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Harton /Westoe Railway


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I'am well into building an n gauge layout based on Harton in the early 80s, I have got a load of pics online and 1 or 2 poor efforts that I took myself, just wondering if anyone has any pics that I might not have seen particularly taking in catenary details (there were 4 differant types).

 

Also I'am having some difficulty sourcing a chassis suitable for the English Electric locos, the Kato shorty is dimensionaly not too bad but wheelbase too short and it isnt a particularly good runner or puller, I was wondering about the Bachmann 44 ton GE switcher but havent been able to find a pic or dimensions of the chassis, help on any of these points would be appreciated!

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For those of you not familier with the system here is a nice pic that I found online of one of the low height English Electric locos, by the way I have the Oakwood Press book on Harton which is a cracking read!

 

[admin edit, image removed to prevent potential copyright infringement. A link to an image on another site is acceptable but not to directly upload a copy of the image]

 

Appologies, here is a link:

 

http://www.geoffspages.co.uk/raildiary/westoe/index.htm

 

A few nice shots on there.

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For those of you not familier with the system here is a nice pic that I found online of one of the low height English Electric locos, by the way I have the Oakwood Press book on Harton which is a cracking read!

 

 

The Bachmann 44ton switcher has a fuel tank between the bogies so that's probably too long. I'm suprised the Kato chassis is a poor runner as they are usually near perfect. Have you looked at Tomix chassis too?

If not try Wellington models or Japanmodelrailways who advertise in Continental modeller and online.

 

Good luck especially with the gravity part of the unloading process.

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Thanks for that, I was surprised at the Kato chassis but it seems it is not their usual set up, it has drive to only one bogie with one traction tyre, not up to the gradients I propose, I will check out your suggestions, I could live with the fuel tank if the length was something like and if the motor is not too high on the Bachmann switcher - they are a bit pricey to be "having a go at!". Not too sure of the gravity unloading yet but might just give it a try!

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The etches are £16 each including postage, you get all the parts from the 4mm kit including non powered bogies and the pantograph (might be a bit flimsy in 2mm though!). We also supply a 2mm scale drawing and the instructions/parts list from the 4mm kit. You can build 13, 14 or 15 from this.

Michael Edge

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Thanks for that, there seems to be 4 types:

 

1) Original Siemens (looks continental)

2) BICC which is largely girders with wires strung across.

3) South Shields corporation (tram wires)

4) Tyne and Wear metro (on a short section which ran alongside the metro)

 

All are easily built but I think most of mine are to be South Shields Corporation made from 2 diameters of round brass bar! The yard wiring looks a lot like the stuff on the Southern which the 71 s used.

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Hi Michael,

 

Thanks for that, I had no idea, seen the 4mm one and was jealous! Could you drop me some more info and have you any thoughts about a chassis for the beast, think I might stop work on my plasticard project now!

 

Hi

 

I have a couple of Michael's kits and they are very nicely etched and fit together very well for the part I have built. The sticking point for me now is the chassis and I have come to the conclusion that it will have to be a scratch built one as I can't find anything suitable that would fit. I measured the Kato shorty chassis I have in my Tamper but it was too high for the Harton electric.

 

They are very small locomotives in N or 2mm.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

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There are some more photos below. I grew up 100yds from Dean Sidings near West Park Road. Dad (who worked as a C&W examiner in the freight depot between Felling & Gateshead) always said that the West Park Road bridge over the Harton Railway was "the oldest bridge in the country" and that an old building near at Felling was "the oldest station in the country". I think he was wrong on both counts. ( Causey Arch & L&M Manchester station presumably taking the honours)

 

 

Some more photos

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Hi

 

I have a couple of Michael's kits and they are very nicely etched and fit together very well for the part I have built. The sticking point for me now is the chassis and I have come to the conclusion that it will have to be a scratch built one as I can't find anything suitable that would fit. I measured the Kato shorty chassis I have in my Tamper but it was too high for the Harton electric.

 

They are very small locomotives in N or 2mm.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

Thanks for that Paul, I have finally ordered a kit today, but seems to be destined to be static,I thought the Kato might fit but will have to think again, if you come up with a solution let me know, would love to get one at least completed but plenty to go at on the layout at the moment!

 

Cheers,

 

Richard

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There are some more photos below. I grew up 100yds from Dean Sidings near West Park Road. Dad (who worked as a C&W examiner in the freight depot between Felling & Gateshead) always said that the West Park Road bridge over the Harton Railway was "the oldest bridge in the country" and that an old building near at Felling was "the oldest station in the country". I think he was wrong on both counts. ( Causey Arch & L&M Manchester station presumably taking the honours)

 

 

Some more photos

 

Thanks for that, nice pics, I wonder whose idea it was to paint coal locos white! I know there was a sighting issue and they were very quiet but there is no wonder they changed their minds!

 

Cheers,

 

Richard

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A few more of my Harton photos to add to those Monty Burn linked to from flickr earlier today.

 

 

502934951_SouthShieldsCrossgateBridgeEE.BaguleyNo14coalfromWestoe21stFeb86C7334.jpg.2370c3f96245987b985cf70ef0009159.jpg

South Shields Crossgate Bridge EE.Baguley No 14 coal from Westoe 21st Feb 86 C7334.jpg

 

 

406280994_SouthShieldsEE.Baguley13onheadshuntatHartonstaithes14thFeb87C8193.jpg.9a65fe6f34c485c1557fcbb5e8de0d4a.jpg

South Shields EE.Baguley 13 on headshunt at Harton staithes 14th Feb 87 C8193.jpg

 

 

1249782835_SouthShieldsHartonStaithesEE.BaguleyNo1314thFeb87J8753.jpg.5321cda9b5887161d948e48ffd328ad8.jpg

South Shields Harton Staithes EE.Baguley No 13 14th Feb 87J8753.jpg

 

 

400735497_SouthShieldsStHildasidingsEE.Baguleyle2ndApril86J8528.jpg.151ede6e9fffb5cf56583a791c689727.jpg

South Shields St Hilda sidings EE.Baguley le 2nd April 86 J8528.jpg

 

 

David

 

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I’m currently reading the excellent ‘Harton Electric Railway’ by Hatcher and it’s a fascinating system. I’d not heard of it before I randomly stumbled across it through a YouTube video of it in the 80’s. it’s amazing that the company showed such foresight to invest in an electric railway.

 

It looks an excellent system to model albeit as a non kit builder the RTR offerings are slim. I did however think it could be a loose option for my proposed G scale garden railway as the below LGB electric loco if repainted seems to have a passing resemblance to #E2....

 

Greg 

 


 

 

99771A8C-F7F7-469C-B8B6-9C0E505FE00D.png

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I did a long day trip from St Helens Junction back in April 1980 to try and see some of the Harton operations.  I remember there weren't many publicly accesible vantage points, so only ended up with a couple of photos....

 

80-94

 

80-93

 

Really I should have gone back there before it closed, but I never did.

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