience.
The first signing, on Saturday morning, ran alongside a coffee morning at St John’s parish church – where Mike had been a churchwarden more than half a century earlier.
“The spread was magnificent, the food truly ambrosial, the atmosphere joyful,” he said.
Mike Amos signs copies of his new book, titled ‘All Change’, in Shildon (Image: MIKE AMOS)
The second, at the town’s Railway Institute the following day, attracted Echo readers from as far away as Stockton and Newcastle, still keen to read a bit more of his work.
Also there were David and Hilda Armstrong, former owners of Station Taxis in Darlington, for whom the short-sighted Mike was among the best customers.
Over many pages, the book recalls Shildon characters from Jenny Wren to George Reynolds and from Bertha Abbott to club entertainer Charlie Raine, one of the first people successfully to undergo a cataract procedure.
Recommended reading:
Mike had found him delightedly able to read the Echo again.
Was it his columns? “Blow your stuff” said Charlie, “I want to read the race cards.”
Called All Change sub-titled ‘The years that rocked the cradle of the railways’, the book costs £13 plus £3 50 postage and is available from Mike at 8 Oakfields, Middleton Tyas, Richmond, North Yorkshire DL10 6SD.
Further details from mikeamos81@aol.com
