Ferryhill Station

[Darandio]

Hello guys, you will see from my post count that I am new but after exhausting all other avenues, I am at a loose end. Apologies if this is in the wrong section, it was the only relevant one I could find.

I have searched the board for references to Ferryhill, where I grew up and for around 20 years have been looking for material of how the railway station was up until the 1960's when it was demolished. The primary reason for this is my father, who worked on the rails, based at Ferryhill until around 1995 however, memories cannot paint a picture. I have seen the handful of photos on the Durham Record which show the station in various states through the decades but I would dearly like to know more. I am pretty sure the station had two through platforms on the slow lines and two bay platforms at the north end but I have never had this confirmed.

If anyone has any information, I would be eternally grateful. To me, it seems like my local station has been long lost in the midst of history.

[stembok]

Have you seen 'Darlington-Leamside-Newcastle' by Roger Darsley, Irwell Press, 2008 £14.95?
This has a good map of Ferryhill station and its lines, signal boxes surrounding industry etc, with accompanying photographs and some explanatory text.
Looking back the closure of Ferryhill in 1967 does seem strange as in the early 1960s several main line services in each direction still called there daily. It was within easy reach of several well populated and expanding residential areas in the vicinity whose nearest main line stations are now Darlington 13 miles or Durham some 10 miles. Makes you think when places such as Thirsk survived at that time.

[Darandio]

Thanks for that, just been checking it out online and it looks like a very interesting book, I shall have to open the wallet I think!

Reading what you said, it is very strange indeed, it wasn't exactly an underserved station and does have a pretty good catchment area so it baffles me as to why it went, and went so quickly!

[Malcolm]

Hello guys, you will see from my post count that I am new but after exhausting all other avenues, I am at a loose end. Apologies if this is in the wrong section, it was the only relevant one I could find.

I have searched the board for references to Ferryhill, where I grew up and for around 20 years have been looking for material of how the railway station was up until the 1960's when it was demolished. The primary reason for this is my father, who worked on the rails, based at Ferryhill until around 1995 however, memories cannot paint a picture. I have seen the handful of photos on the Durham Record which show the station in various states through the decades but I would dearly like to know more. I am pretty sure the station had two through platforms on the slow lines and two bay platforms at the north end but I have never had this confirmed.

If anyone has any information, I would be eternally grateful. To me, it seems like my local station has been long lost in the midst of history.

Got one picture in NER days if it is any help.

Malcolm

[Darandio]

I had seen that one Malcolm, but thanks for the thought.

[52A]

There is also Darlington to Newcastle via Durham by Roger Darsley, Irwell Press, 2007.

This has different pictures of Ferryhill.

[PinzaC55]

Ferryhill Sidings Signalbox

[TANFIELD]

I and a fellow railwayman "Sedgefield" (we both have about 40years service) work at Darlington and the Ferryhill PWay gang are under the charge of this office. We are very curious as to who your father is (was). The PW insp. at Feryhill up until the 1990's was Jack Matthews and some of his PW lads were the "Mitten" brothers who had a huge model railway running through the house!, Ray Maddison (Tojo), and the Watt brothers, who immediately come to mind. I would be good to contact you direct perhaps via the "moderator", as it would be unwise to leave email or mobile numbers on the site.

[52A]

When did Ferryhill Sidings box close (or fall down!)?

In my time it was Tursdale, Coxhoe, Ferryhill 1,2 &3 then Mainsforth or Bradbury.

[stembok]

Not sure about the Ferryhill boxes,but Bradbury, Preston le Skerne and Aycliffe closed with the introduction of MAS in late 1965. I remember Aycliffe being demolished in early 1966. 52A what was the signalling system between Aycliffe and Darlington Parkgate pre-MAS There were colour lights I seem to remember ,but what was the actuation? Thanks for any help on this.

[52A]

They were automatic 3 aspect searchlight signals. The colours (red, yellow and green) were mounted on a solenoid actuated moveable spectacle and the light shone through giving the appropriate colour to the driver. They had a weakness in that they could freeze in cold weather causing wrong side failures until a heater element was installed.

[stembok]

Thanks 52A, information much appreciated. I used to spend quite some time in this area and remember a couple of failures of these colour light signals c1962-64. Wonder if they were also approaching life expiry around this time.

[52A]

Yes probably well past their sell-by date, there were some similar signals between Darlington and York but these were 4 aspect. They used to light up as you approached them, early energy saving signals, nothing is new!

[Sedgefield]

I used to spot there and Bradbury between 1963 and 1970. The station consisted of one large island platform accessed from the road bridge by steps or lift. There were two central bays at each end for branch trains to Hartlepool, Bishop Auckland, Leamside and Stockton which had all finished by 1952. The goods lines were to the east of the station with Ferryhill no.2 box at the south end of the platforms.

. The sidings signalbox is something I never remember. Its position would have been behind this EE type 3.

The mains were to the east of the station. The rumour was the reason it closed was to enable the mains to be slued across the station and yards to ease the curve. It never happened.

I was there the day the station closed Saturday 4.3.67 and got a return to Durham for a last day ride hauled by D272 north and D172 back. The last two trains I saw leave were at 19:10 north D193 and 19:45 south D1728, although there was a 23:00approx SO to Kings Cross that brought the curtain down. The station remained for a couple of years being used as a changing point for sunday diversions when a DMU shuttle would be run to Durham. The last photo shows a northbound diversion stopping on such a service in November 1967.

[52A]

This talk of Ferryhill and auto signals also reminds me that there were automatic semaphore signals between Ferryhill and Sedgefield many years ago.