60s Industrial Steam (i.e. non-BR)

[Trev52A]

@ montyburns56

 

Thanks for showing those pics of 66 and 81 in your last post. I don't recognise any of the train crew.

I think you might be correct in your guess of 60s for the dates.

 

According to the comprehensive 'Industrial Railways and Locos of County Durham - part 2 NCB' by Mountford and Holroyde, No 66 was based at the Shop Pit shed (which served the Ravensworth Park line) from April 1967 until January 1971, then again from 30th September 1972 until 12th April 1973. It was eventually scrapped in July 1973.

No 81, which also appears in those shots you uploaded, arrived at Shop Pit in March 1968 and left in July 1972. It was scrapped in October 1972.

Loco No 32, which appears in several pictures in the 70s thread, arrived in January 1971 and left in July 1973, eventually for preservation.

 

So it's hard to say whether your examples are late 60s or early 70s.

 

Trevor

 

 

Edited December 24, 2019 by Trev52A
forgot to sign off at the end!

[Trev52A]

Thanks for all the kind comments about my pics!

I can almost hear the sound of barrels being scraped now as I go through my archives, so I'll end my contribution to the Ravensworth section with four showing No 81. The first one looks like it was taken just after the loco arrived here (in March 1968) before Jimmy had a chance to spruce it up with an oily rag and a pot of paint!

 

Next up will be some from the Ashington system

 

Cheers

Trevor

[Trev52A]

Post deleted (looks like I have exceeded my maximum daily upload for pictures)

[Trev52A]

I had a trip by car with friends to the NCB Ashington system in Northumberland on 24th August 1968.

I did not know the area at all and did not make a note of the various locations.

Can anyone help me with where these pictures were taken, please? They appear in the order I shot them.

 

 

 

 

I am not sure if this was taken on this visit, or on the Backworth system we called in at on the way home. Anyone recognise this venue?

 

 

Many thanks in advance

Trevor

Edited December 30, 2019 by Trev52A
tweaked one photo

[Northmoor]

On 23/12/2019 at 14:13, Northmoor said:

Totally agree, well done Trevor.  Nice to see a photographer who concentrated on more than just the locomotive; you can learn a lot about a whole system of working from these photos.  If I didn't know otherwise I would have credited these shots to Colin Gifford (the third in your last post in particular).

Trevor -  so sorry, after my previous post it occurred to me that the shot looked familiar, and found it today in my copy of NRM/Steam Railway's "North East Focus"  from over 20 years ago.  I have just realised who you are; my sincere apologies (and to Colin Gifford, if he's reading this). 

This takes nothing away from the quality of your photos though and indeed those of your contemporaries.  It was what inspired me to concentrate on less conventional railway photography when I first started in 35mm about 30 years ago.

So, sorry, but also a sincere thank you.

[russ p]

Great photographs Trevor.  You often see photos of industrial locomotives with electric lights but I've never actually seen any of them working 

[Trev52A]

Another quite extensive NCB system within cycling distance of my home in Gateshead was centred on the loco shed at Marley Hill, now the headquarters of the  Tanfield Railway. This modern heritage line runs trains over a short section of the former BR Tanfield Branch running roughly north to south, but uses the shed on the NCB route which ran east to west and crossed the BR line on the level at Marley Hill.

I managed two or three visits to the area in 1968.

 

NCB No 83 near the shed at Marley Hill, crossing on the level the route of the former BR Tanfield Branch. Today the ex-BR line is now part of the Tanfield Railway and this part of the NCB route is just a head shunt. The TR Marley Hill signal box has been built here just beyond the loco.

 

Locos 22 and 83 near the shed on 17th April 1968, with Marley Hill colliery in the background 

 

22 and 85 at the same spot. The shed is off to the left

 

NCB locos Nos 22 and 85 beside the shed at Marley Hill 

 

No 83 with empties just east of Marley Hill on 11th April 1968. The building in the background is Blackburn Fell drift mine and beyond that the self-acting incline down to the Team Valley.

 

No 83 again on the same day, approaching Marley Hill from the west with loaded wagons from Burnopfield Colliery.

 

Trevor

Edited December 27, 2019 by Trev52A

[Trev52A]

The Marley Hill system extended westwards to Burnopfield Colliery (the route further west having closed in 1940). These pics were taken in this area, the first three on 11th April 1968

 

The route from Burnopfield Colliery to Marley Hill involved the steep downhill section of Hobson Bank, which had a limit of 20 fulls. As a consequence trains had to be made up in stages. Here No 85 leading, with No 22 assisting in the rear, are shunting  a full load of seven back up to the colliery to assemble the train.  

 

Here's the rear view, showing the colliery in the distance

 

This is at the colliery with No 85 in action again (and No 22 visible in the background). 

 

Here's No 22 descending the bank with a full load on 17th April 1968

 

Trevor

[maq1988]

Excellent selection of photos. Thank you for sharing them.

[stovepipe]

On 24/12/2019 at 16:52, Trev52A said:

I had a trip by car with friends to the NCB Ashington system in Northumberland on 24th August 1968.

I did not know the area at all and did not make a note of the various locations.

Can anyone help me with where these pictures were taken, please? They appear in the order I shot them.

 

 

 

I am not sure if this was taken on this visit, or on the Backworth system we called in at on the way home. Anyone recognise this venue?

 

 

Many thanks in advance

Trevor

 

Really interesting photos in this thread, thanks for posting. I will keep an eye out as I pass the Angel next for any remaining traces.

 

Regarding the NCB Ashington system, the first two photos are taken looking East and West from the footbridge off Morpeth Road where the engine shed and main coal screens were sited. The third photo with no.40 is taken slightly further west past the colliery workshops where the line crosses the A1068.

 

The loco no.40 still exists, based at the Weardale Rly, but out of steam the last time I checked. Some more details here

https://www.weardale-railway.org.uk/no40steamloco

 

I'm not sure about the remaining photos.

 

 

 

[Trev52A]

1 hour ago, stovepipe said:

 

Really interesting photos in this thread, thanks for posting. I will keep an eye out as I pass the Angel next for any remaining traces.

 

Regarding the NCB Ashington system, the first two photos are taken looking East and West from the footbridge off Morpeth Road where the engine shed and main coal screens were sited. The third photo with no.40 is taken slightly further west past the colliery workshops where the line crosses the A1068.

 

The loco no.40 still exists, based at the Weardale Rly, but out of steam the last time I checked. Some more details here

https://www.weardale-railway.org.uk/no40steamloco

 

I'm not sure about the remaining photos.

 

 

 

 

That's very helpful, Stovepipe.

I've been looking on Google Earth - so approx where Cookswell car dealership is now, for the first two in Ashington?

I've found the A1068 and can trace the probable route of the line across it. Could make an interesting 'now&then' picture!

 

Cheers

Trevor

[stovepipe]

A bit further to the East, between the BP Garage and the KFC there's a path leading north through to some playing fields and the Rugby club. The path is pretty much where the footbridge was.

 

NCB

 

Yes the LC was just north of Ellington Terrace, which is now a cul-de-sac off the A1068.

 

LC

 

Looking again at the 5th and 6th photos, I think these were taken at Lynemouth. The 5th being, I think, from Bridge Road in Lynemouth, by the miners welfare institute, looking south-east. The bridge and the cuttings have been filled in since. The 6th is on the country section east of the junction which connected the NCB system to the line from Blyth. The line is on an embankment for quite a stretch between the junction and Newbiggin.

 

Edited December 28, 2019 by stovepipe
links

[Trev52A]

On 27/12/2019 at 22:51, stovepipe said:

A bit further to the East, between the BP Garage and the KFC there's a path leading north through to some playing fields and the Rugby club. The path is pretty much where the footbridge was.

 

NCB

 

Yes the LC was just north of Ellington Terrace, which is now a cul-de-sac off the A1068.

 

LC

 

Looking again at the 5th and 6th photos, I think these were taken at Lynemouth. The 5th being, I think, from Bridge Road in Lynemouth, by the miners welfare institute, looking south-east. The bridge and the cuttings have been filled in since. The 6th is on the country section east of the junction which connected the NCB system to the line from Blyth. The line is on an embankment for quite a stretch between the junction and Newbiggin.

 

 

Thank you once again for this. I will study Google Earth and get my bearings.

 

Cheers

Trevor

[Trev52A]

About a twenty-minute cycle ride from home was the NCB system to the west of Blaydon. This went from its junction with BR at Derwenthaugh via Derwenthaugh Coke Works to Clockburn Drift Mine, a total of about two and a half miles, some of it through pleasant countryside alongside the River Derwent.

I made several visits in 1968 and 1969.

 

This is the loco shed area at the north end of the system. On the left is No 82, one of several 'Austerity' 0-6-0STs which were usually in operation. In the centre is No 5 'Major', an 0-6-0T built by Kitson & Co of Leeds in 1904, with No 41 on the right This was a venerable 0-6-0PT dating from 1883, also from Kitson's and now preserved at the North Tyneside Steam Railway in North Shields.

 

No 42, also dating back to 1883 and a sister loco to No 41 was in the process of being dismantled

 

Alongside the shed area was a large marshalling yard. These next two show 'Austerity' No 27  in action.

 

Immediately south of the yard the line passed under the remains of the BR Consett to Blaydon railway. The metal bridge over the adjacent road and the NCB line had been removed by then, but the stonework and embankments at each end still remained and provided a good vantage point, as here looking north (with two photographers in action on the right!) That's No 27 again.

 

This is the view looking south taken from just beyond the hedge in the previous picture. This is No 65 'Henry C. Embleton' an 0-6-0T built by Hawthorn, Leslie & Co in 1930 and the only 'non-Austerity' type I ever saw in steam at this location.

 

Next up will be some views along the branch to the Coke Works and beyond.

 

Trevor

[russ p]

Brilliant pictures Trevor 

Any idea what alternative drawhook position is for on the loco in the last picture ?

[Trev52A]

Just now, russ p said:

Brilliant pictures Trevor 

Any idea what alternative drawhook position is for on the loco in the last picture ?

 

Thanks for that, russ. 

I don't know the answer but hopefully someone else can chip in.

 

Cheers

Trevor

[Northmoor]

I like the "life imitating models" in the second photo above: look at the loading of those 16-tonners!  That looks way overloaded but operating within the NCB boundary fence. I guess the men did what they had to, to get the job done.

[Trev52A]

Now for a view of the route from the yard at Derwenthaugh to the Coke Works..

 

No 82 sets off on the run south

 

A quick scramble up to the old embankment gives me this view of the train going away

 

Still seen from the east of the line as it runs alongside the River Derwent, just north of the coke works as loco No 27 does a spot of 'push/pull' working, heading north

 

Here's No 82 again, with the Coke Works on the left. That building on the right must be a signal cabin, with a riverside entrance, by the look of it!

 

Here's the view from the west side of the line as No 27 approaches the Coke Works heading south, with the river to the right of the train

 

The view from the same spot looking south on a different day, with my trusty bike on the left

 

Next - some views of the Coke Works and further south

 

Trevor

[Michael Edge]

8 hours ago, russ p said:

Brilliant pictures Trevor 

Any idea what alternative drawhook position is for on the loco in the last picture ?

Possibly for chaldron wagons, the Consett A class originally had another set of buffers (closer together) and drawgear mounted lower on the buffer beams.

[russ p]

5 minutes ago, Michael Edge said:

Possibly for chaldron wagons, the Consett A class originally had another set of buffers (closer together) and drawgear mounted lower on the buffer beams.

 

Must have been a pig to get in and out of with two sets of buffers 

[Trev52A]

A final selection of pictures on the Derwenthaugh system from 1968 /69

 

No 7 approaching the Coke Works as No 58 waits to head north on the single track

 

No 7 shunting at the Coke Works, with my bike appearing in the shot again!

 

No 7 again, standing just to the south of the Coke Works

 

On a foggy day a train of empties passes the Coke Works on its way to the Clockburn drift mine a mile or so further south 

 

No 58 blasts past the signal box near the Coke Works - damn! I wasn't expecting the shadow from the signal to fall on the smokebox!

 

A general view south towards Clockburn Drift from the east side

 

Seen from the other side of the line, No 7 prepares to start the run north with a loaded train

 

The drift mine closed in 1983 followed by the Coke Works two years later, which meant closure of the entire railway system, which had been diesel-operated since the early 1970s

 

One other picture I omitted from the beginning is this view towards the marshalling yard at the north end of the line near the connection with the BR junction, with D6794 in action in 1967. I would guess the loco is propelling a rake of empties towards the sidings. The NCB loco shed is away to the left. At this point I was standing on a wooden footbridge which was a perfect vantage point from which to photograph steam-hauled coal trains on the BR line to Stella South power station - the attractions of NCB steam locos would have to wait until the following year.

 

Trevor

Edited December 29, 2019 by Trev52A

[russ p]

Truely awesome pictures Trevor! 

[Mark Saunders]

3 hours ago, russ p said:

 

Must have been a pig to get in and out of with two sets of buffers 

 

Using a Shunting Pole there would be no need to go between!

[russ p]

9 minutes ago, Mark Saunders said:

 

Using a Shunting Pole there would be no need to go between!

 

But as you know mark  some couldn't use them to save their lives! 

[russ p]

And you couldn't do an under buffer swing with a stick