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Trainspotting at Little Benton Sidings, Newcastle.


rowanj
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The last of the D20's heads "light engine" towards Newcastle. The Last Hurrah of the engines were on the Alnwick-Newcastle stoppers, so, hopefully, it had just been appropriated between turns for a short run up the ECML. Otherwise, sadly, it may be heading for Darlington, in which case I fear North Road Scrapyard beckons.

 

The expanding Engineers rake, now with a Grampus as a spoil wagon, sits in the loop.

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  • 3 weeks later...

1962, and KOYLI takes a Kings X- Edinburgh express past Little Benton South. The loco is a GBL model on a Bachman chassis. Mike Trice 3D - Print V2 has a rake of non-corridor stock, which may be standing in for one of the regular Newcastle- Edinburgh school trips which ran in this period. I went on one in 1960, but to my disgust, the train was an 8-coach DMU. Interestingly, on the way back, it was routed from Morpeth to Newcastle via the Blyth and Tyne, via Bedlington, the only time I got to travel the route. Hopefully, I'll get the chance in 2022 when the line re-opens to passengers.

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60009 takes The Elizabethan past Little Benton North and busy sidings, which is how I remember them. They were, by 19560, more usually full of open wagons, which I suspect were condemned...as if we cared in those days.

 

Haymarket A4's were actually more common, at least in memory, than those at Gateshead, at Little Benton. 64B loved theirs, while the DMPS at 52A preferred A1's.  By 1960, Newcastle was a great place where one could see all the A4's, as well as all the other Pacifics from both north and south. I saw all the Canal A3's at Newcastle, as well as A2's from Dundee and Aberdeen. What we never saw were Copley Hill or Ardsley A1's, but Neville Hill A3's were common as muck.. The River Tyne, was, of course, a watery Berlin Wall, with engines changing from both Up and Down trains. So, other than on The Elizabethan, running a 34A A4 at Little Benton is stretching it a bit.

 

The view in the photo is from the top of The Powder Monkey, a spoil heap from a closed local colliery, which is now a BMX track..

 

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Gateshead's "Sir Walter Scott" (re-named Bachmann) has the Aberdeen Fish and, as a consequence, the V2 and its' coaches have been put into the relief sidings. The meat and fish traffic had prominence over everything other than passenger trains, so the V2 must have been on empty stock. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

it's 1951, and Saltburn's A5 will soon be heading back to the GC. In the meantime, a short excursion of pigeon fanciers heads back to Teesside after a trip to Scots Gap. The loco is Craftsman on an Alan Gibson chassis. Believe it or not, it was fully lined, almost totally obscured when I tried a Weathermates Soot spray. I've tried a few times to use this but it always comes out too strong, 

I really should build the A5/2, which was the usual version in the North East, 52F do a kit. One of these days...

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The latest addition to the stock is a North Eastern Kits J73. 

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As part of the official photograph. the other local J-series tanks were sent to Little Benton, and the official photographer managed to get them all.

Heaton's long-standing J94 is just a repainted/re-numbered Dapol model,

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The J71 is modified Bachmann/Mainline on a Mainly Trains chassis, as is the short-bunkered J72. The other J72 is a modified Bachmann, with vacuum fittings.

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The York-build J77 (with "arc" roof) is a Dave Alexander kit, while the later build with the "Worsdell" roof is from North Eastern Models.

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The J73 has a short ballast train as it awaits its' return to Yorkshire. Actually, it is being used to check the running of a newly built Dogfish in the rake. I have another Catfish to build, then I'll add a further spoil wagon to complete the rake.. at least for now.

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What's going on here? My very first ABC still had the W1, and I was desperate to see it, little knowing that it never got to Newcastle (although I believe it occasionally DID in the immediate post-War years). So it's a total flight of fancy to see it at Little Benton. The loco is Hornby/Graeme King, and it is really just out to give the model a run.

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After the J-series shunters, here are my N's, with the T1 to round it off. The N5 is an SEF kit, and represents a loco which was at Sunderland for a short spell. The T1 is Little Engines, the N8 from LRM , the nearer N10 is a Dave Alexander kit with a North Eastern kit behind it.

I 'll build an LRM N9 to complete the set= the last couple survived until 1955 based at Tyne Dock.

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Haymarket has sent 60700 back as soon as possible. and it looks to be an Edinburgh-Kings X "extra", The train is running "wrong-line", entirely prototypically as this stretch was, and still is, signalled for 2-way running. The ballast train confirms that engineers have possession of the Up line.

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The stock is whatever Craigentinny could get there hands on, and includes a Cravens Prototype FO, built from a Southern Pride kit.

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Edited by rowanj
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After the excitement of the unlikely spotting of the W1, things have returned to normal at Little Benton North, as my collection of local J27's are all out together. The superheated loco furthest from the camera is from NuCast,  the one coming under Halls Bridge is the original Dave Alexander kit and the nearest is his last version.

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Gateshead's suitably scruffy "Bittern" is held at signals, running light back from Edinburgh. The loco is an original Wills kit. I bought a Comet chassis for it, but, even though I'd built a number before, I just couldn't get it to work, so stuck the body on a Hornby chassis, A couple of weeks ago I sent for a replacement valve gear and cylinder block, and tried again. I actually got the damn thing working virtually first time using most of the original valve gear, replacing the rear "crosspiece which holds the 2 sides of the valve gear together ahead of the motor with a piece from a broken Hornby set. So I now need to buy a new set of frames to go under my last GBL A3. Can anyone explain why I cocked it up the first time, tried for weeks to sort it out, failed miserably, and then got it going well in a few hours when I went back to it? ! ? !....

 

The K3, on the other hand, is ex-works, and is a GBL body on an SEF chassis, There were always a few to be seen at Little Benton, as locos from Heaton, Tweedmouth and St. Margarets were rostered on many of the fitted freights, 

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Like many, I have a few locos which would be well out of place in my modelling prototype. The K1/1 was "cut and shut" a good few years ago, largely from a Replica B1 if I remember correctly. The tender was cut to represent the 3500 gallon variety. The loco runs on a Bachmann K3 chassis, taking advantage of the underscale (for a K3) driving wheels. I have a Dave Alexander K4 chassis etch which I'll build one day...maybe.

I dig these anomalous locos out from time to time. Perhaps it is on an SLS Special and is heading home?. It passes Little Benton South, the a couple of minutes later is at LB North, where a local J27 is shunting the sidings.

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Edited by rowanj
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As it's a Sunday, there aren't sufficient Express diagrams  for all of 64B's Deltics, so it has been rostered on a Mail to Newcastle. I imagine there will be a sufficiently important job to get it home to Edinburgh, otherwise the passengers on a Stopper will get whisked between stations rather more briskly than the usual B1 or V2. 

 

After that, a G5 67341running light heads for Heaton, It has been giving trouble. literally, but now seems to running well. I confess this is one kit which will be replaced if and when the TMC RTR model arrives, as it seems to need adjusting every time at get it out.

 

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On 16/11/2020 at 15:46, rowanj said:

Like many, I have a few locos which would be well out of place in my modelling prototype. The K1/1 was "cut and shut" a good few years ago, largely from a Replica B1 if I remember correctly. The tender was cut to represent the 3500 gallon variety. The loco runs on a Bachmann K3 chassis, taking advantage of the underscale (for a K3) driving wheels. I have a Dave Alexander K4 chassis etch which I'll build one day...maybe.

I dig these anomalous locos out from time to time. Perhaps it is on an SLS Special and is heading home?. It passes Little Benton South, the a couple of minutes later is at LB North, where a local J27 is shunting the sidings.

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I love your K1.
Modelling like we used to do.
I saw the photo and said, "K1, NICE!". Your model works.
I'm also a firm believer in keeping your model railway history models. That's why my Q Kits Falcon that Coach Bogie and I worked on 40 odd years ago, still takes a turn on my line, despite having the Heljan model/
Mike still runs the 47 his Dad made out of a Triang 31.
I'll get off my soapbox now.
Love your layout.

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That's incredibly kind of you, Sandhole. I do still have a few models from my earlier days,, a Bec J17, Wills N7 and an Airfix Railbus on a Scratch chassis spring to mind. I did a K4 and K5 around the same time as the K1/1 and I'll dig them out and see how they run.

 

I'm actually thinking of relaying the scenic parts of the layout with code 75 and N gauge ballast, and try to make a better stab at the 3rd rail. Could be a project for over the winter.

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Hi,

 

nothing really wrong with older models if you are prepared to do a little work on them.  I've just converted an elderly Lima cl20 to EM with sound and my next project, when I get around to it, will be to convert a triang cl31, dating back to the late 60's, to EM and dcc.  They are not finescale, and I am in awe of those that model such, but are pefect 'layout' locos and fit in with my philosphy of EM on the cheap!

 

Roja

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Here are a couple of my old locos. The N7 is the original Wills version with Belpaire firebox, running on a Triang Jinty chassis with X04 motor. I did fit Romfords but that was all - no brakes or anything else. it is reasonably prototypical on my ex-NER rake, as lots of coaches were transferred to the GE.

The J17 is a BEC kit, and I think it was the second I built, in 1973.  it originally sat on a Triang chassis, However, at one time Fenwicks in Newcastle had a Hornby franchise, and you could get some real bargains. I was picking up Hornby Gresleys for £20 and fitting Comet etc etched sides hand over fist. I picked up a couple of SDJR Jinties for £18 each, hoping to convert one to a J73, but this never happened, so stuck the BEC body over one of the chassis, as seen here. It completes my pseudo GE scene,

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The Railbus is an Airfix plastic kit on a scratch chassis - just 2 bits of brass soldered together and a DS10 fitted, I built it in the late 70's and I can't remember the last time it ran. It has lost a couple of windows, and I confess I was astonished when, after oiling, off it went, albeit noisily. Goodness knows when it will be out again.

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7 hours ago, rowanj said:

Here are a couple of my old locos. The N7 is the original Wills version with Belpaire firebox, running on a Triang Jinty chassis with X04 motor. I did fit Romfords but that was all - no brakes or anything else. it is reasonably prototypical on my ex-NER rake, as lots of coaches were transferred to the GE.

The J17 is a BEC kit, and I think it was the second I built, in 1973.  it originally sat on a Triang chassis, However, at one time Fenwicks in Newcastle had a Hornby franchise, and you could get some real bargains. I was picking up Hornby Gresleys for £20 and fitting Comet etc etched sides hand over fist. I picked up a couple of SDJR Jinties for £18 each, hoping to convert one to a J73, but this never happened, so stuck the BEC body over one of the chassis, as seen here. It completes my pseudo GE scene,

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The Railbus is an Airfix plastic kit on a scratch chassis - just 2 bits of brass soldered together and a DS10 fitted, I built it in the late 70's and I can't remember the last time it ran. It has lost a couple of windows, and I confess I was astonished when, after oiling, off it went, albeit noisily. Goodness knows when it will be out again.

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Great to see you breaking these old locos out.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I really enjoy building and running the G5 and D20's of this world, and seeing them on local passengers. By the time I was spotting,, however, DMU's had taken over all those turns. The 101 is bog-standard Bachmann, and really should be at least a 3-car, (and preferably 4) set, but I havent found a suitable source ,  The ex-LNER North Tyneside EMU Parcels is a Dave Alexander kit. 

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3 hours ago, rowanj said:

I really enjoy building and running the G5 and D20's of this world, and seeing them on local passengers. By the time I was spotting,, however, DMU's had taken over all those turns. The 101 is bog-standard Bachmann, and really should be at least a 3-car, (and preferably 4) set, but I havent found a suitable source ,  The ex-LNER North Tyneside EMU Parcels is a Dave Alexander kit. 

 

 

It's great to find another North Eastern Region layout on here and, unlike mine, a model of a real place - great work.  Space limitations prevented me doing likewise so mine is a fictional location.  I also have too many GER/GCR locos but am loathe to dispose of them.  Anyway Rule 1 applies until such time as I build a more appropriate layout :jester:.

I have no qualms of employing the former Lima now Hornby 3 car class 101s on my layout.  I chop off the aweful couplings and add pipework to the end buffer beams, close couple the intermediate car to its driving car neighbours and add (black paper) corridor/gangway connectors -see below.

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People say there is a lot wrong with them but the upgraded Hornby mechanism is quite smooth, they can be acquired quite cheaply and from normal viewing distances I think they look fine - see pic below.

 

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It sounds like we are of similar ages, my train spotting youth was spent mainly in Essex but sometimes in Easington, Co Durham where these green diesels ruled the roost, not only in my part of Essex but also on the Durham Coast Line on the Newcastle - Middlesbrough services.  Strange that I hated dmus at the time but I think they look great now on my layout.

 

Fantastic looking layout (now following) and apologies for the intrusion.

 

Regards,

Brian.

 

Edited by Brian D
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Thanks for the post, Brian. Intrude away. The Hornby 101,s look fine and Ill keep an eye out for them. The only set currently on EBay is going for £129. 

Just to repay the compliment, your layout thread too is well worth a visit.

John.

Edited by rowanj
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The layout has reverted to its' natural NE habitat, as the G5 takes the ancient rake of ex-NER stock, probably a workman's special, to Newcastle. 

 

The Hornby 110 is a recent purchase. The class occasionally got to Newcastle from York, but my intention/hope is to convert it to a 4 -car set ( I know, I need another car) Class 104 which was far more common.  This conversion has been done a good few times over the years, and seems to need either a  modicum of work to make a "layout" loco representation, or a fair bit of work to get a more accurate one. The intention is to pick up another 3 car set and eventually have a 4-car and 2-car set, both of which are appropriate to Little Benton and hopefully can be run in tandem

 

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