County Durham company scales new NE heights winning more work

A Darlington specialist repair and maintenance business has secured in the region of £200,000 worth of new contracts around the North East.

Stone Technical Services, experts in the fields of high level, historic and general maintenance, is working on a variety of contracts across its home region.

In Darlington, Stone’s wood preservation and decorative installation experts from its restoration division are carrying out repairs to the iconic Darlington Library on Crown Street.

The library, a Grade II-listed building dating back to 1885, was paid for by the well-known Pease family, a Quaker family who founded the Stockton to Darlington Railway- the first passenger service in the world. Now home to the town’s lending and reference libraries and Centre for Local Studies, it was originally known as the Edward Pease Free Library.

Because of its age, aspects of the historic building had fallen into disrepair so Stone’s team is carrying out renewals of the handrails, pediments, pilasters, kneelers and the decorative finials and balustrades.

In Middlesbrough, Stone’s restoration and access divisions are removing and installing a balcony to the Bishop of Middlesbrough’s residence. The project, for the Diocese of Middlesbrough, involves the provision of access to the upper gable of the house, removal of the existing baluster, handrails, pediments and finials and the complete re-make of exact replacements in-line with the style of the Edwardianproperty.

Further north of the region, Stone completed a contract with organisers of the Great North Run to erect and remove banners, including the iconic banner across the Tyne Bridge and, in Sunderland, Stone’s lightning protection experts fitted a new system to Roker Lighthouse - in line with the historic design of the 110 year old beacon- as part of a renovation programme being carried out on the 138 feet tall structure.

Also in the Sunderland area, Stone’s facilities management team has recently completed a contract for Gentoo to carry out general maintenance and weather repairs to ensure the social housing stock is prepared for any winter weather.

In Northumberland, conservation works have been carried out to the ancient 12th Century St Mary Magdalene Church in Mitford, while in County Durham, Stone’s facilities management team has completed essential maintenance works at Hesledon Primary School in Hartlepool for Durham County Council.

Finally, south of the region, Stone has completed the erection of new signage at Teesside University.

MD of Stone, Dave Stone, said: “Our business has grown to such an extent that we now work nationwide on a daily basis but the North East is where our HQ is and our heartland so these contracts are very important to us. It’s a real privilege to work on such a variety of interesting buildings, from weather repairs on social housing and schools to intricate conservation on ancient churches and sympathetic lightning protection systems on 100 year old lighthouses, this is what we do and what has give us a leading reputation in the sector. We’re specialists in a wide variety of fields, helping us to no only provide an all-round service but also create new jobs.”

Stone Technical Services is one of the UK’s most accredited high level, general maintenance, steeplejack, safety and conservation specialists and works with high profile organisations such as INEOS Plant Utilities at Seal Sands, Teesside Power Station, English Heritage, the National Trust, the NHS, British Waterways and Network Rail to carry out a range of maintenance, safety and conservation projects.

In addition, the business is the approved contractor managing lightning protection on St Paul’s Cathedral and works with housing associations, historic structures, churches, war memorials, schools, offices, car parks and councils.