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!

Saturday 31/1

These photos were taken during the TR strategy day at Hopetown today:

Tom remarking on the height of his table's spaghetti tower
compared with that of Peter & Richard
(photo courtesy of Angela Pickering)

Monday 12/1

Tyneside Metro training centre at South Shields
showing a well-maintained track section.
Photograph from the pre-WWII concrete bridge on
 River Drive over the LNER line to Salmons Quay
(ie the 1830s route to S&TR coal drops).
The bridge, indirectly damaged by bombs, has
now been condemned by Nexus & ST Council.

Tuesday 6/1

Richard removing the temporary plug in one of 49's tubes

More of 49's Weekend at SVR

Backworth meets Backworth at Severn Valley
(photo courtesy of Peter Weightman)

49 at SVR

The photos below, showing 49 at the Severn Valley Railway, are courtesy of Richard Charlton:

Jonny chatting at Bridgnorth on Thursday, after delivery of 49

Saturday at Beamish

HL No.2 waiting at Rowley Station ......

Sunday at Beamish

HL No.2, on loan to Beamish Museum, departs from Rowley Station
(photo courtesy of Alex Tyson)

Tuesday

Colin trimming a folding sign

Blog Top of Page Updates

Fixed faulty buttons
Started 300 page for tercentenary
Added 300 button
Removed puzzle corner
Updated stock lists
Updated other fixed pages
Highlighted search box
Please let me know of any errors or omissions .....

New Hall, Locomotion

The new hall at Locomotion, NRM Shildon, seen through ironwork of the Gaunless Bridge

South Tynedale Electrics

Carlisle running round the train at Slaggyford .....

Monday

The Planet being inspected for potential hire
(photo courtesy of Angela Pickering)

Return of the Gala

Today's Durham Miners' Gala was the first since 2019.

Bands & banners on Elvet Bridge, heading for the racecourse

Great British Railways HQ - Your Vote Counts

The photos below are taken from the submission by Newcastle City Council to locate the GBR HQ in the city.   Other shortlisted contenders are Birmingham, Crewe, Derby, Doncaster & York.   As a member of the public you are invited to vote for your choice.

Stephenson's Engine Hall 1902
(McDowell Trust Collection of the SLS)

Elsecar Heritage Railway

Elsecar station on the left, shed to the right, on 11 August 2011

Elsecar Heritage Railway closed in mid 2020, surrendering its lease to Barnsley Council. The reasons for closure include lack of younger volunteers, then Covid hit. I have been told that the rolling stock of the railway has been removed, but that Barnsley want a steam railway as part of the presentation of the heritage of the area, which includes the only working Newcomen beam engine on its original site.

UK City of Culture 2025

County Durham is one of 8 areas / cities shortlisted for the accolade of UK City of Culture in 2025 - the same year in which TR celebrates its 300th birthday (& S&DR its 200th).   Everything that we do for our tercentenary can go forward to support the Durham bid, to mutual benefit.   The "City of Culture" can call on its history, environment, attractions, people & potential to show how deserving it is. 

A turbine blade being erected in the commercial / maritime centre of Hull.
Hull's fortunes surged following it being the 2017 UK City of Culture.
Coventry has benefitted from being the 2021 UK City of Culture
Can we help make County Durham the 2025 UK City of Culture?

A Door & More

A demonstration section of render on MH shed

1752 was a Short Year

I'm interested in the eighteenth century because our part of the Tanfield Waggonway was laid down in 1725.   Reading a book about Charles Avison, I came across the statement that in England & Wales until 1752, New Years Day was on Lady Day, ie 25 March.   

Along with the change from the Julian to Gregorian calendar, parliament changed New Year's Day to 1 January from 1753 (in Scotland this change had been made in 1600).   So 1752 was a short year, from 25 March until 31 December; 11 days were also skipped in September.   A hangover from this change is the UK tax year, which starts on 5 April.

All dates in January, February & up to 24 March were recorded with the year number that had been in use during the previous 25 March until 31 December.   So we have to be careful when reading historical dates pre 1752.   For example, there is a story of a riot in October 1750 after which a rioter was arrested & awaited trial in January 1750!

All formal dates from 1155 until 1752 would be recorded on the Julian calendar.   If a date of, say, 12 February 1726 is recorded, we have to understand that this is 12 February 1727 relative to our current Gregorian calendar.   Nowadays, you may see someone's date of birth recorded as 3 March 1652/3 - so that's 1652 Julian which is 1653 Gregorian.

And just in case you get the hang of this, remember that on Tyneside we would have a fair few Scots who would change their year number on 1 January, and common people may well have followed this from 1600 (& have 2 New Year's Days until 1752).

National Library of Scotland Online Digital Resources

You may have realized that I appreciate the resources made available by the National Library of Scotland, especially on line, and in particular OS & other maps.   

NLS recently emailed me regarding their digital resources, following which I found connections to Middlesbrough.

Recovered girder section of the Tay Bridge, by Hopkins, Gilkes & Co, Middlesbrough 1877
(in National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh)