Wednesday

The new signalbox podium being carried across the slimy yard .....
(photo courtesy of Geoff Lowe)

Tuesday

Dave removing a worn brake block from AW No.2

Monday

The photos below are courtesy of Peter Weightman:

Eric fitting split pins on 38.

Sunday

Mick generally cleaning a crosshead from Stanley before .....

Thursday

Colin preparing to cut a slot in a piece of oak for the chaldron waggon .....
(photo courtesy og Geoff Lowe)

Wednesday

Colin working on the crossing cabin windows
(photo courtesy of Geoff Lowe)

Tuesday

Ian & Richard refitting 49's LH eccentrics

Monday

The photos below are courtesy of Peter Weightman:

Jim machining part of an eccentric key for 49

Sunday

Richard milling a new cotter for 49's eccentric

Thursday

Mick checking a micrometer

Wednesday

Richard cleaning & checking 49's LH eccentrics

Tuesday Removals

Ian & Ian moving the new signal post to a waggon

Monday

The photos below are courtesy of Peter Weightman:

Eric repairing an eccentric strap bolt from 49

Sunday

Andy checking a head from a Henry ......

Thursday

Mick adjusting carriage door hinges for 456

Wednesday, with M2 Moving More

Martin ready with sand as Ian shunts a Kearsley electric loco

Shunting

Richard shunting locos around for better access during forthcoming maintenance

Snowy Sunday

The photos below are courtesy of Peter Weightman:

Marley Hill shed with a light covering of snow

Bowes & Coals to Windsor

The plaque below led me to look at the Bowes family tree, which I found to be very large with many branches;  I've picked a chain to link the Royal Family to Durham coal, based on details in geni.com

By convention the first-born male took the forename of his father.   If that son died before another was born, the new son also would be named after the father.   Because of repetition of names I've appended dates to differentiate.   Note that the first legitimate male heir would inherit titles, estates, etc, from his father.   Daughters, wives & widows could still be powerful & influential beyond bearing many children.

Sir William Bowes 1656-1707 of Gibside  &  Streatlam Castle  married Elizabeth Bowes 1651-1736.

Plaque commemorating Dame Elizabeth Bowes, John Bowes’ great-great grandmother,
"a pickaxe-wielding firebrand who fought to build the family’s fortune in coal".
She's interred in the chapel of St Mary the Less, on the opposite side of' South Bailey, Durham.
In the family tree, you could start with Dame Elizabeth .....

Thursday + frost precautions

The photos below are courtesy of Peter Weightman:

Dave removing the pressure gauge from Horden to protect from freezing.

Whistle Up an Audience

The photos below are courtesy of Barry Duncan:

A crowd gathering in front of Marley Hill shed for the noon whistles

New Years Day 2025 - Whistle Up

Visitors crowd Marley Hill shed front following this morning's
BBC Breakfast piece on 2025's Whistle Up 
(photo courtesy of Will Ireland)

Last Trains of 2024

Jonny oiling Cochrane at the start of the day
(photo courtesy of Angela Pickering)

M2 Moves!

M2 is one of ten 3'6" (cape or colonial) gauge M class 4-6-2 steam locos built by RSH in Darlington in 1951 for export to Tasmania, where they were used on various routes of the Tasmanian Government Railways (TGR).   The entire class was shipped as a batch from Middlesbrough in 1952.   M2 was delivered as number M10, works no.7430.   Unusually, all ten of the class are preserved, some in operation.   M2 was plinthed on the coast at Stanley before being reimported from Tasmania to Tanfield in summer 1992.

Richard hammering off the last brake block preventing M2 from moving on its wheels
(photo courtesy of Ian Cowan)

Sunday (with brake blocks)

Antony taking Cochrane & its train to Sunniside ......
(photo courtesy of Michael Young)

Industrial Tyneside

I discovered this wall map (taken as 2 photos) in South Shields museum.   Since it's by Port of Tyne, it's post 1968, but not by much judging by the level of industry shown.   (In 1968 Port of Tyne took over from the Tyne Improvement Commission, which had significantly altered, developed, commercialised & industrialised the river after it took over from the Newcastle Corporation hostmen in 1850.)

Newburn to Newcastle
(click map to enlarge)

Boxing Day

Stanley raising steam in MH shed
(photo courtesy of Peter Weightman)

STC Library Photos

South Tyneside Council publish historical photos & documents online.   Two photos are captioned as the Pontop Railway near Jarrow in the 1960s, but I'm unsure about whereabouts these were taken.   Does anyone have more info?

A loco approaches .....

NPE Day#11

In MH carriage shed, David sweeps rubbish .....
(photo courtesy of Peter Weightman)

NPE Day#10 - Sunday at MH

Mick milling a new hinge for 456

NPE Day#9 - Saturday at ET

The photos below are courtesy of Geoff Lowe:

Logan & Tom crewing 49, with David, all enjoying themselves today

NPE Day#8 - Thursday

Mick making door hinges for 456

NPE Day#7 - Wednesday

Checking tickets at East Tanfield
(photo courtesy of Geoff Lowe)

Tuesday Lines Up

Smoke chutes in use 
(photo courtesy of Dave Dixon)

Modernisation at South Shields

A new metro on test on Claypath Lane flyover seen via the soon-to-disappear view through
the hacky front window of an old metro, travelling in the section from South Shields station .....

Monday

The photos below are courtesy of Peter Weightman:

Mick examining style & operation of carriage door hinges ......

NPE Day#6

Jean, Anne, Tommy & Margaret preparing to receive Santa's visitors

NPE Day#5

Helen & Michael ready to receive passengers at East Tanfield
(photo courtesy of Martin O'Neill)

Thursday

Barry striping more canes .....

Wednesday

Colin cutting angle with which to secure the new steps for the signalbox
(using this mechanical hacksaw repaired recently by Neil Morgan)

Tuesday

Dave taking new firebars to storage

Local Photographers' Visit

Tynemouth Photographic Society visited TR on Wednesday 12 June 2024.

The group from Tynemouth Photographic Society
See some of their photos at Club Galleries 

Monday

The photos below are courtesy of Peter Weightman:

Richard reassembling a clack valve on Twizell.

NPE Day#4

David on 49, running round the train at East Tanfield

Christmas Tree

Angela dressing the Tanfield Railway Christmas tree in St Margaret's Church, Tanfield Village
(photo courtesy of Ian Cowan)

Thursday

Dennis completing his work on the forklift

Wednesday with Twizell

Peter & Angela lowering Twizell's dome cover into place

Tuesday with Richard

On wet rails during NPE it's especially important that Santa's reindeer keep on their hooves on both our 1 in 40 banks.

Richard filling Horden's front sandboxes .....

Monday

The photos below are courtesy of Peter Weightman:

Richard soldering a damaged gauge glass lamp for 49

NPE Day#2

Nigel's ready at East Tanfield
(photo courtesy of Geoff Lowe)