North East England - Steam Days Screenshots - Large Screenshots Possible

NER Goods locos had vermillion lining. The C Class is a reskin experiment. It is a work in progress. I am also working on the NER non-vestibule coaches. The arc roof stock remains on the "to do" list to do something about the "flare" in T:ANE. Whites are starker than anything seen in a laundry detergent ad on TV.

1922- The 12:27 p.m. from Carlisle Citadel

Northeast England during the steam era. A Worsdell R Class 4-40 taking charge of the 12:27 p.m. stopping passenger train from Carlisle. Stopping at all twenty-three stations along the 60 an a quarter mile route it takes two hours thirty three minutes, averaging 23 and one third miles per hour. On a Saturday this could be expect to be a busy train. The set was number 55, one of ten sets allocated by the NER as Newcastle, Carlisle and Blackhill sets. This working link would persist in to British Railways days. NER sets number 55 to 64 were formed of six 52ft length bogie non-vestibuled stock. This was definitely clerestory roof stock in NER days. Two 3-compartment Brake Thirds, two 8-compartment Thirds, a Locker Composite with 3 First and 4 Third compartments and a Lavatory Composite with 4 First compartments and 3 Third compartments.

Below, R Class 2016 has just departed Ryton station at 2:38 p.m.



Below, R Class 2016 is just arriving at Blaydon station, 2:44 p.m.

Newcastle Central 1924

North East England during the era of steam. 1924 and a year on from the grouping. LNER 4-4-2 Atlantic Class C7 number 2171 stands in the station on an up express for London Kings Cross while LNER 4-6-0 Class B16 number 2371 brings some empty vans in from Delaval sidings. Her stablemate B16 number 840 stands in the platform waiting for the road across the King Edward Bridge for Gateshead shed. Number 2171's tender has the short-lived L. & N.E.R. tender lettering with ampersand and full points. Her tender is still the original 4125 gallon type as paired in 1914 with 5 tons of coal capacity, water scoop, full rails and the later type of frame slots. The swap out with ex-Q6 4125 gallon self-trimming tenders is nine years away in the future.

Great screenshots Borderreiver. Reminds me that I've been neglecting my own NER layout lately.

Thanks Kotangagirl. I have been relatively neglectful of Trainz for the past couple of months due to pressures of work out in the real world. That has eased off for now but I have spent some time working on loco numbers/letters for NER, LNER Green and LNER Black locos. The product of the LNER work are present on the C7 and B16 locos. I literally have hundreds of locos to upgrade though, so made a rod for my own back there. I have also had Paul of Paulztrainz produce the three types of 4125 gallon tenders originally paired with the NER Z Class/ LNER Class C7 Atlantic 4-4-2s at newbuild, overturning my original decision at commissioning to just go with one version of the 4125 gallon tender. I also belatedly realised that the drawings I had sent Paul actually included the wrong versions of 4125 gallon tenders when I re-examined NER and early LNER-era photographs in Yeadons.

Great shots, borderriever. Please, may I enquire about the coach behind LNER 2371 in the 2nd shot in post #343, is it one of Paulz?

Thanks,

Rob.

Hi Robd. yes, one of Paul's. Changed this, originally responded about 2171 not 2371. The coach behind B16 2371 is a 53ft NER Diagram 224 BG. Converted from USA Ambulance train Lying in Infectious Ward coaches. Seven were converted, two in 1922 and one in 1923. I was trying to determine from the 1926 NE Area Carriage Roster what NER coaches filled the role of code XVV vans and the roster matches a requirement for seven ex-NER LNER XVV coaches (52ft Van with Vacuum brake (and Westinghouse brake - Westinghouse being the "standard" passenger train brake in 1926)). They were probably the XVV carriages attached to the 7:15 p.m. Newcastle - York stopping passenger train for Manchester and Liverpool (working alternately with GCR vans filling the "XVV" vehicle code. When it left Newcastle the 7:15 p.m. comprised the five coaches of main Line set 19, a strengthening 49ft or 52ft Lavatory Compo, an East Coast Joint Stock 52ft BG from Edinburgh to Kings Cross, A NER 32ft van from Tweedmouth to Leeds, the NER TPO from Newcastle for London Kings Cross, a 52ft Van with vacuum brake from Newcastle for Manchester (alternates with GCR vehicle) and a 52ft van with vacuum brake from Newcastle for Liverpool (alternates with GCR vehicle). With six bogie non-corridor passenger coaches and five Non-passenger carrying stock vehicles this was a long train for York. I do not know what motive power it was assigned but I would not be surprised if it was rostered either a C6, C7, B15 or B16 rather than the 4-4-0 that probably hauled the set when it left Edinburgh at 2:35 p.m. (possibly a Reid D32 or D33 to Tweedmouth and a Worsdell D20 4-4-0 from Tweedmouth).

Thanks borderreiver. Quite interesting to read that they were ex Ambulance coaches, presumably from WW1. Do you know where they originated from prior to there use as Ambulance coaches or were they specifically built as such?

Rob.

Hi Robd. So far no information as to where they were constructed for the US Ambulance train in WWI. Of the various photographs of WWI Ambulance trains I have tracked down none are the US Ambulance train, let alone the Diagram 224. One identifying quirk is that their 53ft body over hangs the ends of the 52ft underframe. As it is, these vehicles are seven out of only ten 53ft bogie gangway brake vans owned by the NER (though one of them was still an ambulance vehicle in works undergoing conversion at the time of the grouping). Before March 1922 the NER had just three 53ft BGs on its books, the three 1909 built Diagram 159 built for the Liverpool trains. There was the solitary non-corridor 52ft brake van to Diagram 169, number 208, which the NERA Carriage number book describes as a newspaper van (probably running between Manchester and Newcastle). The six-wheel 32ft non-corridor luggage van to Diagrams 21 and 171 reigned supreme on the NER and this lasted well in to the LNER era on the NE Area.

In the Carriage Roads, Newcastle Central 1926

North East England during the steam era. 1926 and under the extension to Newcastle Central examples of vans stand idle in the carriage roads. Two are 53ft gangway bogies, to Diagrams 159 and 224, while the third is a non-corridor 32ft six-wheeler to Diagram 171. A D20 4-4-0 is arriving from the north with a stopping passenger train which will go onwards, after an engine change, to Darlington.

The Diagram 224 - seven examples converted from WWI US Ambulance train vehicles (6 in 1922, 1 in 1923).



The Diagram 159 - three examples built in 1909 for the NER's Liverpool trains.



The Diagram 171 - twenty-two built between 1908 and 1911 but were greatly outnumbered by the Diagram 21 built between 1886 and 1895.

Thanks, borderreiver, quite interesting stuff - as usual!

Rob.

Early Morning Shunting 1922

North East England during the steam era. In 1922 during the early hours of a summer morning at Newcastle Central, Worsdell E Class 0-6-0T 1140 on west end station pilot duty removes vans from the rear of an arrival from York in the hands of Worsdell S2 Class 4-6-0 number 788. A Worsdell W Class 4-6-2T waits in a west end bay platform with the first train of the day for Carlisle.







Shots are from TS12

Very enjoyable screenshots Borderreiver. Loving the light and shadow and twilight effects in these screenshots.

LNER Gresley V1 2-2T with NE Area Composition B set #58 approaching Consett

North East England during the steam era. 1930s pre-WWII summer and one of Gresley's V1 Class 2-6-2T's, number 428 of Gateshead shed approaches Consett from Blackhill on the 6:45 p.m. Monday to Friday (Saturdays Excepted) stopping passenger train from Newcastle to Newcastle via Blackhill, Consett and Birtley. This was a service running "counter-clockwise" over the loop of branch lines in the Derwent Valley and NW Durham. Starting from the West End bays at Newcastle Central station, running via Elswick, Scotswood, Swalwell, Rowlands Gill and Lintz Green, it would reach Blackhill at 7:30 p.m. It would wait there for twenty-seven minutes and then head back to Newcastle by proceeding onwards via Consett North and Consett East junctions to reach Consett station before heading to Annfield Plain, Shield Row, Beamish and Pelton stations, joining the ECML at Ouston junction and then running on the slow lines via Birtley and Low Fell before taking the double track ECML to Gateshead West station and then crossing the Stephenson High Level bridge to reach Newcastle Central station an hour later at 8:57 p.m.

During the 1930s this service was assigned to a LNER NE Area Composition B set, number 58. Sets 57 through 96 were described as composition B and the core made up of three coaches, a bogie Composite with 3 First Class and 4 Third Class compartments and two bogie Brake Thirds, each with 4 compartments. This points to them being 49ft ex-NER non-corridor stock that was probably elliptical roof, with builds dating from 1906 to 1918. The 1932 carriage roster has a Third Class coach added to the set at 4:39 p.m. in Deleval sidings between Elswick and Scotswood stations. On Wednesdays, this Third Class strengthener would be removed at Newcastle at 9:42 p.m. On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays it would be removed at 10:02 p.m. at Heaton Carriage Sidings. On Wednesdays Only, the set would make a further run to Consett at 10:50 p.m. That service would terminate at Consett at 11:44 p.m., returning empty stock to Newcastle at 12:03 a.m. It would reach Newcastle at 12:41 and Heaton Carriage Sidings at 12:53. - Edit - Wednesdays was "half-day closing" for the shops, so if shop workers wanted to take a trip in to "the toon" for an evening out the 10:50 p.m. would be the last train for them to get home to Consett. There was a similar service laid on at 10:45 p.m. from Newcastle Central to Blackhill along the Derwent valley.

Below, number 428 climbs the 1 in 37 bank between Consett East junction and the summit a little before Carr House West junction by Consett station. Today there are two strengtheners, one outside the leading Brake Third and one inside the Brake Third. Adding strengtheners inside the Brakes and outside the brakes could occur. It was quicker to add outside the Brake Thirds because there was less requirement for shunting to accomplish it compared to adding strengtheners inside the Brakes. Less siding space was also an issue adding outside the brakes and that could be an issue at a busy station such as Newcastle, though not as much in Deleval Sidings, Heaton Carriage Sidings or Blaydon sidings.



below, number 428 has crested the summit and runs by the home junction signal at Carr House West Signal Box.



The lines to the right are the Consett Iron Company exchange sidings for Coal traffic coming from the LNER bound for the Iron Compahy's coke works. Empties would be brought through the sidings by CIC locomotives and deposited in the sidings in Consett station for collection by the LNER. This range of sidings was "Consett High Yard". The extensive sidings down by Consett North Junction and Consett South junction were "Consett Low Yard". Both sets would be in use for traffic until the works closure in 1980. Scrap from the works demolition used the line until 1983 when the track was lifted along the entire Consett branch. The Lanchester Valley, Derwent Valley and Tow Law branches had gone years earlier.

Excellent pictures and a very informative post to go with them. Thank you borderreiver.

Interesting stuff, borderreiver, nice shots. No.428 appears to be making lots of smoke in shot 1 post #354, is it on an uphill gradient?

Rob.

Yes Rob, the gradient was 1 in 37 from Consett East Junction to the summit at the bridge over the templetown road, just southwest of the Carr House West SB. It was hard work for the firemen working along the Consett branch between South Pelaw junction and South Medomsley junction when working westwards away from the ECML and between Consett North Junction and Carr House West when working eastwards from the Consett Low yard. The ruling grade for the climb towards Consett via the 1896 diversion via Beamish was 1 in 50 but it reached 1 in 37 around Beamish. Plenty of shots from BR days of 9F 2-10-0s working hard on the ore trains with a banking loco at the rear (WD 2-8-0, O1 2-8-0, Q7 0-8-0 or (in later days) an EE Type 4). Passenger trains had lighter loads but the fireman on that V1 will have been shovelling with gusto from leaving Blackhill station. On wet and wintry days the sander will have seen a lot of use too. The ruling grade from Swalwell to Blackhill along the Derwent Valley was a "paltry" 1 in 66. None of the firemen assigned to Blaydon, Gateshead, Borough Gardens or Tyne Dock sheds who drew a roster for a train up to Consett needed gym membership to stay fit.

Thanks KotangaGirl.

Inkerman Exchange Sidings, October 1918

Northeast England a hundred years ago, during the steam era. Inkerman exchange sidings, where a N.E.R. Worsdell P Class 0-6-0 has brought a rake of 20 Ton hopper empties up from Shildon yard. A colliery 0-6-0ST waits to take them up to the colliery after bringing down a train load of loaded wagons to be taken away back to Shildon, where they will be assembled in to a long train for onward haulage to Newport on Tess-side by electric traction.

Under an autumn rain shower, the P Class backs the train of empties across the level crossing, past Inkerman Signal Box and in to the arrival road in the exchange sidings.



The six-wheel 20T brake van will be shunted in to the spur, to be retrieved after the empties have been taken away and placed at the northern end of the loaded train. The P3 will then couple up to the southern end, propel the train in to the headshunt to the north of Inkerman SB and will then be ready to wait for clearance to depart for Shildon via Tow Law, Crook and Bishop Auckland.



The 2:36 p.m. stopping passenger train from Blackhill to Darlington in the hands of N.E.R. G Class 4-4-0 takes the turnout for the double track after surrendering the Burnhill Jcn to Inkerman token as the P Class 0-6-0 waits in the exchange sidings.



The G Class is on the falling grade towards Tow law station as the colliery's 0-6-0ST draws the empty wagons away towards Inkerman Colliery.



A thousand feet above sea level, Inkerman exchange sidings stand to the north-west of the moorland township of Tow Law, which stands astride the road from Darlington to Edinburgh, known today as the A68. Inkerman Colliery, like many in County Durham, had coke ovens attached to process coal in to coking coal on site. Demand from the iron and steel industry was enormous for coking coal and the coal hewn from the seams in County Durham was well suited to the purpose. From Inkerman coking coal could go south to the blast furnaces beside the River Tees or north across the moors to Consett Iron Company.

The Crook to Tow Law line was built by the Stockton & Darlington Railway in the mid-1840s and went on to meet the Derwent Railway (formerly the Stanhope & Tyne) at Waskerley. Inclined planes at Sunniside on the S&D along with Nanny Mayors at Waskerley and two at Hownes Gill gorge on the DR slowed movement considerably. All three were eventually bypassed, Hownes Gill gorge by a viaduct which is still in place today.

Another really good informative posting Borderreiver. After looking at your latest pictures I now feel all damp and chilly, - all very atmospheric. I like the Inkerman Signal Box model; - is that one of Paul's?

Hello kotangagirl

No, it is a Midland SB from the S&C payware route. The PLL route also has versions of it. I have been debating about commissioning Paul to build some NER Northern Division signal boxes, though I'd prefer them to be on the DLS. I currently have Paul working on the remainder of the consist for the 11:20 a.m. 1914 ECJS departure from Kings Cross for Scotland.