ejstubbs Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Travelling back north from Newcastle a few weeks ago, I happened to catch a glimpse of what looked like the remnants of some original NER coal drops immediately adjacent to the ECML. Unfortunately I omitted to make a proper note of where I saw them in order to be able to research them further. Digging around on here I found mention of some coal drops "south of Edinburgh" or "north of Morpeth" which are/were still used by a coal merchant, with a couple of 21t hopper wagons. A bit of research elsewhere online turned up a photo on Railscot of the old Belford station (which would match those very approximate location details) with remnants of its coal drops still in situ. However, it doesn't look like a coal merchant is using the site, and anyway the rails stop short of the drops so hopper wagons couldn't get to them. So I'm wondering: Are the drops still there at Belford? If so then I think those probably are the ones I saw from the train. Is Belford the location that was previously referenced here on RMWeb as being used by a coal merchant? The latest reference was in 2012, whereas the Railscot photo of Belford is dated 2007, so it doesn't look they are the same place. If not then where was/is it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold DaveF Posted June 9, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2015 You may have seen the ones at Alnmouth. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejstubbs Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't think so - I'm sure I'd have remembered them being at Alnmouth, given that there is still a station there. (Where are the drops at Alnmouth, precisely? I couldn't see any using Streetview, eg looking at the coal merchant's yard S of the road overbridge next to the station.) The ones I saw were definitely on the west side of the line, which does seem to make Belford a strong candidate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't think so - I'm sure I'd have remembered them being at Alnmouth, given that there is still a station there. (Where are the drops at Alnmouth, precisely? I couldn't see any using Streetview, eg looking at the coal merchant's yard S of the road overbridge next to the station.) The ones I saw were definitely on the west side of the line, which does seem to make Belford a strong candidate. This image from Google Maps suggests that there are still some coal cells to the north of the station buildings:- https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Belford,+Northumberland+NE70/@55.5966835,-1.8018067,265m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x488753a633c1b7d5:0x6486d08d1a84f630!6m1!1e1?hl=en There is a row of short parallel lines that end in the vegetation next to the main line; I did try Google Streetview, but the little gadjie refused to move... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bon Accord Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 You may have seen the ones at Alnmouth. David Photo of them here, taken 2005: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2443426 Weren't they briefly replaced by more modern hoppers before they too disappeared? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejstubbs Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 There is a row of short parallel lines that end in the vegetation next to the main line; I did try Google Streetview, but the little gadjie refused to move... Yep, that matches the Railscot photo, and also matches where they are shown on the 1924 1:2,500 OS map. Unfortunately it's not clear when that aerial view was taken. Streetview worked for me by dropping the gadgie (good NE word, that!) at the bus stop in the direction going away from Belford, at the bend where the road turns towards the SE. That view is dated 2009 and again matches the Railscot photo. Photo of them here, taken 2005: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2443426 Weren't they briefly replaced by more modern hoppers before they too disappeared? Ah, so Alnmouth is the location where the hopper wagons were being used - nice to get that question resolved. It's definitely not the spot I noticed from the train because that coal yard is on the wrong side of the line. So I'm now convinced that the coal drops I saw were the ones at Belford. I might wander down and see if I can get a less fleeting look at them sometime, before someone decides that they are in the way and need demolished. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad McCann Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Belford certainly did have coal drops and I took some photos of the station area in 1980. I'm pretty sure they were still in use at that point as I'm pretty certain I saw hoppers there too. Admittedly they could also have been ballast hoppers, there being a (then) active quarry on the opposite side of the main line. Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Scottish Modeller Posted June 9, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2015 Hi all, Belford - Northumberland has indeed some remains of coal drops. Not been used for some years though - last time I remember seeing anything in that bit was over 10 years ago. check Google Earth - not Google Maps - Image is better. Co-ords Lat 55°35'48.60"N Long 1°48'10.93"W The remains show up clearly. Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Scottish Modeller Posted June 10, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 10, 2015 Hi all, A quick 'phone call with the mother in law re this. She is unaware of any rail traffic to the coal staithes since the 1960's. Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 When did the ballast traffic from Belford cease? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Saunders Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 When did the ballast traffic from Belford cease? It was replaced by Hexham so I would think by about 1985! Mark Saunders Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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