The LNER Encyclopedia

Hi everyone

My family history research has established that an ancestor of mine was born at "sherburn engine" circa 1843

looking at some old OS maps i have found the site of an engine house just west of sherburn hill.

the map also shows a wagon way which i assume when down a steep slope south west to sherburn to tie up with the main railway line, i assume (again)that coal was transported down the slope via a rope and empty wagons pulled up .

does anyone know anything about this engine and wagonway, when it was built and when it became obsolete.
Any pictures, technical details, history etc would be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance

Deltic2

Not knowing the Sherburn area at all i cant comment on the system but if you would like to see an Inclined plain working there is one preserved in the North East although i dont know its status at present as there has been problems with funding and vandalism.
Someone on here like Pinza will be able to fill you in on latest info.

Do you have a location narrowed down?
I can think of 2 Sherburn sites in North Yorkshire alone, there may be others.
1 Between Tadcaster and Ferrybridge where the Leeds - Selby line crosses.
The other is actually called Weaverthorpe but is in reality in the village of Sherburn near Scarborough.
I don't think either laid claim to having incline working though.

HI Again

Sorry to confuse the issue by not saying which sherburn ( i did not know there were a few around)

This sherburn is about two miles east of Durham city. I was over there this weekend and went over to see the site.

The wagon way has been made into a country walk in part and can still be seen along most of its route. Perhaps it was not that long ago that it became obsolete.

As before any info would be greatly appreciated.

thanks Deltic2

You may find this site helpful, Sherburn was in the Lambton railway system.

http://sites.google.com/site/waggonways/history-durham

The best reference book I have is "The Private Railways Of County Durham" by Colin Mountford published by the Industrial Railway Society in 2004. It has 2 highly detailed maps of the area and the engines are named but none of them are called Sherburn. However, there's a colliery branch to Sherburn House Colliery on the east side of Sherburn Colliery village and at the top of the rope worked incline there is an engine marked "Standing Engine" (name unknown) so I'm guessing that is the most likely candidate, unless it was on the Shincliffe branch which left the Durham Elvet branch at Sherburn House station.If you can't find a copy of this book PM me and I'll see what I can do.
Also you really should visit the County Records Office in Durham as they have a large collection of 25" to the mile OS maps going back a long way.
Beamish Museum might also be able to help.