The LNER Encyclopedia

In my youth circa 1967, Carlisle Kingmoor was the place to see steam albeit on its last legs. I used to travel from Alnwick to Newcastle then across the Tyne Valley route. In my notes i have a diesel marked Planet Allendale seen at a Chemical works somewhere between Newcastle and Hexham. Can anyone elaborate on said loco and location?

As a relative newcomer to the area, I'm not at all sure, but I'm guessing that you might have seen it at Haltwhistle, as there is/was a paint works alongside the Tyne Valley line. But that is on the Carlisle side of Hexham.
The paperworks at Prudhoe might be a better bet, for the Newcastle side of Hexham.
I'll ask a few questions locally......

This may have been the former coal products plant at Prudhoe which would have had a spur, the kleenex paper mill is also at Prudhoe but I cannot recall any rail access to this plant.
I also believe there was a small ICI plant making paint. Not sure on this but it rings a bell somewhere.

ICI does actually ring a bell, i wonder if that was it?

Well that will be Haltwhistle then!

ICI - paints...they've gone by several different names, but I do not know where the rail link was....


The old paintworks - That's the site of our workshops.....

Stoneroad would one of the previous names be;-

Hadrian, Hadrian deep gloss paint,
For a really professional finish use Hadrian.

Prudhoe ICI was on the site of the current Kleenex and manufactured fertiliser I believe. On the opposite side of the line there is a long high embankment, that was the waste from the manufacturing process. I cannot recall seeing your loco there.

I wish i could remember more. It could be anywhere between Central and Hexham. Im certain the loco was on the south side of the Carlisle line.

There was very little on the north side, Clara Vale Colliery, a few sidings at Hexham, Bardon Mill Colliery then sidings at Haltwhistle. Haltwhistle also had the Kilfrost factory which made the anti freeze for application to third rails.

52D wrote:Stoneroad would one of the previous names be;-

Hadrian, Hadrian deep gloss paint,
For a really professional finish use Hadrian.

yes, site now answers to hadrian enterprise/business park!

i'm struggling to spell tonight.
but crown paints / akzo?nobel / might have (had) something to do with ICI
What I don't know is where the rail link was - unless it was off the Alston branch?

not sure if kilfrost had their own siding? they are also to the South of the Tyne Valley line.

The paint factory at Haltwhistle used to be owned by Smith and Walton and their brand was Hadrian. They had their origins in the manufacture of linoleum and from that Walton invented "Lincrusta" which was an embossed wall covering made of linseed oil and chalk, and he was often referred to as "Lincrusta Walton"
I used to know R H (Bill) Walton, who lived at Wilkinson Park near Alwinton, who was Lincrusta Walton's grandson and he had the original pattern books of Lincrusta that was supplied to the North British Railway for use in their first class carrages. Special pre-cut sheets were supplied to their specification and shipped out by rail, presumably to Hexham and then to Cowlairs via the Border Counties.
As for the original query, it would unlikely be ICI at Prudhoe, as the fertiliser plant closed in 1963 and the paper mill there did not open until (I think) 1969, but what about Finnegan's? They had their paint factory in Prudhoe by then and I believe that it was rail connected. It is now run by AzcoNobel.

I've been talking to a couple of guys who worked at Hadrian paints in the early 1970s.
Their recollection was that the paint works and Kilfrost both had dedicated sidings, and the area was quite complex with the Alston Branch and various other sidings and sheds.....

The conclusion was the OP's note "planet allendale" might have been in reference to something like a station pilot in Haltwhistle, perhaps shared?? as both Hadrian works and Kilfrost had/have tanks etc looking something like a chemical works.

I'm trying to find some pictures, one of the guys reckons he might have something.....and he's off to ask another guy who might be able to help with this.

Hope this helps
StoneRoad

Reading your post again was it an industrial Planet type locomotive named Allendale ? ICI owned a lot of locos both steam and diesel from a variety of manufacturers Planet included.
Would make sense as a lot of industrials were named.

Quite possibly redtoon, if the line is in Northumberland i should be able to id a planet loco named Allendale in the relevant IRS handbook.