Santa-

My best guess for "Newcastle" is Newcastle/Cardiff, England, loading coal for California, "crost the road" may mean crossing the Channel after unloading nitrates from Callao in France or Germany. But maybe someone has a better guess.

It's also true that in a nautical sense "roads" often refers to a large area where ships anchor prior to warping in for unloading or loading cargo. Doesn't seem to make sense here.

Val- give Danny and Joyce McLeod my best when you see them at the Lancaster Maritime Festival.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble