Ferryhill Station

[PinzaC55]

From memory wasn't SNG at Philly in 1968?

[stembok]

4498 went to Philadelphia in the summer of 1968 from Crewe and was there until around 1976 when she moved on to Carnforth. I notice that she has the cut out numbers and letters in the photograph and these seem to date from approximately 1975, possibly for the S &D 150th celebrations.

[Sedgefield]

Good point have checked some other old photos from that time and compared front end lettering and upraised numerals and 1975 or 1976 seems more likely. Here is SNG in Ferryhill Yard on the mystery date at Darlington celebrations in 1975 and Blaydon in 1972.

[booklad]

great photos of 4498. ferryhill No 2 box became ferryhill PSB in late 1971. 4498 is in the yards facing north, doing what?

[stembok]

Several possibilities regarding 4498 at Ferryhill. From November 1974 into 1975 she was repaired at Philadelphia with new superheater elements fitted, in preparation for S&D 150 in September 1975. She was also repainted and the cut out letters and numbers fitted at this time. She worked some special excursion runs during the celebrations on one of which she had to come off her down train at Ferryhill with a hot cartazzi axlebox. Another possibility and perhaps more likely is a trial trip from Philadelphia, at least one of which took her down to the Teesside area light engine travelling the Ferryhill - Stillington -Norton Junction route. She was reportedly undergoing overhaul during 1976 and eventually reached Carnforth - her new base - in April 1977.

[Sedgefield]

I think your first explanation is the right one as amongst the same set of photos I have found these two which were taken at Bradbury just south of Ferryhill. One is of a EE Type 4 on a southbound express in reasonable light. The second is of SNG heading north in failing light, obviously late and probably about to fail. Notice the hay bales, late summer. I must have got word SNG was in Ferryhill Yard the next day. Only a dim and distant memory now for the old grey cells I'm afraid.

[Lowson]

At the beginnining of the sixties, I used to cycle to the railway bridge just south of Bradbury - from my home in Stillington. But on only one or two occasions, I continued on to Ferryhill Station. I don't know why but it's lodged as 'interesting' in my memory. My viewpoint then was looking down into a cutting. If I retraced my steps, I wonder if I'd be trespassing now?

[Sedgefield]

LNER steam still lives at Ferryhill. Just some of the locos passing through over the last year!

[PinzaC55]

At the beginnining of the sixties, I used to cycle to the railway bridge just south of Bradbury - from my home in Stillington. But on only one or two occasions, I continued on to Ferryhill Station. I don't know why but it's lodged as 'interesting' in my memory. My viewpoint then was looking down into a cutting. If I retraced my steps, I wonder if I'd be trespassing now?

Bradbury was a fascinating place for some reason to me even though the station was totally gone and I took some photos on a day in 1978. I remember walking up the approach road and checking out the hedges in case any bits of railway hardware remained! There are 4 very nice shots of the station in "Eastern Main Lines Darlington-Leamside-Newcastle" published by Middleton Press.

[61962]

Stepping back to Sedgefield's pics of 4498. The first one with the Steam Safari headboard is 17th June 1972. Two trains from St Pancras, one way trip Newcastle - Carlisle and Carlisle - Newcastle behind 4498 for each train. I was on the first train. Photo is on the west bound trip at Blaydon.

Second photo is in Darlington Bank Top. 4498 had just arrived from Philadelphia and the team had just completed the cleaning necessitated by a wheel slip as it was leaving the shed. Covered the brand new paint in muck. The painter (yours truly) would not have been happy had I seen the state of it! Date was August 1975 the Friday two weeks before the Cavalcade.

The third shot is almost certainly after the hot box at Ferryhill on 7th September when '98 stood in for 60009. The loco stood their for several hours until a path and crew could be found to work it a 15mph to Thornaby MPD. The failure made the loco unavailable for the A4LS special the following Sunday that was worked by 4472. 4498 was repaired at Thornaby in time to work the Sheffield to York leg of the final S&D 150 train 4472, working York - Newcastle - Sheffield.

Eddie

[Sedgefield]

Here are two from Bradbury in 1969 when Flying Scotsman was the only steam loco loose on what was by then British Rail.

[Sedgefield]

Bradbury on 4th May with 60009 heading south.

All my old locations either inaccessible or covered in vegetation!

[Sedgefield]

Here is my latest offering at Ferryhill.

The Hadrian with a Black Five and a Jube on the front.

Shades of the Red Bank Parcels which used to grace this spot many moons ago!