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The Tyne dock Consett thread.


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It's amazing how things have changed in the last 35 years. Same with pretty much all UK ports, of course. Contraction/closure of the port facilities and the building of overpriced waterfront housing...

 

Mind you, if, when I moved to 'Sheels' in late 1978, someone had told me that in less than 35 years we would see coal being IMPORTED into Tyne Dock, I would have laughed in their face...

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Please excuse me if this is not appropriate for this thread, but I am particularly interested in the Consett iron-ore traffic previous to BR, (much though I admire the 9Fs).

I presume in the late 40's the ex MOS steel hoppers (with a thicker plate than the 'normal' LNER 21t hoppers) were used.

Does anyone have any evidence of what was used previously to those vehicles becoming available?

 

Consett was importing iron ore from Spain from at least the 1870s

 

That's an interesting question and one to which I don't know the answer. I assume you must have some photos somewhere of pre-56-ton hopper iron ore trains, Porcy? Can you recall what formed the trains?

 

And as for those pipe supports, would the seawater pipe to the chemical works (which I assume is the same one that went over the Queen Alexandra Bridge in Sunderland?) have gone beyond Washington station and up into the 'v' of the junction?

 

On the subject of Washington Chemical Works, there are some fantastic photos of the works (and the station) on the Britain from Above website (you need to register or log-in to be able to zoom in and see the detail). For example:

 

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw016389

 

Arp

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Arps

 

My 1951 Port of Sunderland handbook has some rather nice pics of iron ore being unloaded into MOT 21T hoppers...probably taken in the late 40s as they are still in faded MOT livery...who else had a blast furnace in North Durham at this time apart from Consett?  The book also shows chrome ore being imported and loaded into open wagons (a high sided SR 13T and a standard looking 13T open)...I'm sure Porcy will tell us where that was going to...

 

Cheers

Duncan

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Arps

 

 The book also shows chrome ore being imported and loaded into open wagons (a high sided SR 13T and a standard looking 13T open)...I'm sure Porcy will tell us where that was going to...

Probably any works that manufactured stainless or specialist steels. Feasibly a brickworks that made Chromate Magnesium refractory bricks or even the Eaglescliffe Chemical Co that became British Chrome Ltd, (In 1954 I think) manufacturers of Chromate Chemicals, that had a multitude of uses...

 

To the query re wagons used prior to the 56 tonners, the original official write up on the introduction of them, I'm sure gave a potted history of wagons used previously but I'm bu**ered if I can find my copy of it at the mo. Will report back if and when...

Oh! and there is probably something in "Railways of North West Durham" by Whittle.

P

Edited by Porcy Mane
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I'll have a look in Whittle the next time I'm over at my dad's, Porcy. Thanks for the pointers.

Thanks for the links, Duncan. I'm so pleased that NERA are starting to put embedded digital versions of their films on the website now - it's a real treasure trove!

'Men of Consett' is a brilliant film. If you can overlook Tom Stobart and the hilariously 'natural' dialogue with the actual workers, it is a great portrait of the steel works. And the footage of the furnaces is incredible! It's available on the BFI Steel boxed set if anyone is interested:

http://www.bfi.org.uk/blu-rays-dvds/working-life-steel

Arp

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 If you can overlook Tom Stobart and the hilariously 'natural' dialogue with the actual workers

 

And his family connections to steel... and the obvious anti nationalisation bias. (the film was commissioned as an anti nationalisation vehicle) and the impression that all Consett men dressed in tweeds and went salmon fishing on their copious days off... and ... and ...

To be fair a good few men in the then private coal industry were anti nationalisation as some of the employers were classed as good employers providing many benefits for miners families and communities.

 

P

Edited by Porcy Mane
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p.s. Where's that station at the end of 'Men of Consett'? In the description it says "probably Rowley" but it seems to be a 7-coach train and I can't work out what kind of engine is pulling it.

 

Arp

Its has a London Midland feel about it...is that co-acting signal of LNWR origin?

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The loco looks to me like either a Stanier or Fairburn 2-6-4T

 

 

For anybody who is interested I've a sequence of photographs in my gallery explaining the open hearth steel making process as featured in the film.  Here's a link to the first image;

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/10011-iron-to-steel-1/

 

Excuse the odd characters appearing in some of the captions, they appeared following one of the site's software changes.

 

 

One day I'll get around to adding a sequence covering iron making!

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 I am particularly interested in the Consett iron-ore traffic previous to BR, (much though I admire the 9Fs).

I presume in the late 40's the ex MOS steel hoppers (with a thicker plate than the 'normal' LNER 21t hoppers) were used.

Does anyone have any evidence of what was used previously to those vehicles becoming available?

 

In "A History of British Railway's North Eastern Railway" (NERA) there's a good article on the 1953 modernisation and operation of the 56 ton bogie hoppers. It also refers to the 21T MoT hoppers were used prior to this, in trains of 22 wagons and brake van, hauled by a Q7 and banked by similar from South Pelaw. No mention is made of earlier stock though.

Edited by kenw
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The aftermath of a derailment at South Pelaw Junction in September 1979 when a pair of Class 37's returning from Consett with an empty ore train came off the rails negotiating the junction for the Washington line and came to a stop just short of the signal box.  (Photos copyright Colin Brewes used with permission)

 

Note in the first photo just above the first wagon that the lines that allowed trains to and from Ouston Junction access to the sidings at Stella Gill have been severed.

 

IMG_0001.jpg

 

 

IMG_0002.jpg

 

 

John

Edited by johndon
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Work starts to demolish the bridge that carries the road over the line at Leadgate on Monday...

 

Seem to recall a lot of criticism of the local councils at the time of closure over their haste in ensuring the trackbed was never going to be re-usable

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