THE packets of photographs in The Northern Echo's archive from past Durham Miners' Galas are bulging, so, on the day of the 134th gala, here is another selection from them.

Today's front cover shows the 1959 gala passing the Royal County Hotel. The principal speaker that year was Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell, but he doesn't appear to be on the balcony.

Many pictures in the Echo archive show that the July galas were often very wet. There appears to be a touch of sun on the 1959 picture but even so, everyone is wearing jackets and coats – by contrast, the weather this year, as last year, is more likely to end in sunburn than a shower.

If you can tell us anything about any of today's pictures, please email chris.lloyd@nne.co.uk