Alex Tyson's Day Off

Ian sorting scrap materials

Monday

Eric making a collar

Others' Sunday

The 11am from ET seen at Causey Level Crossing
(photo courtesy of John Turnock)

Geoff's Sunday

The photos below are courtesy of Geoff Lowe:

Oliver coupling Horden to the train at East Tanfield ......

William Thomas

William Thomas, from the only known portrait
(artwork courtesy of Yasmin Turnbull)

This post follows today's talk by Les Turnbull at the Lit & Phil.

William Thomas (17xx - 1824) was the steward of Elizabeth Montague's northern estates & the viewer of her East Denton Colliery.   He was consulting engineer at Blackett's Wylam Colliery and a founding member of both the Lit & Phil and the Society of Antiquaries.

As a visionary, William was notable for his views on railways, which in his time were usually single purpose non-passenger unidirectional pit to port waggonways.   His ideas for the development of railways became evident in 1800 when he gave a talk at the Lit & Phil espousing a steam double track inter city railway between Newcastle & Carlisle, not only for bulk  materials such as coal, but also to carry general goods & passengers.   I wonder how many of his contemporaries thought similarly in NE England, a quarter century before the S&DR?

Thursday

Geoff painting the crane

Wednesday

Barry fitting guttering .....
(photo courtesy of Dave Dixon)