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)

BH Monday 31/8

The photos below are courtesy of Angela Pickering:

Richard & Elise watering 49

Sunday 30/8

Trevor making a rubber gasket for a section of Stanley's tank

Thursday 27/8

Mick cleaning up the hacksaw

Wednesday 26/8 ET Carriage Shed Block Paving Relaying

Roger removing & cleaning blocks from a path which has sunk
(photo courtesy of Dave Dixon)

Wednesday 26/8 ET Carriage Shed Display Wall Renewal

The photos below are courtesy of Alan Gibson:

Colin tidying up before installing display boarding

Wednesday 26/8 'Letting Off Steam' in MH Carriage shed

David & Barry carpeting MH carriage shed

Tuesday 25/8

Steve working on the lineside north of MH signalbox .....
(photo courtesy of Dave Dixon)

Monday 24/8

Eric fettling leaking pipe joints on Twizell's vacuum ejector
(photo courtesy of Peter Weightman)

Sunday 23/8

Guards James & Matthew waiting for
Oliver to couple Twizell to its train .....

Saturday 22/8

Ben & Twizell in steam outside Marley Hill shed
(photo courtesy of Steve Easton)

Lakeshore Railroad, South Shields

Lakeshore Railroad, my local steam railway, is about 5 minutes away by bike.   It's a 9.5" gauge miniature railway which steams over 200 days a year, weather permitting.   Running on demand around the boating & water bird lake in the South Marine Park, its 5-10 minute journey is usually well-patronised at £2/head.

The now 50 year-old loco Adiela runs its train into the station on an evening service

The railway competes with the fairground across the road for much of the year.   Its staff seem well-capable & knowledgeable, even keen, about steam - they have to be, with many long days, weeks & months of continuous public service.   Recently they've switched from coke to smokeless compressed fuel, but know the locos' idiosyncrasies well enough to handle the usual ensuing steaming & ash problems in a small firebox, grate & ashpan.

Spot the AW2 look alike in the website header photo cycle!

Thursday 20/8

Dennis cleaning up under a lathe before .....

Wednesday 19/8

Blacksmith demo in MH shed

Tuesday 18/8

Barry gathering up his cuttings

Sunday 16/8

Ben & Luke are crewing 35

Saturday 15/8

The Fowler waits with a passenger train at East Tanfield
(photo courtesy of Geoff Lowe) .....

Thursday 13/8

Geoff, Jim & Mick discussing taps

Wednesday 12/8

Bill Elliott providing local music in MH carriage shed

Monday 10/8

Eric cleaning threads & seats of mud hole doors .....

Sunday 9/8

Guard's eye view of empty stock heading onto the branch
(photo courtesy of Steve Easton)

Sunday 19/7

Chris and Twizell passing Causey picnic area...

Saturday 18/7

Guard Steve observing Twizell leaving the engine shed

Marley Hill shunting Sunday 12/7

Angela guiding Ben to remove 2 carriages from the North side of Marley Hill  carriage shed

Sunday 5/7

Steve giving Ben the green flag to pass Bobgins

Wednesday 1/7

The photos below are courtesy of Dave Dixon:

Alex loading sawn-up pallets .....

Tuesday 30/6

Colin making another signboard

Monday 29/6

Peter & Eric discussing altering a coupling shackle .....

Sunday 28/6

Horden ready to leave East Tanfield
(photo courtesy of John Turnock)

Thursday 25/6

Geoff is making parts for a steam brake application valve

Wednesday 24/6

Terry screwing signboards together .....

Tuesday 23/6

Ian planning trackwork for the new storage shed

Sunday 21/6 Gala

Stanley with a train at Marley Hill station, waiting for Horden to join
(Photo courtesy of Dave Hewitt)

Saturday 20/6 Gala

The photos below are courtesy of James Gray:

Johnny by MH carriage shed on Dora

Friday Gala at East Tanfield

The photos below are courtesy of Geoff Lowe:

Dora in the main ET platform, before .....

Friday 19/6 - More Gala Views

The photos below are courtesy of Dave Hewitt:

The view from alongside Cochrane this morning

Friday Morning Gala

The photo below are courtesy of Neville Whaler:

49 waiting for tomorrow while Stanley raises steam

Friday 19/6 - a Signalman's Gala Views of Green 4-Wheelers & Crews

An arc of photographers capture Stanley leaving MH engine shed

Thursday 18/6

Dennis making lugs for fire-beater stands

Wednesday 17/6

The photos below are courtesy of Geoff Lowe:

Oliver & Oliver fitting Dora's spark arrestor

Tuesday 16/6

Logan removing gardening waste from a waggon

Monday 15/6

Eric altering a coupling shackle for Stanley

Sunday 14/6

Andy & Richard checking Horden's smokebox plugs

Thursday 11/6

Geoff developing drawings & a copy of a vacuum brake application valve