Then and Now: Tynemouth Longsands in the early years of the last century - and the view today

One of the shining jewels of the North East coastline, Tynemouth is in the news again. The smart North Tyneside town has been voted the best beach destination in England and Wales.

The mile-long expanse that makes up Tynemouth Longsands scored an impressive 4.8 out of 5 with visitors and 8.49 out of 10 with judges, and earned praise for its "long stretches of golden sand" and "powerful waves that make it ideal for surfing”.

If the well-deserved plaudits serve to give Tynemouth wider national exposure, the town’s charms have been attracting visitors from across our region for generations.

• Read more: The vanished Newcastle pubs we used to love that have now called last orders
• Don't miss out on our nostalgia stories and historical pictures from the North East with our free newsletter

The opening of Tynemouth railway station in 1882 was crucial in the town’s quickfire development as a coastal resort. From late Victorian times onwards, day-trippers would descend from industrial Tyneside, and holidaymakers from perhaps further afield, in large numbers every year during the summer months.

By the turn of the 20th century, Tynemouth was promoting itself as a spa town and the more well-to-do visitor might book into the famous Grand Hotel which overlooks the Longsands to this day.

Our archive photograph from the early years of the last century shows the Longsands packed with people. In those straight-laced times, everyone on the beach would be fully clothed, and we see a row of well-used 'bathing machines' in action. These walled wooden carts provided a place where modest bathers could get changed in private before being rolled into the sea, allowing the occupants to step straight into the water.

Tynemouth’s popularity is certainly long-standing. In 1910, the Newcastle Journal, reporting on the gloriously sunny August Bank Holiday, noted: “Heavy-laden ‘electrics’ journeyed from Newcastle Central Station to the coast, the company’s rolling stock being tested to its full capacity. As usual Whitley and Tynemouth claimed an enormous number of visitors, and the popularity of these resorts seemed to be undiminished.”

By 1920, notwithstanding the intervening four-year trauma of the First World War, folk were still flocking to the North East seaside in their droves. In June of that year, the Newcastle Daily Chronicle was reporting: “At Whitley Bay and Tynemouth, the season opened auspiciously, and the prospects for the future are very promising. Boarding house keepers and caterers are anticipating the requirements of visitors to the district.”

A century later, much has changed, but the Longsands remains fully intact and Tynemouth is still a powerful magnet for visitors, with Visit North Tyneside stating: “It is steeped in history, has some fabulous attractions, great shopping and a vibrant nightlife. This charming village has something to offer everyone.”