Today Stockton Road, running from Newport to the Mandale triangle, can be quiet. This stillness and vacuity broken momentarily by the passing of the scheduled stopping bus services between Middlesbrough and Stockton, by often speeding cars taking advantage of the long straights of the road or by trains passing by.

The Mandale end of the Wilderness Road, in the area pictured below, was surrounded by two areas of brewing industry, marked on an OS map published in 1899 as the North Riding Malthouse and Brewery, however in a larger scale map published in 1915 just one side of the road is taken up with the malthouse of the North Eastern Brewery.

The road was built between 1856 and 1857 after a bill was passed to authorise the construction of the road through “the wilderness” of reclaimed marshland. Indeed Stockton Road is often referred to as The Wilderness Road. In the 1930’s the road was improved after complaints about potholes and precarious tram lines.

A former popular road being the main and most direct route between Stockton, South Stockton (Thornaby) and Middlesbrough the road has been superseded now by the A66, with most traffic not needing to access the few businesses along The Wilderness Road.

Back before the expansion of Tees Marshalling Yard (which has changed in operation beyond recognition and the associated traction maintenance depot demolished) and the movement of the main passenger running lines there was the small community of Erimus, with its public house rows of houses and allotments, sitting around the area of the railway yard “viaduct”.

Once you’ve passed the academy, if you’re travelling from Thornaby toward Middlesbrough, the sight of Newport Bridge through the trees, the start of the terrace dwellings and the “blind school” herald the end of the wilderness road.

Then you reach the allotments, beyond that the big roundabout and Middlesbrough’s town.