Wednesday 9/9

Alex & Martin on lineside fencing repairs
(photo courtesy of Roger Smith)

Tuesday 8/9

Dave clearing the lineside north of MH signalbox .....
(photo courtesy of Dave Dixon)

Monday 7/9

Eric drilling a bracket for Horden's drain cock lever .....
(photo courtesy of Peter Weightman)

Sunday 6/9

Twizell raising steam outside MH shed .....
(photo courtesy of Angela Pickering)

Brandling Junction Railway (BJR)

The Brandling Junction Railway developed routes south of the Tyne around 1840.   At a time when there was no railway bridge over the Tyne or the Wear, the BJR joined Gateshead to South Shields & Monkwearmouth.   More importantly for TR, the BJR modernised the Tanfield Waggonway with iron rails & standard gauge, and stationary engines replacing some horse-drawn sections.   It operated our TR route on a wayleave basis, ie ownership remained with local landowners.

I have come across a description of the BJR in a reprint of an 1842 edition by Francis Whishaw, a railway civil engineer, which I reproduce below.   This book looks at early Victorian standalone public railways, pre "Railway Mania", in which the relatively small BJR features alongside segments of future UK mainline routes.

Thursday 3/9

Dennis sorting out under-bench storage

Wednesday 2/9

Graham checking Stanley's firebox tubeplate thickness .....

Tuesday 1/9

Dave fitting a new sign at Andrews House
(photo courtesy of Barry Duncan)