kenw

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.

It would be common for a junction to have a single distant, which would clear only for the main line route, particularly if the diverging route was slow speed. Without further information, doesn't make sense 2 & 6 being apparently shown as home junction signals when there's no diverging route before the next stop signals, 3/7. Unless 2/6 are repeaters, but don't seem to be shown as such

Not quite unusual, the 67 on 'Thunderbird' duty at Newcastle goes to Tyne Yd for it's servicing / exams

I remember seeing the ore gantry still standing, late 70s, maybe early 80s, don't recall any road in the vicinity

What I'd have thought. Recall that area still known as that in late 70s / early 80s tough no 'box by then. Interesting looking through that doc number of boxes, and lines as often including junctions / level crossings, closed on Sundays

I'd love to see another ex-NER loco, hopefully following the trend where manufactures doing pre-group have tended to do complimentary types from the same company. Several popular NER types have already been mentioned, I'd like to see either a J21, J27, or G5. J21 very popular, long lived, could run anywhere on NER territory, and a preserved example currently being restored for modern interest. A word of caution on this one though, very similar to a J15 someone's already doing, so they're half-way there already. Not much more than a change of cab and tender, both being T.W.Worsdell machines. G5 basically the standard NER passenger tank, ran anywhere NER pre-group till replacement by the DMU. New-build project nearing completion for modern image interest (or even possibly, tie-in). J27 again a very popular engine, would run anywhere NER, right up till 1967, the last pre-group engine in service. Preserved example for modern interest again. Besides, my pair of Q6's would look lost without their little cousin! Know you've a lot on already, so possibly by February? ....anyone would do!

To add to their 'collection' ?

Yes, the normal route for steam days would have been via Washington to South Pelaw, and it was in diesel days it was via Gateshead and Ouston Jnt, though I have read of this route being used in steam days at weekends when 'boxes on the route via Washington weren't manned. If anyone can help, rbage and myself are asking, when diverted via Lanchester would they have used the Main Line from Gateshead to Durham, or still gone via Washington and then via Leamside to join the Main Line at Newton Hall Jnt? Incidentally, any ideas on the 37 hauled coal train in the same pic? The cleared distant signal would indicate the route's cleared Main Line from Relly Mill, so towards Ferryhill but it hasn't been routed via the Leamside and appears to be running on the Mai Line for some distance.

Would the train photo'd at Deerness Valley Jct more likely be one of the workings to / from Shildon works mentioned previously?Wasn't Deerness Valley Jct the junction for the Waterhouses branch off the Bishop Auckland line? Surely the diverted ore trains would have left the Main Line at Relly Mill Jnt to Baxter Wood Jnt direct onto the line via Lanchester.

Copied from the DJModels Q6 thread on here; Scrolling through the picture stream from the second link, there's a photo of a 9F on Consett - Tyne Dock ore empties... approaching Durham Viaduct Northbound. Presumably had been diverted down the Lanchester Valley branch to Relly Mill for some reason? Would it be routed from Newton Hall to the Leamside route to regain it's normal route at Washington or perhaps continue mainline via Gateshead to Pelaw then Tyne Dock? Were loaded ore trains ever diverted via Lanchester? From the distant signal, it appears the 37 hauled Up coal train's routed mainline at Relly Mill

Looking at the photos, they appear to be manually operated gates, ie by hand not from the box, as in the bottom photo of one gate a manual bolt lock can be seen. Ken

It's here; No.14 Steam Memories : 1950's - 1960's North From Newcastle, by David Dunn. Page 42 Ken

Thanks, have PM'd Ken

Hi Arthur,I've just recently found this thread, your kits all look superb, although most I'm afraid are too early for my period. A J73 would be nice if they're still available or likely to be any more, or have I missed these? It'll be good to see a proper model of the D20, is there any chance of provision for the re-built tender version with LNER style coping plates? And a proper Q7 would be interesting! One question on your kits still, looking though the thread, are boilers supplied ready rolled or are the kits just flat etches? Regards, Ken