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

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.

No. 29 on shed at Eccles Pit on the Backworth Railway, April 1971, Alan Sewell photo.

No. 49 at Fenwick Pit, April 1971, Alan Sewell photo.

Backworth system map, April 1971, Alan Sewell sketch.

National Coal Board

Northumberland Divn

Burradon 

Newcastle

Gauge: Standard

Date of Visit: 5 April  1971

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.

Starting after the all clear, No. 61 leaves Weetslade Colliery, Burradon, April 1971, Alan Sewell photo.

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...