Hi All,
I've been watching and reading this thread for quite some time now.
For the past 3 or more years, I've been working on a project off and on (as time permits) to create a Digital Map and 3D model of what Consett Used to look like. Being a Native of Consett, I remember first hand what a lot of it looked like, and while I'm not old enough to have worked there, I do remember roaming around the various derelict sites, messing about on the then empty railways (Prior to them being pulled up) and watching the various construction crews pulling the place apart and dismantling everything.
I'd just like to say to all who have contributed to this thread so far, there's some amazing photos and descriptions have been posted, esp John and the South Pelaw Junction stuff.
One of these fine days, I might actually get the entire Tyne Dock to Consett Line Mapped, I have the OS Coverage from the periods in question, and it's fully geo-referenced in my GIS/Mapping tools, for me it really is just a question of time (I own and run an I.T Consultancy).
For now however, I'd like to share a couple of things with the forum.
First a link to my Flickr page, with an album where I post samples of some of the work I'm doing and an idea of the project.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/18885387@N00/sets/72157653372497261/with/7290131732/
I still have a MASSIVE amount to do, most notably the fell coke works, the Temple-Town brick works and the Delves tar plant, all still only exist as 2d plans in the mapping software, and as you can see from the pictures there's still a lot of texturing (Filling in the brick patterns and painting the models) to be done.
The second thing I'd like to share is my Railway Map, attached to this post as a Google Earth KMZ file.
It only goes as far out as Leadgate, but it's track accurate. Every siding, every head shunt, every passing loop (or at least the ones I know of are on there, there was quite a bit more too, up on the top fields between Consett and Crookhall where High Yard and the Coke Washeries where, but that was all dismantled before my time. I may add that in at a later point, but for now I'm concentrating only on what I know of from the 1970's on wards.
I'm currently in the process of Digitizing Railway buildings such as the station, signal boxes and Signal Post locations.
Finally, starting this week, I have to sadly announce that Durham County council will be closing the road between Consett and Leadgate at Villa Real to demolish the last remaining vestige of Consett's proud industrial past. Leadgate bridge has faithfully carried Consett Road over the site of the old track bed (and now C2C route) for at least the past 60 years that I know of, if you live in or near, then I would strongly suggest that if you wish to get any photos, now is the time, the road will be closed starting from Wednesday next week, and demolition and rebuilding of the road is expected to take about 6 months.
I had a journey up to the site yesterday (Saturday 23rd May) and myself and a friend took a loot of good photos, and some video footage, I've not yet gotten them off my camera however. Eventually I'll add a model of the bridge to my ongoing project, but I need to either try and obtain plans for it, or get over there in the next day or two with a laser measure and measure it.
I've tried to attach my Railways map to this post but I keep getting told I'm not permitted to attach "That Type of file", so for now I've put the file on my Microsoft One-Drive, which you can get too using this link:
http://1drv.ms/1ITmOKf
I don't know if you'll need an MS-One drive account to download it, I've made it fully public, if anyone has any problems however, or if the site mods can tell me why Zip file containing a Kmz are not allowed and what format I can use, I'll happily attach it direct to a post, drop me a PM if you can get a hold of it, or if you use Twitter ping me at @Shawty_ds
Cheers
Shawty