Manors to Backworth

[limitofshunt]

Hi everyone,

Does anybody know anything about this route, that was part of the North Tyne Loop? Specifically, does anyone have any technical information regarding bridge numbering, mileages, etc? I'm trying to establish how it linked in with the rest of the route that has since been taken over by the Tyne and Wear Metro. Any help would be great!

Thanks

Jon

[redtoon1892]

http://www.thetrams.co.uk/tyneandwear/tynecoastloop/

[Malcolm]

Also here:

http://www.northumbrian-railways.co.uk/ ... -electrics

Malcolm

[limitofshunt]

Thanks redtoon and Malcolm.

Any technical info about these routes around? I've got some signalling info that takes me as far as South Gosforth, but could do with the rest from SG to Backworth!

Best wishes

Jon

[Caledonian]

Depends a bit on exactly what you want to know. I'll be able to look up the bridge numbers for you when I get back to the office tomorrow.

Essentially, as you've probably gathered it went north from Manors to join the Metro line just to the north of Jesmond Station, then ran all the way out to Backworth junction just to the east of the site of the new Northumberland Park Station.

Things were complicated however by the building of the Metro. Trains to Blyth via Backworth Junction now use the ECML as far as Benton Junction, coming off the south east curve, ducking under the Metro and then running parallel to it on a new track on the north side as far as Backworth where it rejoins the original alignment to Blyth.

As to signalling, that's not my bailiwick, but if you're talking about the original route, there will have been signals controlling both the Gosforth East Junction and the eastern entrance to the Gosforth car sheds, then Longbenton Station. After that there should have been a clear run to Benton Station, which had a trailing goods yard on the right/south side (In line in current terminology). Coming out of Benton was complicated by the south west and north west curves (the latter built during the war as an avoiding route) and on the far side the south-east curve. For that reason there was a signal box just before the curves on the Out line side. Once past the junction with the south east curve the line was then clear to Backworth Station and junction.

[limitofshunt]

Hi Caledonian,

Thanks for your reply and you offer of digging up some more info - much appreciated!

I've got a old(ish) BR signalling notice which shows the layout from Manors up to South Gosforth... that takes me up to Bridge No. 17 at SG, which still has its original ?NER plate on it. I'm presuming that in the days before the Metro, the route from Manors - Backworth - Morpeth was counted as one route (and presumably continuous with the route and mileage from Earsdon Junction of present day)? There'd be about the right number of bridges to fill that gap from SG to there, as far as I can tell bridge 33 is the last one before Earsdon Jn (if I remember my last wander over it correctly).

I'm just old enough to remember the remains of the goods yard at Benton, in it's golden years as Metro's PW 'depot'. Unfortunately, by the time I actually became interested in railway history, it had been lifted along with the signals for the SW curve! (I'm always a few years too late!)

Best wishes

Jon

[Caledonian]

Hunters Road footbridge OB 18
Culvert UB 19 double stone and brick arch - Ouseburn
Killingworth Road UB 20 waybeam troughs, stone abutments
Longbenton Station f/bridge OB 21A concrete – within station
Longbenton footbridge OB 21B external to station east side
Benton Lane OB 22 stone and brick arch
College Lane footbridge OB 23 stone and brick arch
Eastfield Road footbridge OB 24 concrete on stone abutments
Benton Station footbridge OB 25 orig. cast Iron NER type
Station Road UB 26 waybeam troughs, stone abutments
East Coast Main Line UB 27 waybeam troughs, stone abutments
Granville Crescent UB 28 concrete portal on stone abutments
Great Lime Road OB 29 pre-stressed beams on concrete
abutments
Holystone Accom. Bridge OB 30 pre-stressed beams
A19 Backworth OB 31A pre-stressed beams on concrete
abutments
Station Road, Backworth OB 33 pre-stressed beams


All of the above predate Metro construction although it is likely that the pre-stressed beam bridges replaced earlier, more traditional, structures – most obviously the case with 31A. I’ve no information on the “missing” bridge 32 but it was almost certainly a colliery wagonway and most likely waybeam troughs on stone abutments.

[limitofshunt]

Thanks Stuart - just the info I was looking for!

From what I've dug up, I believe that OB 32 carried the Backworth Colliery Railway from Backworth Colliery (? Church Pit) to the Tyne. I've got some photos showing the abutments on Backworth Station and (I think) the actual bridge itself... I'll have to check that I can post these first but I'll put them up if I can.

It also looks like OB 21 carried a track across the lines from Benton Park Road to the fields near Benton West Farm - it doesn't appear to have a name.

Any idea what bridge 31 was? On a 1950s (ish) OS map it looks like it may have been an overbridge across the Seatonburn Waggonway, but I'm not 100% sure.


Best wishes

Jon

[third-rail]

there was also a stone over bridge no 21 at approx vicars lane which was the reason for the large signal gantry at gosforth east junc, which had another set of dolls at a much higher level so they could be seen before the bridge which probably demolished early 50s when the locuzade factory was built there which i suspect was to assist the laying of the factory siding

[third-rail]

also look at this site for route milages which may help you

http://www.britishrailways1960.co.uk/na ... smain.html

[limitofshunt]

Thanks third-rail, I never knew about the junction and factory! Vicars Lane would fit with where the bridge on the old maps is. How did you know that was bridge 21? That's impressive! I'll have to go and look into that now. I've got the relevant sectional appendices but unfortunately they've never seemed to be keen on including bridges. The most I've picked up has been from some old periodical and weekly operating notices, but they seem to be rare for the North East.

Best wishes

Jon

[third-rail]

there was iam sure at the eastern end of the south/east curve at benton there was a box which it controlled that junction and also a diamond crossing to get coal spoil to the large heap that was there, the remains of which formed the hill the metro climbs to get over the heavy rail lines

[third-rail]

lived at gosforth east junc for 27 years before before going to the coast also malcolm lived also close by

[Caledonian]

Right, just for the sake of completeness; I’ve no information on bridges 1-3 out of Manors, which will have included the original New Bridge Street bridge, but from No.4 onwards they were:

Camden Street OB no.4 steel girders on stone abutments

Sandyford Road OB no.5 steel girders on stone abutments

Jesmond Road OB no.6 concrete – new build for Metro, probably originally stone arch.

Clayton Road OB no.7 plate girders and wrought iron troughing on stone abutments

Haldane Terrace OB no.8 stone and brick arch

Footbridge (“Tar Bridge”) OB no.9 steel beams on stone piers

Forsyth Road OB no.10 stone and brick arch

West Jesmond Station subway no.11

Lyndhurst Gardens OB no.12 stone and brick arch

Jesmond Dene Road OB no.13 my records have it down as concrete deck on stone abutments, but probably originally steel beams

Moorfield Road OB no.14 stone and brick arch

Culvert (just north of Ilford Rd) UB no.14A

Stonyhurst Road OB no.15 stone and brick arch

South Gosforth Station OB no.16 cast iron arch timber deck

Station Road OB no.17 stone and brick arch

Incidentally, from Manors Station up to Sandyford Road the line is in a stone faced cutting. On the up (east side) as far north as the Gladstone Terrace cabin there used to be shunters marks painted on the wall to tell drivers when their raft of wagons was clear of the points at the goods station throat.

I don’t remember exactly – they’d all faded away last time I was down there - but I think they were marked off in fives and tens

(writing this sitting in the LNER offices at Gosforth car sheds)

[Dixie]

The NER Appendix to the WTT lists all the Signbal boxes and ground frames throughout their territory. Between Benton and Backworth there were signal boxes at Benton, Benton East Junction, Killingworth Crossing(where the Seaton Burn Colliery line crossed the NER line on the level), Benton Square(shewn as Closed) and Backworth. I hope this helps.

To supplement my collection of photos, does anyone have a photo of the signal boxes at Benton, Benton East, Benton Square, Earsdon Grange sand Monkseaton West?

Chris D