Blackgill: Tyne Dock to Consett in P4

[Axlebox]

...careful John once those Blackgill boys get you hooked there is no escape...and I've heard a rumor there may be the early signs of disesalation creeping into the running order...

[johndon]

...careful John once those Blackgill boys get you hooked there is no escape...and I've heard a rumor there may be the early signs of disesalation creeping into the running order...

 

I know, I've been behind the scenes a few times for a look but it might be time to 'pop my cherry' at the controls  I'm all for the diesels...

 

John

[Arpster]

The Blackgill Gang were up in Glasgow at the weekend and Tony Wright's post about the layout (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/64295-wright-writes/page-368&do=findComment&comment=2222373) has prompted me to stick up some photos of my own. Blackgill did behave itself remarkably well over the weekend. Yes, there were the usual niggling derailments here and there, but most things cooperated and many of the trains didn't fall off once over the whole three days. We were slightly short-staffed at the weekend, but managed to keep things running most of the time. I hope that all of you who were there managed enjoyed seeing the layout and managed to see some trains running!

One issue we did have was the sad demise of the Compspeed Rambler Minor controller that operates the shed yard. That limited the moves we could make somewhat and meant that our newly-written timetable for the show went out of the window a bit! If anyone has such a controller going spare, then my dad would love to take it off your hands!

One of the benefits of a three-day show with a layout that was behaving itself was that I managed to take a load for photos. I'll share some of them here, a little at a time.

 

On a sunny summer's day in 1958, J77 68410 (on loan from North Blyth) simmers in the headshunt outside of Blackgill shed whilst waiting its next duties as yard pilot.


A ganger passes by on his walk along the mainline...


... as over by the shed, a cleaner is busy shovelling away the ash from the resident locos...


...whilst his mates check the racecard for that afternoon's meets at Gosforth Park and Sedgefield.


The sun is starting to be covered by stormclouds now, with the weather rolling down from Consett over the Durham hills.


The empties are waiting to be worked up the branch to the colliery.


The low cloud is drifting across the fields and the signalman puts another shovelful of coal on his fire. "Typical", he thinks, "I knew as soon as I washed the car it would rain!"


Blackgill station is a foreboding place when the day closes in. The porter had better get some lights lit.


That's better.


The rain is really coming down on the hills now.


There's a real motley selection of old wagons on the coal drops today.


The empties from the coaling stage are ready to go down the bank when the pick-up goods returns from Consett.


The passengers are wrapped-up against the elements.


But I think the worst of it has passed now and the sun seems to be breaking through again.


Ah, yes, that's better. We can have a walk back down to the shed now to see what's being brought out for the day. There's a J21 that worked up from Blaydon the day before.


And the resident T1 being prepared for banking duties on coal trains up to Consett.


But our old friend 68410 is still waiting for something to do.

That's it for this lunchtime. I'll put up another load of photos later.

Arp

[Tony Wright]

I've posted some of the following pictures I took of Blackgill in Glasgow on Wright Writes but they're probably more appropriate here. 

 

It really is a beautiful creation. 

 

My thanks for letting me get these shots, and for the offer of the loan of a tripod (which I didn't use). I was also very interested in the discussions on photography (and how much bullsh*t can be expended on the topic). I just did it 'my way'. A powerful camera, a specialist lens, very small aperture, long exposure and illumination by pulses of fill-in flash. I hope I've done the layout justice.................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2016 by Tony Wright

[Porcy Mane]

Ah ha. The almost complete restoration of the RTR J39 by RMwebs shyest member makes an appearance. Quite a lot of detail added, replacement cab and the backhead among other things still to complete.

Originally available as a ready to run model, the factory that produced it was overlooked from the Tyne Dock Consett line.

Anyone want to take a guess at the manufacturer? No prizes, just a bit of fun.

Here's a front view.

 

 

I've posted these images in Mr Wrights thread but guess they are a little more appropriate here so for the second time today,

Tony Lamberts excellent phot of a Sulzer Two on the Iron Ore fulls at Washington South Junction.

Sulzer Type 2 by Tony Lambert, on Flickr

 

and the inter-connecting pipework between the ore hoppers taken on the Consett unloading gantry.

 

56ton Iron Ore hopper couplings by Tony Lambert, on Flickr

 

...and finally Mr Arp "working" on the layout. What is it with the yoof of today that possesses them to grow a beard? Especially that colour or was it just the draw of exhibiting in Scotland. It's not as if you work in a submarine. Invest in a razor young man.

 

P

Edited March 3, 2016 by Porcy Mane

[Class O]

Ah ha. The almost complete restoration of the RTR J39 by RMwebs shyest member makes an appearance. Quite a lot of detail added, replacement cab and the backhead among other things still to complete.

Originally available as a ready to run model, the factory that produced it was overlooked from the Tyne Dock Consett line.

Anyone want to take a guess at the manufacturer? No prizes, just a bit of fun.

Here's a front view.

 

Bgill-MRS-2106-43-EditSm.jpg

 

Is it Micro-Metalsmiths, they made one ?

 

[Porcy Mane]

Is it Micro-Metalsmiths, they made one ?

 

 

Give that man an onion.

Owen ,

I should have said you weren't allowed to enter as you possess insider information. 

Micro-Metalsmiths it is.

Mr. Rick hasn't done a bad job on it eh?

 

P

Edited March 3, 2016 by Porcy Mane

[johndon]

I see the 24 in the pic above is not only running by itself rather than being double headed but it doesn't appear to have the air equipment to operate the hopper doors...

 

John

[Porcy Mane]

Jon,

if you check out pictures taken during the initial change over period, the four class 25's, the 24/1 and 24's that were converted during 1966 only had the air pipes at the number one end. Early diesel operations always had the number two end leading with the locos still being turned at Tyne Dock just like the 9Fs.

 

P

[johndon]

Cheers Paul, I've not got too many photos from that early in the introduction of the 24s.

 

John

[Arpster]

I'm going to ignore the comment about my beard, Porcy. It's purely for practical reasons, dontchaknow.

 

Where do you reckon this photo is taken in Washington? On the line leading away from the junction towards Biddick Lane? If so, that would probably make those green things on the right piles of timber sheeted over in Calder's yard. Those hopper type structures are probably what's visible in the first photo on this page: http://www.washington.co.uk/ot.htm. The buildings on the left are probably Cook's foundry, in the ruins of which I found an old mine tub wheel (which they used to produce) when I was a kid, which still resides under my dad's car port. I'd also like to know what the long line of 21t hoppers is doing in the siding to the right. Maybe waiting to go up to Glebe and the 'F' Pit?

Arp

 

Tony Lamberts excellent phot of a Sulzer Two on the Iron Ore fulls at Washington South Junction.

Sulzer Type 2 by Tony Lambert, on Flickr

 

[P.C.M]

Some lovely pics of a superb layout. 

 

Cheers Peter.

[Mallard60022]

Bit OT (apologies) but is there a book that focuses on the Tyne Dock Consett route over the years?

Still waiting to see Blackgill in the flesh. Lovely layout.

Phil 

[Arpster]

Thanks for the kind comments, chaps.

Phil: there's a book by Roger Darsley that's a good starting point: https://www.waterstones.com/book/consett-to-south-shields/roger-r-darsley/9781906008574 - available from your local transport bookshop (or an internet giant that doesn't pay any tax...).

 

A few more photos for today. We've fast-forwarded a year to mid-1959 and we see Tyne Dock's T1, 69917 eking out its last few months of service as Blackgill banker before going to meet its maker (Gateshead works, incidentally).

 

Q6 number 63379 emerges through the tunnel from Beamish with a loaded 16-wagon coal train. According to the sectional appendix, this is the heaviest load that a Q6 is allowed to take up the hill to Consett and only then provided a banker is attached.


63379 blasts past Blackgill box, the fireman and signalman exchanging a friendly wave as the former mops his brow in between stoking his fire.

 

Across the crossing they head, away up to the steel works.

 

And now comes the banker, working hard at the rear of the train to get speed up for the 1 in 51 climb ahead.

 

69917 passes the colliery exchange siding where NCB's D54 (Hawthorn Leslie recently arrived at Blackgill from Ravensworth Ann colliery) is busy sorting out its train of fulls.


As the train disappears off up the hill, peace and quiet falls over the (slightly blurred) station again.


K1 62024 rolls down the hill with the daily pick-up goods.


Tyne Dock's Q7 63473 takes a train of empty coal hoppers up the hill to Morrison Busty colliery.


A few hours later Q6 63379 brings an empty coal train into colliery reception sidings.


A couple of spotters wait on the end of the platform for the next ore train to come through.


The number 5 bus comes round the corner past The Bank Tavern on the way to Consett.


68691 (borrowed from Croft Depot for the weekend) simmers in the shed yard.


N10 no. 69105 heads off up the colliery branch to collect another loaded train.


The T1 arrives back on the shed yard after its latest banking duty...


..and is stabled alongside Blackgill's complement of smaller tank engines.


Stan the porter busies himself cleaning the windows of the down platform shelter (they soon get dirty with all of those trains blasting past on the way up the hill).


The station goods shed. It doesn't get much traffic these days.


The end of the working day.


 

[Porcy Mane]

 

I'm going to ignore the comment about my beard, Porcy. It's purely for practical reasons, dontchaknow.

 

Where do you reckon this photo is taken in Washington? On the line leading away from the junction towards Biddick Lane? If so, that would probably make those green things on the right piles of timber sheeted over in Calder's yard. Those hopper type structures are probably what's visible in the first photo on this page: http://www.washington.co.uk/ot.htm. 

 

 

 

An excellent deduction my dear Watsup. If you look carefully you can see the single slotted signal post with two pegs controlling up and down lines. Confirmation  (As if you should need such a thing!) can be substantiated by checking this phot taken some 14 years later looking in the opposite direction:

http://www.rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/show.htm?serial=1434&img=G-249-36

 

I've only ever seen one photograph of Calders steam crane that worked their internal network. That was inevitably taken by the late Mr Carr. (I S not J) I suppose the rarity of images taken around there was down to the limited access.

 

 

 I'd also like to know what the long line of 21t hoppers is doing in the siding to the right. Maybe waiting to go up to Glebe and the 'F' Pit?

 A few possibilities.

1.

They could be waiting to go back up into the exchange sidings for the Glebe and F pits but I'm not sure if there was direct access from that loop? That would have meant drawing forward, probably across Biddick Lane crossing and then a cross over and a lengthy setting back. I would have thought it easier to use the other (disused by the look of the track) loop, But as BR locos were working up to the Glebe the exchange sidings may well have been out of use by then. As we know anything was possible. What we need to do is find a BR guard who worked the area at that time.

A piccy of the site of the Glebe/F pit exchange sidings:

http://www.rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/show.htm?serial=1434&img=G-246-25

Possiblity 2.

They are part of a class J or K freight that has been looped to allow the "faster" Iron Ores to pass?

Possiblity 3.

It's early September so the demand for household coal is still very low. Even as late as 1966 thousands of mineral wagons had to be put into temporary store during the summer and brought back into use during the peak coal usage period during winter. They could simply be in storage.

 

Can anyone offer up any different solutions?

 

P

Edited March 4, 2016 by Porcy Mane

[Worsdell forever]

Absolutely brilliant set of photos. I hope that Porcy bloke behaved himself last weekend.

[Porcy Mane]

Absolutely brilliant set of photos. I hope that Porcy bloke behaved himself last weekend.

Yes he did but... his bowels didn't.

P

[themagicspanner]

This is a great 'model of a railway' which I enjoyed very much at Glasgow.

 

 

Mike

[Arpster]

An excellent deduction my dear Watsup. If you look carefully you can see the single slotted signal post with two pegs controlling up and down lines. Confirmation  (As if you should need such a thing!) can be substantiated by checking this phot taken some 14 years later looking in the opposite direction:

http://www.rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/show.htm?serial=1434&img=G-249-36

 

I've only ever seen one photograph of Calders steam crane that worked their internal network. That was inevitably taken by the late Mr Carr. (I S not J) I suppose the rarity of images taken around there was down to the limited access.

 

 A few possibilities.

1.

They could be waiting to go back up into the exchange sidings for the Glebe and F pits but I'm not sure if there was direct access from that loop? That would have meant drawing forward, probably across Biddick Lane crossing and then a cross over and a lengthy setting back. I would have thought it easier to use the other (disused by the look of the track) loop, But as BR locos were working up to the Glebe the exchange sidings may well have been out of use by then. As we know anything was possible. What we need to do is find a BR guard who worked the area at that time.

A piccy of the site of the Glebe/F pit exchange sidings:

http://www.rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/show.htm?serial=1434&img=G-246-25

Possiblity 2.

They are part of a class J or K freight that has been looped to allow the "faster" Iron Ores to pass?

Possiblity 3.

It's early September so the demand for household coal is still very low. Even as late as 1966 thousands of mineral wagons had to be put into temporary store during the summer and brought back into use during the peak coal usage period during winter. They could simply be in storage.

 

Can anyone offer up any different solutions?

 

P

I've got the signalbox diagram from Washington South in a tube at home. I could have a look at the access from that siding on there. It would be interesting to know what those three ground shunt signals in your second photo are for...

 

Glad you enjoyed seeing the layout at Glasgow, Mike.

 

Arp

[Porcy Mane]

I've got the signalbox diagram from Washington South in a tube at home. I could have a look at the access from that siding on there. It would be interesting to know what those three ground shunt signals in your second photo are for...

Be interesting to see the signal box diagram. Let me know what year it is. Old-maps.co.uk is very poor for maps of the junction as the dates for 1:1250 series are all screwed up. Alans 1910 diagram is a bit too early for our needs.

http://www.ipernity.com/doc/pinzac55/21759747

 

I suspect that the three ground signals may have had something to do with the reversals of the Redcar>Consett>Redcar iron ore workings. They were still going in Sept 1980 when the pic from the DMU was taken. The loops toward Biddick Lane would have been long gone by then. Probably lifted when the line was first closed in the 1960's.

 

P

[Porcy Mane]

Mr Lambert has posted another interesting phot of operations on the unloading gantry at Consett.

Tyne Dock Consett Ore Wagon doors by Tony Lambert, on Flickr

 An Interesting view when viewed in conjunction with page 10 of the operations manual.

 

P

Edited March 5, 2016 by Porcy Mane

[Porcy Mane]

I've got the signalbox diagram from Washington South in a tube at home.

Mr Axlebox has just called at Straight Tail Towers to have a rummage through what is laughingly called my Map Cabinet. Turned up this from 1972. The loops are out, as are the connections to Calders and Cooks but the entrance gate boundaries are still clearly defined.

Not long after this was re-surveyed that that Peanut Farmer turned up with the funny accent.

 

Will post a map of the general area later.

Edited March 5, 2016 by Porcy Mane

[Arpster]

Ta for the map, Porcy. I've had a look at my diagram for Washington South and the line those hoppers are standing on is the 'Up Independent' (with the rusting line on the left being known, intriguingly, as the 'Tavern Siding'). There is a dolly on the bracket signal at the east end of the Up Independent though, suggesting it could be worked both ways, but there's no access to the branch to Glebe and 'F' Pit collieries. There are also a number of sidings marked on my diagram for Cook's Ironworks which seem to be lifted by the 1970s (as I guess Cook's was closed by then).

If you want to see a video of the iron ore hopper doors in operation (and have a ride in the brakevan of a train up from Tyne Dock to Consett) then it's worth watching the 1967 film 'Consett Steel' on the BFI Player (footage of the trains from about 9 minutes onwards):

http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-consett-steel-1967/

 

Arp

[Axlebox]

...nice Pulverite wagon at 9.40.

[Porcy Mane]

...nice Pulverite wagon at 9.40.

 What do you reckon? Black livery or the later ice blue?

It's got me scratching my head now as to when the Pulverite works lost its rail connection. I was told Davy Roll used Pulverite. That'll do nicely for confirmation.

I suppose I should get on building the wagons.

 

P

Edited March 5, 2016 by Porcy Mane