Making Causey Level Crossing Hut

It seems that the NER provided a 2-storey house for the crossing keeper at Causey, possibly when the Tanfield Branch was modernised from 1881.   In 1962, the NCB began moving coal by road from Tanfield collieries, the Causey section of the Tanfield Branch closed, Causey Level Crossing became redundant & in 1965 the house was demolished.   Some years ago members of the Holmes family who lived in the house visited TR & sent photos of their grandparents.   

Mrs Violet Holmes, crossing keeper, outside the keeper's house c1950

The blog post for 2 January 2015 features Causey Crossing & an excellent article researched & written by the late Eric Maxwell.

Following the reopening of the Causey section, from about 1990 TR used a WWI gunpowder van body as a base for our crossing keepers.   Apart from being low-roofed this became unkempt over the years, despite refurbishment after an arson attack around 2010.   In 2023 the decision was made to replace the leaky van body with a better presented one.

The photos below from the start of this work are courtesy of Neil Morgan:

The replacement van body nay not seem too promising .....

...... & even less so as a skeleton with rusty ends

New side panels ......

..... & floor are installed

John inspecting while Steve works on the eaves

Roof  & a side approaching completion

Windows to watch the line & gates have been  cut into the ends

Battens & insulation being added

Doors in place on what will be the side alongside the track

The photos above are courtesy of Neil Morgan  

See blog posts for 23 & 24 May 2020 for more on Tanfield Branch crossings.