Wednesday

The photos below were taken at East Tanfield by Geoff Lowe :

Thursday Trains

Tomorrow, 1 September, is the final Thursday on which trains run this summer.   Either HL No.2 or Sir Cecil A Cochrane will head trains from Andrews House at 10.30 am, noon, 1.30, & 3 pm for Sunniside, Causey Arch, East Tanfield & return.

No.2 & Cochrane at Andrews House in September 2015

Tuesday

The photos below of work on Marley Hill shed gable are by Dave Dixon :

More Monday

The photos below of Twizell, crewed by Steve & Antony, were taken by Jack Picknell:

Twizell entering Andrews House

BH Monday

Ben cleaning No. 3.....
(photo Andrew Smith) 

BH Sunday

Matthew, fireman on Twizell

BH Saturday

All (bar three) photos below are courtesy of David Reed:

David oiling Cochrane at Andrews House

Trains This Bank Holiday Weekend

Today, Saturday, Sir Cecil A Cochrane will head trains from Andrews House at 10.30, 11.45, 1.15, 2.30 & 3.45 for Sunniside, Causey Arch, East Tanfield & return.

Cochrane heading for Sunniside in August 2015
(photo courtesy of John Turnock)

Today's Work for Tomorrow

Ian, with his toe, unblocking & repacking
a gauge glass drain cock on Cochrane

Ops & ET

Bill preparing to paint a window frame at East Tanfield
(photo courtesy of Geoff Lowe)

Window Frames & Preparation

At East Tanfield, Dennis installing a window frame
(photo courtesy of Geoff Lowe)

Joints

Steve & Dave greasing & shimming a fishplate joint at Sunniside

Monday in the Workshop

Barry making a drive bolt for Horden

Sunday, featuring Matthew

Dave training Dan as a guard

Saturday Ops

Luke cleaning No.2 outside Marley Hill shed this morning
(photo courtesy of David Reed)

Trains This Weekend

Tomorrow, Saturday, HL No.2 will head trains from Andrews House at 10.30, 11.45, 1.15, 2.30 & 3.45 for Sunniside, Causey Arch, East Tanfield & return.

No.2 at Andrews House earlier this month
(photo courtesy of Neville Whaler)

A Few Friday Folk

Kyle filling a sandbox on HC 38 ......

Thursday Ops

Chris enjoying trimming Andrews House east platform .....

Wednesday Workers

Nigel taking coal to Andrews House

Joint Maintenance

Vic passing the works train in Andrews House

North East Film Archive

I recently saw the film A River Speaks, which in 18 mins covers the Tyne in the mid 1950s from rural Hexham to sandy North Sea shore, & is narrated by Flora Robson (1902-84), born in South Shields.

Industrial scenes from A River Speaks 

There are many interesting films available by searching the North East Film Archive (NEFA), such as:

The Coast of Commerce - 1962 - Tyne Tees TV production including Whitby, Saltburn, Harlepool, & core sampling for coal mining off South Shields, 27 mins

Men of Consett - 1959 - documentary about Consett, its location, people & steelworks, 27 mins

North East - Land of Opportunity - 1964 - NEDC promotion of the NE, 27 mins

Tyneside Story - 1944 - MoI propaganda drama showing restart of shipyards during WWII, 14 mins

Sunderland Transport - 1955 - film by Turners for Sunderland Corporation Transport, as trams give way to motor buses, 26 mins

Building the Tyne Bridge - 1928 - Dorman Long promotion, 32 (of 43) mins

Sunday Shots

George oiling Cochrane .....

Tanfield Live

The photos below are courtesy of David Reed

A band outside the carriage shed

Trains This Weekend

It's the new Tanfield Live event this weekend, with music at Andrews House, Marley Hill & East Tanfield.   Catch a train to get around - normal fares apply.

Tomorrow, Saturday, Twizell will head trains from Andrews House at 10.30, 11.45, 1.15, 2.30 & 3.45 for Sunniside, Causey Arch, East Tanfield & return.

Twizell passing Marley Hill signalbox in May

Bowes Railway Blog Updated

In the Bowes Blog - Springwell Village Carnival,
to be held at the Bowes Railway 

Thursday Around the Railway

Kyle working on Horden
(photo courtesy of Dave Dixon)

Wednesday Work

Dave replacing a plank on Andrews House footbridge
(photo courtesy of Nigel Wheeler)

ET & Tree

The photos below were taken today by Dave Dixon:

Sarah cleaning inside East Tanfield station

Wylam Dilly Mysteries Solved

This photo is reputed to show Wylam Dilly, after moving to Craghead Colliery c1870,
accompanied (in top hats) by two of William Hedley's four sons

Wylam Dilly was built as a flangeless 5' gauge loco, but is known to have undergone several adaptations, eg to 8 wheels, flanged wheels, & as the power unit of a tug boat.   The mysteries were:

1.  Was Wylam waggonway relaid to standard gauge before Wylam Dilly left?

2.  Had Wylam Dilly been rebuilt to standard gauge?

3.  What gauge was in use at Craghead Colliery?

Both Wylam Dilly & Puffing Billy were out of use at Wylam in 1862, when Puffing Billy was donated to London's Science Museum.

Wylam Dilly has been with the National Museum of Scotland (NMS) in Edinburgh since its donation in 1882.   So if I found its current gauge, the questions could be answered.   Unfortunately, the gallery containing the loco has been under refurbishment & inaccessible for several years.   Curators did not know the gauge.  The gallery reopened in July .....

Sunday Ops

Steve offering the token while propelling into Andrews House

Saturday at TR

Antony preparing No.2 outside Marley Hill shed this morning
(photo courtesy of John Turnock)

Trains This Weekend

Tomorrow, Saturday, HL No.2 will head trains from Andrews House at 10.30, 11.45, 1.15, 2.30 & 3.45 for Sunniside, Causey Arch, East Tanfield & return.

Matthew cleaning No.2 outside Marley Hill shed in August 2014

Thursday Ops, Mainly

David & Kyle watering HL No.2 at Andrews House

Along the Railway Today

Ian cutting a trench for cable ducting into East Tanfield

Princesses & Scaffold

Ben cleaning No.2

Workshop & Signage

Peter & Dave discussing Horden's motion .....