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) .....