grahamb44

Hi all I'm interested in anything to do with the Tyne Improvement Commission, and particularly their network of railways around Percy Main and Whitehill Point. They had a mass of different lines and sidings there, controlled by at least 10 signal boxes, and receiving traffic from the Blyth and Tyne and the North Eastern Railway, as well as several different waggonways belonging to collieries such as the Cramlington and Backworth systems. Some of these operated right up into the BR era and the whole network was only shut down in the 1980s after most of the collieries had shut. I can't easily find much on the internet about the TIC and its signal boxes, and I was wondering if any members of the forum who come from that area have any more information or know where I can look Thanks Graham

Hi Chivers I've made many of your fine kits over the years and was very pleased to read that you will be bringing a large number of them back in the near future. One thing I haven't seen listed, and I would very much like to, is the Southern Bogie Scenery Van or GUV, which used to be around, and I feel sure was one of yours. Any chance that this might re-appear in the future? Thanks Graham

Amazing that 2 more pictures of the flyover area have suddenly come to light ! Well done for posting them. As I said before, I've never seen any really good pictures of that flyover, presumably because it was demolished v. early on, maybe late 1960s? But I think that I shall have to eat humble pie and say that I was wrong in my comments the other day. The 3 engines in the new pictures are definitely heading E, from the view of Piko Tunnel in the background. So we definitely know which side of the flyover we are looking at, ie the East side. And I think that's the same as the earlier picture with the crane in it. The clincher has to be the 2 small bushes beyond the bridge, which are exactly the same in both pictures. And the fences and railings on top of the 2 flyover bridges can be matched up as well. It's still hard to see how there can be a double trackbed between the railings this side of the Black 5 and the massive girder in the front, but that's how it has to be. So I think you're right, the crane is being pushed up to the Grid reception lines. Graham

Wonderful picture of the Black 5 and the crane on the flyover bridge, I've been looking for years for a photo like that. Can I just quibble though, and say that I think the picture is taken from the Edge Hill station side of the bridge, ie the West, so that the Black 5 is leading the crane up to the Grid. If it was propelling left to right, then the picture would have to be taken from the East side, and there's no sign of the lower bridge here, which had double track from Viaduct Jn to Olive Mount. That bridge must be on the opposite side here, so it's out of sight. Sorry to be picky. Graham

Hi guys I've been enjoying the book "The Lads from Liverpool" by John Corkill and Peter Hanson, but there's one photo in it that I can't make out. It's on p55 (posted here) and claims to be Engine Shed Junction, but it doesn't seem right to me. Any ideas? The engine appears to be pushing a train of wagons, with more parked on the adjacent line. It doesn't seem to be a pair of running lines, or the other wagons would have a brake van on the back. If it was Engine Shed Junction, the track would be more curved than that? And the buildings don't fit other pictures of that location that I've seen. Surely somebody who knew that area must recognise that shop with the advert above it. Could it be round on the other side of the grid, towards the top of the reception roads? The catenary and the lights fit that area, but I still can't place it. Needless to say, I can't read the road name, but the second word could be 'Lane', does it really say Pighue Lane? Over to someone who knows more then me Graham

There was a comment earlier in this thread, that there don't seem to be any pictures around of the 2 flyovers that crossed the Manchester line from Viaduct Jn over towards Olive Mount and up onto the Grid. I'd like to echo that comment, as I haven't seen any such pictures anywhere. Even if they were dismantled int the 1960s, surely someone would have taken some pics by then? I never knew this area until the 1980s, and I'm fascinated to see all your excellent pictures of how it used to be. Keep them coming!