Trainspotting at Little Benton Sidings, Newcastle.

[rowanj]

Thanks for the comments on the "twins", which have now been re-united with their correct siblings. The LNER pair are ready to go into service in a rake. The ex-GN pair need a bit of work to get tound my bends- the corridor connectors touch and cause a derailment. 

 

Meanwhile, my MikeTtrice/Bachmann V2 heads for Tyneside. The train may be The North Briton, a service we saw regularly, For spotters looking for cops, it never produced anything very interesting, It also had a poor reputation for time-keeping, and was nicknamed by staff as The Ancient Briton.

Equally boring to the spotters is the Class 101 on a local to Morpeth. Now, of course, I would pay a fortune for the chance to go back and see a scene like this, The photo taken a few days ago at the same location shows how much our railway landscape has changed. Whether it's for the better is a matter of opinion.

[rowanj]

When I was 10, I went with my parents to Blenheim Palace, and was fascinated by it and the history of the Duke of Marlborough- and Mrs Rowanj and I have been back many times since. So it is no surprise that I was always happy to see Blenheim on its' regular visits to Tyneside, or that I have a model of the loco.  This one is about the 3rd version I've had over 50 years, and is the first version of the China loco-drive model, itself now superceeded.

The A3 is on the Down Queen of Scots, which is made up of the correct formation North of Leeds, All the cars are the all-steel K-types, the latest from Hornby, Putting the rake together took a fair bit of research, a fair bit of help and a fair bit of cash. I have 3 "spares" including a couple of the earlier K types which were known to have been in the train when the purpose-built cars were unavailable.

 

Leaving the sidings is a Thornaby EE Class 3 (37) taking my newly acquired twins back to Teesside. I needed to adjust the bogie on the artic centre bogie, and it now manages all my curves and dodgy trackwork with impunity.

[rowanj]

Two latest acquisitions from my "downsizing" friend, 60077 is a bog-standard Hornby from the very first issue of the China- built loco drive models. The loco was at Heaton until 1960, then went to Holbeck, affter which it rarely, if indeed ever, appeared on Tyneside. All I have done is add a vacuum standpipe and draincocks, I may well, however, renumber it to represent Blink Bonny which was on the railtour I mentioned  in an earlier post. I need to check when , 77, got the German blinkers. Well, it turns out that was in1961, so this photo must be from 1963, at which time she was at 64A (though looks far too clean for a loco from there),  Here, she is on an express for Edinburgh.

The B16/3 is quite a different kettle of fish. Brian built a classic cut and shut, using parts from a B12, J39, K3 and D11, I believe all ex GBL magazine. The chassis is modified Hornby B12, with Comet extras. How he did it iwas posted on his thread some time ago, and the result is so good, and particularly "Do-able", that I;ve asked if I can post some of the work on my "build" thread. I think many visitors there are of an LNER persuasion, while his devotees are sad ex-LMS types, The only issue I may have is the tender, which is a great effort to get a GC to NER representation, but I think the top detail ahead of the front coal rail may need amending- it should have a pair of tool boxes. Or should it?

Edited July 13, 2023 by rowanj

[65179]

18 hours ago, rowanj said:

Two latest acquisitions from my "downsizing" friend, 60077 is a bog-standard Hornby from the very first issue of the China- built loco drive models. The loco was at Heaton until 1960, then went to Holbeck, affter which it rarely, if indeed ever, appeared on Tyneside. All I have done is add a vacuum standpipe and draincocks, I may well, however, renumber it to represent Blink Bonny which was on the railtour I mentioned  in an earlier post. I need to check when , 77, got the German blinkers. Well, it turns out that was in1961, so this photo must be from 1963, at which time she was at 64A (though looks far too clean for a loco from there),  Here, she is on an express for Edinburgh.

The B16/3 is quite a different kettle of fish. Brian built a classic cut and shut, using parts from a B12, J39, K3 and D11, I believe all ex GBL magazine. The chassis is modified Hornby B12, with Comet extras. How he did it iwas posted on his thread some time ago, and the result is so good, and particularly "Do-able", that I;ve asked if I can post some of the work on my "build" thread. I think many visitors there are of an LNER persuasion, while his devotees are sad ex-LMS types, The only issue I may have is the tender, which is a great effort to get a GC to NER representation, but I think the top detail ahead of the front coal rail may need amending- it should have a pair of tool boxes. Or should it?

 

Very nice and quite an effort to make a self trimming GC tender look like an NER 4125 gallon one. Yes, it should have twin toolboxes - the type that slope down to the rear.

 

Simon

Edited July 14, 2023 by 65179

[rowanj]

60041 was common as muck so largely ignored by us as we searched for rarer breeds. It was often on freights by 1960 when I began serious number collection, and here she is on exactly that sort of duty. The loco is an original Wills kit, on a modern  Hornby chassis, bought when you could get them for a reasonable price. The tender is a Dave Alexander body kit, designed for a Hornby tender-drive, but fitted in this case on the later version.

[rowanj]

I had a couple of NuCast G5's but couldnt resist the TMC/Bachmann releases, and bought a couple. here they are, in all their "out of the box" glory, They run beautifully and I think they look a treat. They are far too pristine, of course, but photos of them in the 1950's suggest they did get cleaned pretty often. So far, all I have done is add the bits from the detailing pack, G5' were staple motive power on the Blyth and Tyne rains from Newcastle and Monkseaton to Blyth and Newbiggin

The locos are a "bog-standard" 67342 with Westinghouse brakes and early crest - the one on the rake of ex-NER carriages-, and 67261 with push-pull equipment and late crest. 42 was a Sunderland loco, so unlikely to get through Little Benton and should therefore be re-numbered. 61 was a Blyth loco until late 1955, when it too went to Sunderland, so to work my layout, it should have an early crest. Alternatively, changing one number to 67281 would give me a Blyth loco with a late crest. What to do? For the time being, nothing, while I continue re-laying a fiddle yard whose tracks looked like they were crossing the Cheviot Hills.

 

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by rowanj

[rowanj]

Those TMC/Bachmann G5's are really nice models. 67261 has the early morning Blyth - Central  train, one of the very few which would use the ECML through Little Benton.  Making sense of the Blyth and Tyne services post -war is a bit of a brain-puzzler, Most services to Newcastle went to Manors north via South Gosforth- not very helpful for my layout. Latterly the usual way to Blyth was via the North Tyneside electic train to Monkseaton then up the Avenue Branch to Newsham.

The re-opened service from August 2024 will use the more obvious route between Central and Ashington.

Edited August 21, 2023 by rowanj

[rowanj]

It must be 1966.

 

 Gateshead has just taken delivery of its' first  pair of Class 17's. and has it on a short load of open wagons. I don't recall ever seeing one at Little Benton, though I do have a photo of one heading for Tyneside at Little Benton North in 1968. By 1966, my spotting days were almost over.

 

Withdrawal of J27 and Q6 locos was well underway from the SE Northumberland sheds, and K1's and Ivatt 43xxx locos were arriving. To see these lined mixed-traffic locos at the head of rakes of hoppers was an incongrous sight, They were usually in deplorable external condition. Though hardly unknown, K1's were not that common around Tyneseide,although they did get in from Darlington from time to time. Alnmouth had a pair for the Alnwick service and for local freight turns, and were kept reasonably clean. 62006 has either had a spell there, or has been on excursion duty. With the best will in the world, I'm not going to try to get it into North Blyth condition..

Edited August 24, 2023 by rowanj

[rowanj]

A couple of unusual SO trains pass Litlle Benton South. The B16/3, a PDK kit, has an excusion from Berwick to York, having picked up passengers at Beal, belford, Chathill and Alnmouth. It is a North Northumberland NFU trip, and the B16 has been on a turn to Tweedmouth, so this is  a convenient way to get it home, Notice the pink elephants flying overhead?

 

More plausibly, Blenheim thas the Leicester-Craigendoran, the loco is just a renamed Hornby, and the LMS stock re-sided Airfix. I keep intending to make my LMS rake more prototypical, but cannot find a description of the stock for this train. If anyone knows....

[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

Think I need new Glasses, can't find those 'Pink Elephants'........

 

manna

[rowanj]

Another couple of somewhat unusual locos at Little Benton. I'm gradually whittling down my stock of "inapproriate" locos, but will hang on to the O4/8 which was an early conversion to the Bachmann release, and didnt turn out too badly. From memory, it was a Replica B1 boiler and cab with some Graeme King resin castings. Some of these locos were repaired at Darlington late in the day, so that is today's excuse for seeing it . Local J21, LRM kit, sits in the sidings waiting for a path back to Heaton.

 

The Class 37 is a Lima model with replacement CD motor. It was one of the first to get to Thornaby. Though they became a common sight later, when I was spotting the class was an unusual sight at Newcastle. Presumably it has worked a freight in from Teesside and then been borrowed for a relief to Edinburgh.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2023 by rowanj

[rowanj]

My rather hazy memory suggests A1's were seen as often as not on express services north of Newcastle, Certainly , Gateshead used them in preference to their A4's.  Meg Merrilees heads North, while Auld Reekie takes the Up Queen os Scots on the last few miles to Newcastle. She will return on the Down North Briton.

 

A touch of ex-NER. The N9 was based at Tyne Dock until withdrawal, so a run through Little Benton with a short rake of empties would be unusual. The loco is an LRM kit.

 

65110 has finally been released and has an even shorter rake of open wagons back to Heaton Yard. It too is from LRM.

 

 

 

 

 

[rowanj]

The Down QoS has the usual Haymarket A3 as motive power north of Newcastle, though the unique 60097 makes a nice change.

 

Pure ex-NER . Heaton's J21 65110 leaves the sidings with a short transfer freight. This will take the long way round to the North Tyneside Loop at Heaton and then on to Percy Main where it will hand over in the exchange sidings to an NCB tank , as the timber is destined  for the Rising Sun Colliery at Wallsend. Unusually, the signalman has given it priority over the G5 - Bachmann/TMC held on the mainline with an ECS rake probably heading for Heaton Carriage Sidings,

Edited September 25, 2023 by rowanj

[rowanj]

Well, the G5 wasnt headed for Heaton, and instead reversed the stock into the sidings. In real life, the sidings wre run-through, but I didnt remotely have the space to fit them in, so on the layout, they really just act as a fiddle yard.

 

By the time I was spotting, A1's were starting to be replaced by what became Class 40, 45 and 46, and then by Deltics on passenger trains. But Madge Wildfire is still perfectly capable to take this Glasgow- Kings X to Newcastle. The new order passes in the shape of a Class 17 on a short freight headed for Backworth Goods, where the empty mineral wagons will probably be taken on to one of the local pits.

Humorist again, this time on a fitted freight for Forth Goods. The model needed some attention to the loco-tender arrangement, and while I had it apart, I amended the A4 =style  cylinder block and draincocks, The chassis had been originally under an A4.

[rowanj]

Ages ago, I ordered the Tyne Dock 9F from Hattons and it arrived today- a lovely model. I felt it did need toning down, as the black plastic on such a big loco looked odd. Not wanting to do too much to the model, I used some powders just to tone the thing down,

 

I never saw a 9F at Little Benton, and have no photographic evidence other than the time one was used for the last weekend of steam services on the Alnwick branch in 1966. I understand the Tyne Dock locos were usually needed on the Consett trains, with no room for using them on anything else. This probably eased when disels started to be used as bankers, freeing up 9F's for other work. In my world they are occasional visitors on freights.

92079 in the headshunt is the Hornby model. 92067 is a GBL body on a Railroad chassis. The difference in the size of the cabside numerals is quite striking, I used a photo of 92067 with the larger numbers taken at 51A after a General repair at the Works. 

 

[rowanj]

A bit more wading through photos revealed that G5 67261 did survive long enough at South Blyth with a late crest emblem to fit my timescale. I have dusted it down eith Humbrol powders and here she is on a Morpeth train, away from the normal runs up and down the Blyth and Tyne. For the time being, my other TMC G5,  67342 without the push-pull arrangement, will have to remain a Sunderland- based loco purloined for some reason to run through Little Benton. To be  honest, I have never found evidence of a G5 running up this stretch of the ECML, so one unlikely event is as bad as another.

 

Equally implausable, 60019 is on the Up Queen of Scots, which was a Haymarket turn, The loco is a Wills kit on a Comet chassis, and represents one of my attempts to get a Gateshed Pacific looking in a half-way state before total grime overwhelmed it. BITTERN was one of the more commonly seen Gateshead A4's  surprisingly rare ib "spotting hours, ie after school and Saturdays, Their A4 turns were often entrusted to A1's, The idea that she would become a celebrity would have been laughed at by we spotters at the time. I remember waiting a long time to cop, 01, 02 and 16, by which time all the 34A and 64B A4's had been underlined in my ABC. Strange but true, I did eventually get them.

 

Finally the latest Hornby 9F is released from the sidings to maje its way to Heaton, where a York V2 waits to take it further South.

Edited October 4, 2023 by rowanj

[rowanj]

I'm thinking of putting together a push-pull set to run behind (or ahead) of the G5. Of stuff currently available, Isinglass seems the best option, but in my Googling, I came across a couple of references by folk who felt amending the Hornby Brake or the Kirk kit would be an easy option. So, out of the drawer came 3 Kirks-Brake, 2nd and Composite- which would make a suitable rake. 3 coaches was the maximum permitted load on push-pulls on the Blyth route. The Kirks were built years ago, but were updated a few years later with Comet/ABS/MJT parts and Isinglass bogies. I had them in store, mainly because I didn't have space on the layout to run them, They don't look too bad, though the Composite seems to sit a bit too high.The mods to the brake/driving coach are largely around enlarging the windows for the driver, and cutting out 2 new ones on the side. So, having tested the running of the rake, the 2 needing work are in the workshop ready for the scalpel.

 

Passing them, 60501, totally unmodified Hornby, has a fitted Class A freight bound for Millerhill. I have very few specific memories of individual  "spottings" from my youth, but one is standing on Gateshead East Staion when 501 arrived over the High Level Bridge and waited for what seemed ages on the avoiding line waiting to get onto Gateshead Shed.. It is the only A2/2 I remember seeing, though my ABC has 502 and 503 underlined- probably from forays to York.

 

Edited October 5, 2023 by rowanj

[rowanj]

Edit to the last post. Getting a prototypical push-pull set will not be easy/ almost impossible. I have a decent range of photos of these trains in BR days, up to their replacement by Class 101's, and it is clear that the stock is almost all ex-NER. Indeed, I see no definitive evidence of any ex-LNER coaches, and certainly not a driving coach. 

At one time, I could have probably obtained suitable D&S or Fozzard  kits, but not now, so I'm unsure whether to push ahead with this project. Perhaps now there is an RTR G5, someone will produce  some suitable stock.

[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

Well call it a representation of what happened, we can't always get it 100% right. And, who knows, on that particular day it 'Could' have had Gresley stock. I'd stick with it.

 

manna

[rowanj]

A couple of early-morning trains pass Little Benton South, and are viewed from more or less where we stood in days of yore. The B1 has the first passenger train from Edinburgh to Newcastle. This was a "businessmans" service with limited stops and carried catering facilities, A B1 is unusual motive power, though not unhead of. The Bachmann loco has been weathered and renumbered, but is otherwise "out of the box". It runs on the much-maligned split chassis.

The J39/3 is probably covering for a Class 101 on a Morpeth turn, The ex-NER tender would suggest this is an early-built member of the class, but actually not. These tenders were given to locos built as late as 1940, coming from a range of withdrawn stock, including, if I remember correctly, Raven A2's. This tender was cobbled together largely from the one DJH supply with the D20 kit.The loco is a modified GBL body on a Bachmann split-chassis. 

The stock is my Kirk rake which one day will becpme a push=pull set, As can be seen, I lowered the bogies, and have modified the solebars with Evergreen strip on the Composite, so it now goes round corners. I did get a comment suggesting these coaches were sometimes to be seen on the Blyth push-pulls, but I have no photos proving this.

Finally, a real engine, taken last week at Pickering.

[rowanj]

This is a sad sight as Gateshead's 24/1 hauls a line of redundant tank locos south, probably destined for the scrapyard at North Road, Darlington. I saw someting similar, as 5 Clans passed Little Benton one evening as we spotted after school.

 

Luckily, this isnt actually happening on the layout. Though the diesel is nothing more than re-numbered, the other locos are all either kit-built or modified RTR. I'll let the spotters identify them, but they include a J71 and short-bunker J72 (Bachmann bodies on Mainly Trans chassis), SEF N5 (Sunderland had a couple), LRM N8 and N9, N10' s (Alexander and ArthurK) and a J73 (ArthurK), Some were built a good while ago and havent been run for ages , so they have been dug out to check them over and see if they would benefit for any TLC, There are a few other kits in similar circumstances, so these may be the subject of the next few posts. At least it will be something different,

Edited October 20, 2023 by rowanj

[46256]

A sad sight John, I witnessed similar ranks of steam locomotives  travelling through Water Orton en route to scrapyards in the North. My mates  also witnessed  a number of the brand new, yet withdrawn class 14 diesels, travelling from the south west up, to new lives in industrial use, up your neck of the woods.

 

best wishes Brian

[rowanj]

J77 68392 has a rake of 24.5T mineral wagons. loaded wagons going North, This is an anathema- they  really should be empties, so I'm struggling to explain this train. Perhaps the fact that the coal is glued into the wagons is the answer,

The loco is an ArthurK/Northeastern Kits kit, and is having a run following a visit to my Worls. It runs pretty well, but could do with its; cheap motor replaced with something with a bit more oomph. I;ll deal with it next time I see Chris of High Level Models- probably at the Newcastle Show in a couple of weeks. I also dulled down the body with Humbrol Powders,

Edited October 23, 2023 by rowanj

[Sludger]

Hi John,

 

perhaps it has  been rejected at one of the Stella PS and is on it's way to

Weetslade for washing and blending with some better quality stuff.

 

Trev.

[rowanj]

56 minutes ago, Sludger said:

Hi John,

 

perhaps it has  been rejected at one of the Stella PS and is on it's way to

Weetslade for washing and blending with some better quality stuff.

 

Trev.

Thanks Trev, that must be it!! 

John