Alan Sewell visits North Tyneside (part 1)...
It has been a while since we have joined Alan Sewell for a trip back in time through his archived industrial railway system visits...
This time, reminded by my recent 'Industrial Exchange' layout design of a visit to North Tyneside in 1971, Alan shares a couple of reports from his records - in Part 1 we visit Backworth and Burden, in Part 2 we will visit Derwenthaugh.
National Coal Board
Northumberland Div'n
Backworth Railway
Newcastle
Gauge: Standard
Date of Visit: 5 April 1971
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| No. 49 at Fenwick Pit, Backworth Railway, April 1971, Alan Sewell photo. |
Three locos were working the afternoon shift at this extensive system . At the loco shed at Eccles pit was light blue painted 29 0-6-0T Robert Stephenson Hawthorns 7607 of 1950 having some minor attention before restarting work.
At the other end of the screens was Austerity 48 Hunslet 2864 of 1943 shunting four or five wagons around the year. The loco was in a very dirty blue livery.
The somewhat dark shed contained two more locos in steam which were 6 a Bagnall Austerity 2749 and 0-6-0ST 47 Robert Stephenson Hawthorns 7849 of 1955/
At Fenwick Pit was 49 an an Austerity 0-6-0ST Robert Stephenson Hawthorns 7098 of 1943, painted in a very clean light green and lined out. The loco was weighing BR coal wagons before blasting up the grade to the level crossing and reversing back into the pit head yard.
In common with it appears other pits in Northumberland and Durham all internal use wagons are painted a deep brick red.
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| No. 29 on shed at Eccles Pit on the Backworth Railway, April 1971, Alan Sewell photo. |
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| No. 49 at Fenwick Pit, April 1971, Alan Sewell photo. |
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| Backworth system map, April 1971, Alan Sewell sketch. |
National Coal Board
Northumberland Divn
Burradon
Newcastle
Gauge: Standard
Date of Visit: 5 April 1971
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| No. 61 at Weetslade Washery, Burradon, April 1971, Alan Sewell photo. |
At Havannah Drift was 0-6-0DH Swindon D955 and at Weetslade Washery was assumed 64 0-4-0 Ruston 408306 on the coal tip.
61 0-6-0ST Robert Stephenson Hawthorns 7943 of 1957 was working from the washery back to Burradon colliery with empty NCB wagons. The train had to wait for an all clear from one of the old NCB lower quadrant signals before leaving the yard. This loco is normally spare but was covering a diesel failure and its movements were accompanied by squeals and groans from the axles and valve gear.
Another steam loco was Austerity Robert Stephenson Hawthorns 7097 of 1943 shunting Burradon Colliery.
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| Starting after the all clear, No. 61 leaves Weetslade Colliery, Burradon, April 1971, Alan Sewell photo. |
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| RSH 7097 shunting at Burradon, April 1971, Alan Sewell photo. |
Thank you once again Alan. If you've enjoyed this post then use the 'Alan Sewell' label to see all of Alan's site visits, largely of an industrial nature, all gauges and locations and from around the world. I'm proud to have been able to share this with you all here. Until next time, more soon...
Hi James
ReplyDeleteWas good to have an excuse to go through the files again and to re-type my notes which, with the photos, brought back memories. I drive around Newcastle when visiting the grandchildren in Edinburgh – I see the names but can’t see where the scenes are.
Happy the photos come out OK- as I said they were printed on the cheap and I am unhappy about the dust. The prints which got dusty when my friend David and I were printing them. We were students and he had a dark room so we took the "cheap" option. I hope the negs are dust free - if I ever find them. - however I can't go back and take them again!!
Glad you think they are be of interest and hope your readers do too
Best regards
Alan
Thank you Alan, your visit reports are always well received and full of period inspiration - and with the hand drawn maps a touch of the personal as well, showing how much you care about these systems captured before their demise.
DeleteAmazing- I was born within a week of these images! Within a mile of the hospital were several 2-6-4Ts awaiting scrapping,?that had been used until 1970 on the famous Belfast stone trains - the last regular main line steam in the UK. But these pics show steam alive and well when I was born 😎
ReplyDeleteIndeed! This was certainly not the last steam either! That was after I was born even.
DeleteYes James very true.
DeleteSince I was, and am, not really interested in mainline railways, or even just steam, the demise of steam on BR passed me by without too much sorry (which must be a terrible admission for many). I was however more interested , and still am, in visiting and recording industrial systems. These had to me more atmosphere and provided a link back to the history of the railways, as well as then , and I still hope now, providing the "first mile" (as they would say in the US) of a sustainable transport system. I also find them infinitely varied and interesting then and now.
I have now been spurred to see when I visited my last UK railway with working steam, although that may not actually have been working as too often it seemed I arrived at the end of shifts, during holidays, or at weekends!!! I will let you know when and where that was.
Best regards
Alan