Dave F's photos - ongoing - more added each day

[DaveF]

 

Mainly Newcastle Central station today together with one of Newburn level crossing which is on the line to Scotswood bridge along the north side of the Tyne.

 

The Newburn level crossing photo was taken during a  railtour of lines around Newcastle and Gateshead, "The Tyneside Venturer", which used Class 101s.

 

 

Newcastle 31 up ecs July 88 J9625.jpg

 

 

Newcastle 47597 ecs Heaton to Newcastle Aug 90 J11598.jpg

 

 

Newcastle 43064 Edinburgh to Kings X April 91 J11867.jpg

 

 

Newcastle Class 143  11th June 91 C15919.jpg

 

 

Newburn level crossing view east 14th Sept 85 C7181.jpg  The train is behind me, having gone across the crossing.

Note - the line was closed, I was on a tour of the lines in the area by dmu.  We were assisted to detrain by BR staff and given permission to be on the track, both here and at other locations on the tour where there was no other traffic.

 

 

David

 

Edited March 25, 2021 by DaveF
To add information about being trackside, with permission.

[Bedlington North]

1 hour ago, DaveF said:

 

Mainly Newcastle Central station today together with one of Newburn level crossing which is on the line to Scotswood bridge along the north side of the Tyne.

 

The Newburn level crossing photo was taken during a  railtour of lines around Newcastle and Gateshead, "The Tyneside Venturer", which used Class 101s.

 

 

Newcastle 31234 up ecs July 88 J9625.jpg

 

 

Newcastle 47597 ecs Heaton to Newcastle Aug 90 J11598.jpg

 

 

Newcastle 43064 Edinburgh to Kings X April 91 J11867.jpg

 

 

Newcastle Class 143  11th June 91 C15919.jpg

Newburn level crossing view east 14th Sept 85 C7181.jpg  The train is behind me, having gone across the crossing.

 

 

David

 

 

Hi David

 

Nostalgic pics as always. The last pic of the level crossing at Newburn is interesting. I reckon there isn't a single trace of any of the things in the picture left there now.

[keefer]

Page on Newburn at disused-stations:

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/n/newburn/index.shtml

Edited March 24, 2021 by keefer

[corneliuslundie]

I am afraid that on the level crossing stupidity thread

they might take exception to you standing on the line to take photos, as setting a bad example - mind you there seem to be plenty of people who don't need an example, judging by some of the photos and videos which have been posted - and after all you are behind the train and the gates are closed.

Jonathan

Edited March 24, 2021 by corneliuslundie

[Bedlington North]

The adjacent Station Hotel at Newburn still had a working Gin Gan or Horse engine in it's back yard in the 80s even after the Iron Horse had gone. I can remember being taken to see it when I was young.

[Market65]

Good evening, David. I like the Newcastle and Newburn level crossing photo’s, all of which are of interest. In J11598, at Newcastle, with 47597, on an empty coaching stock working from Heaton to Newcastle, in August, 1990, you can see how the number 9 appears to be too tall. I dread to think what someone would say if that was a model.

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

[RFS]

37 minutes ago, Market65 said:

Good evening, David. I like the Newcastle and Newburn level crossing photo’s, all of which are of interest. In J11598, at Newcastle, with 47597, on an empty coaching stock working from Heaton to Newcastle, in August, 1990, you can see how the number 9 appears to be too tall. I dread to think what someone would say if that was a model.

 

With warmest regards, 

 

 Rob.

 

They would show you Dave's picture and say it was modelled true to the prototype! 

[DaveF]

2 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

I am afraid that on the level crossing stupidity thread

they might take exception to you standing on the line to take photos, as setting a bad example - mind you there seem to be plenty of people who don't need an example, judging by some of the photos and videos which have been posted - and after all you are behind the train and the gates are closed.

Jonathan

I was perfectly safe, for the reasons given below.

 

The line had been closed to traffic for some time, the train was the tour dmu.  It's front buffers were a few inches from a tree growing in the track.

 

We were accompanied by BR staff who organised our detraining via sets of steps and gave us permission to stand on the line.

 

I think that in order to avoid any future controversy I will avoid posting any more photos taken on level crossings or elsewhere on railway property even though I always made sure I had permission to be there and take photos.

 

David

[mullie]

I don't see an issue. Those of us who have followed this brilliant thread for some time know you always had permissions as you've always made it clear. I would hate it to stop you posting certain photos.

 

Martyn

[Andrew P]

3 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

I am afraid that on the level crossing stupidity thread

they might take exception to you standing on the line to take photos, as setting a bad example - mind you there seem to be plenty of people who don't need an example, judging by some of the photos and videos which have been posted - and after all you are behind the train and the gates are closed.

Jonathan

As Dave stated, he / they had not only permission, but were escorted by BR Staff, and were decamped safely. No big issue, no rules broken, no danger to any human being.

[Andrew P]

Keep the pics coming Dave, we LOVE EM.

[DaveF]

24 minutes ago, mullie said:

I don't see an issue. Those of us who have followed this brilliant thread for some time know you always had permissions as you've always made it clear. I would hate it to stop you posting certain photos.

 

Martyn

 

10 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

As Dave stated, he / they had not only permission, but were escorted by BR Staff, and were decamped safely. No big issue, no rules broken, no danger to any human being.

 

To be honest I can see both sides of the "argument" about posting some photos.

 

In the early 70s I was involved in railway preservation for a time and was horrified by the risks some photographers (and others) took.  So I have always thought about which photos I upload.

 

I think I learnt a lot about safety, especially keeping myself of out of the way of moving things (and seeing what other people were doing), as a teenager when I learnt to drive narrow gauge locos (steam and diesel) and traction engines and steam rollers - all on private lines/land.

 

I thought about it even more once I was a little older and helped drive traction engines on roads to rallies.

I also had to think about safety at work - I was responsible for aspects of the health and safety of over 2,500 people.

 

Incidentally I also often had to decide on what photography was allowed at work - in general terms it wasn't!

 

David

 

 

 

 

[35A]

On a more prosaic note, J9625 won't be 31 234, as it has an ETS jumper - it looks like one of the later class 31/4 conversions, given the position of the kit.

[corneliuslundie]

My feeling is that Dave should continue posting but with the occasional caveat to remind those viewing that they were taken legitimately and the dangers of playing round (such as making videos!) on open railway lines.

Sorry to have caused an issue. I am just aware that there are some stupid people around.

Jonathan

[DaveF]

Today's photos were taken at Morpeth which as 99.9% of you know is on the ECML in Northumberland.  The line through the station runs roughly east west, there is a curve at the western end round to the south with a 50mph speed limit, the scene of bad accidents in the past.  At the eastern end the line curves to the north, but less sharply.

 

It is still the junction for the Blyth and Tyne, with connections from both north and south forming a triangle, with loops and sidings.  The former goods yard is now a second car park, the first car park is on the site of the platforms for the Blyth and Tyne.  It was also the  junction with the North British Railway line to Scotsgap and on to Riccarton Junction, with its branch to Rothbury from Scotsgap.

 

Some of the captions have extra notes.

 

 

Morpeth Class 37 down freight Aug 80 J7106.jpg

Taken from the footbridge north east of the station.  There is a Class 101 in the up siding, which was removed at electrification.  It was used as the turnback road for the service from Newcastle.  These trains now use the Blyth and Tyne loops.   The level crossing lights to reach these can be seen as the red lights on the left beyond the big tree at the edge of the photo..  The building next to the dmu is the signalbox.

 

 

Morpeth 254013 up Aug 80 J7162.jpg

Again taken from the footbridge, looking north east.  The line on the left is the down loop.

 

 

Morpeth 101334 Berwick to Newcastle Aug 88 J9645.jpg

THe signal on the left has 2 feathers, the left one is for the down loop, the right one is to cross to the Blyth and Tyne and/or the up siding.  The footbridge from which the previous photos were taken is in the distance.  The photo was taken in the late afternoon.  There is a subway between the platforms, not visible in today's photos.

 

 

Morpeth 91025 Kings X to Glasgow C 26th June 93 C18642.jpg

Coming off the sharp curve from the south at the southwestern end of the station.   The NBR line left behind the train on the right.

 

 

Morpeth 142020 Morpeth to Newcastle 23rd Aug 95 C20492.jpg

A 142 in Tyne and Wear livery waiting for departure time to Newcastle.  The canopy on the right was moved back a few feet at the time of electrification.

 

David

Edited March 26, 2021 by DaveF
To correct east and west.

[iands]

Hi David, nice photos as usual, thanks for posting. A query though, in your description of the curves at Morpeth, have you got the "eastern" and "western" ends mixed up?

[Bedlington North]

Morpeth main station building has been extensively refurbished as it was very tired and some (most) of the rooms were inaccessible. I think the plan is to open some of them for retail (coffee anyone?) but of course lockdown measures have put the brake on this for now.

[eastwestdivide]

26 minutes ago, DaveF said:

the service from Newcastle

What's on the Morpeth terminators now that the Pacers have finally gone? Random selection of Northern 150/156/158?

[corneliuslundie]

Morpeth station building would make a very nice model, with our without a cafe.

Jonathan

[Bedlington North]

25 minutes ago, eastwestdivide said:

What's on the Morpeth terminators now that the Pacers have finally gone? Random selection of Northern 150/156/158?

No 150s. Mainly 156 with some 158s on services that run through to Carlisle from my infrequent observations.

[DaveF]

53 minutes ago, iands said:

Hi David, nice photos as usual, thanks for posting. A query though, in your description of the curves at Morpeth, have you got the "eastern" and "western" ends mixed up?

As Captain Mainwaring might say:

"I wondered who would be the first to notice that".

 

I've no idea how I got that wrong, I've now corrected it.

 

Thanks,

 

David

[keefer]

1903 RCH Junction Diagram of Morpeth:

 

Edited May 30, 2022 by keefer

[DaveF]

1 hour ago, keefer said:

1903 RCH Junction Diagram of Morpeth:

 

Thanks for this.

 

Of course it does not show the curve from the north to the Blyth and Tyne forming the triangle as that was only opened in 1980.

 

When the NBR line was built it connected directly with the Blyth and Tyne, the connection to the north side of the station replaced it when the Blyth and Tyne was bought by the NER.

 

David

[Market65]

Good evening, David. I like the Morpeth photo’s which are all of interest. In J7162, the class 254 HST, is actually 254013, rather than 254027, on a down service in August, 1980.

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

[The Pilotman]

10 hours ago, Market65 said:

Good evening, David. I like the Morpeth photo’s which are all of interest. In J7162, the class 254 HST, is actually 254013, rather than 254027, on a down service in August, 1980.

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

I’ve never been to Morpeth (only through it a couple of times) so I’m not that familiar with the layout but in that picture, if the line on the left is the down goods loop, wouldn’t the HST be an up service?