THIS week for our drive down memory lane, we delve into a packet of Durham pictures in our archive which were once filed in there because their subject matter began with the letter R - it seems to be largely river, roads and the railway. Most of these pictures have never been seen since the day they were filed, so if they trigger any memories, stories or information, we'd love to hear from you. Please email chris.lloyd@nne.co.uk

The Northern Echo: The Pity Me bypass opened in 1961 as part of the A1 with highways engineers creating a layby near to properties in Witton Grove. The residents worked out that this was the only layby beside residential properties between London and Edinburgh, and all

The Pity Me bypass opened in 1961 as part of the A1 with highways engineers creating a layby near to properties in Witton Grove. The residents worked out that this was the only layby beside residential properties between London and Edinburgh, and all manner of travellers pulled up there when caught short. The Ministry of Transport refused to move the layby, but this photo was taken in April 1964 when a wattle fence was erected "to protect householders from peeping toms and nuisances". Now the bypass is part of the A167, the layby has gone

The Northern Echo: The new A1 Bowburn junction on May 21, 1969, just before the motorway opened

The new A1 Bowburn junction on May 21, 1969, just before the motorway opened

The Northern Echo: The Northern Echo's architecture correspondent condemned the new buildings that had gone up in The Bailey in Durham in 1964 overlooking the River Wear. He didn't like their coffee-coloured brick, which jarred next to the old red brick and stone

The Northern Echo's architecture correspondent condemned the new buildings that had gone up in The Bailey in Durham in 1964 overlooking the River Wear. He didn't like their coffee-coloured brick, which jarred next to the old red brick and stone buildings. He was unimpressed by their horizontal windows when all the old buildings had vertical openings, and he didn't like the "crisp and neat white bargeboards to all their gable ends, as these are totally out of character with the Durham vernacular"

The Northern Echo: The Durham City Women's 10K Fun Run takes place on The Sands in Durham on April 1, 1990

The Durham City Women's 10K Fun Run takes place on The Sands in Durham on April 1, 1990

The Northern Echo: Owengate in Durham on January 17, 1958

Owengate in Durham on January 17, 1958

The Northern Echo: "A new invader has besieged the historic Durham street of The Bailey," said The Northern Echo on May 17, 1967. "Double yellow lines which denote no waiting." The concept of double yellow lines was invented by George Musgrave who

"A new invader has besieged the historic Durham street of The Bailey," said The Northern Echo on May 17, 1967. "Double yellow lines which denote no waiting." The concept of double yellow lines was invented by George Musgrave who entered a road safety competition run by Greenwich council and won by £2. The first double yellows were painted on a road in Slough in Buckinghamshire in 1957, and they were introduced nationwide by the 1960 Road Traffic Act. It looks like the first appeared in the centre of Durham in 1967 when students on The Bailey were up in arms at the "eyesore". "Yellow paint and cobbled streets most definitely do not mix," said one. And they were right, as today North and South Bailey do not have yellow lines on them. In 1997, Mr Musgrave, by now 81, picked up his first fixed penalty notice for parking on a double yellow

The Northern Echo: South Bailey in March 1962, before the invention of double yellow lines, and way before the invention of mobile phones, although the chap on the left appears to be consulting his. Perhaps he is doing something as old fashioned as posting a letter

South Bailey in March 1962, before the invention of double yellow lines, and way before the invention of mobile phones, although the chap on the left appears to be consulting his. Perhaps he is doing something as old fashioned as posting a letter

The Northern Echo: The media gathers on Durham station in September 1988 to witness the arrival of the first electric train on the East Coast Main Line

The media gathers on Durham station in September 1988 to witness the arrival of the first electric train on the East Coast Main Line

The Northern Echo: A clean up of the Wear in Durham in May 1990 with a shopping trolley being winched onto the bridge above

A clean up of the Wear in Durham in May 1990 with a shopping trolley being winched onto the bridge above

The Northern Echo: The Head of the River race on the Wear at Durham in May 1963

The Head of the River race on the Wear at Durham in May 1963

The Northern Echo: The A690 taking shape in April 1971 beneath the legs of the railway viaduct which can be seen on the left. We're in Sutton Street looking towards where a large roundabout at the top of North Road was to be built. We don't think any of the

The A690 taking shape in April 1971 beneath the legs of the railway viaduct which can be seen on the left. We're in Sutton Street looking towards where a large roundabout at the top of North Road was to be built. We don't think any of the buildings in the picture survive to this day