Steam in the North East

Taken in 2004, No 9 whistles for the station at Chester le Street, southbound.

 

60103 Sunderland Bridge

 

Mirvale hauling limestone Covhops, Redcar Steelworks, October 1996

 

Tanfield 2008

 

Aycliffe

 

Larpool
2008-10-09 825 North Yorkshire Moors Railway by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

 

Whitby
62005 Whitby 06-03-2005 by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

 

August 1967. School holidays and the last full month of steam working in the area.

Ivatt 4MT 43070 takes a train south from either Ashington, Linton, Woodhorn or Lynemouth collieries, probably towards Blyth power station. Normally the coal would be heaped and visible in the wagons, but for some reason it's not visible in this shot, not sure why, because why would a train of empties be travelling south? The train is just entering The Black Bridge, where we spent so many hours getting into mischief, either on the bridge itself for the nuttier lads, or on the rope 'Tarzan Swing' that hung from it, or in the scrub, bushes and the river Wansbeck for those of us with a greater desire to hang onto our lives for the time being. Some lads used the walkway under the bridge to cross the river, not because they wanted to get to the other side (unlike the chicken), but just for the hell of it. I never got to do that, but those that did said it was 'interesting' when a coal train went over while they were up there.

Beneath the Black Bridge, on the West Sleekburn/Stakeford bank is the open Bedlington District Council landfill tip for domestic waste that came in an endless stream of lorries.

It all looks different now. The tide is out in the photo, something that doesn't happen these days. The river there is no longer fully tidal, being impounded by a dam next to the new A189 bridge in the 70s to the benefit of the new country park and the local dog-walkers, but in my view very much to the detriment of the river environment and its wildlife and to the local lads who used to plodge in it at low tide and fish for flatties on the flow. Life was more fun then. That the tip was closed and landscaped was a good thing, not so much the other so-called 'improvements'.

 

Water Ark
34081 WATER ARK NYMR by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

 

Here is one from May 1975 in the days when steam was normally confined to the Grosmont - Goathland section of the NYMR


Peter

 

70013 near Belford with Lindisfarne as a backdrop.

 

Tanfield

 

Fen Bog NYMR

 

A Tornado about to hit Berwick

 

Sunderland Bridge nr Durham

 

45407 /45690 South of Durham

 

On a dreary day, The most famous loco of all, brakes to a stop, just south of Chester le Street.
A unexpected TPWS intervention was later stated for causing this.

 

I thought the most famous locomotive of all was a little blue 0-6-0 that lives on Sodor?

 

Ok then "real engine"!!!!!

 

Tanfield