Former line in West Durham

[JohnV]

I was in the NRM recently and was intrigued by the map on the wall just after the shop. I imagine many of you will know the one I mean - a map of the NER, 1900, made up of tiles. I wondered if any of you could shed some light on the former line which went from Bishop Auckland to Newcastle across the far west of Durham, even slightly west of Consett. Of course, I know about the former line through Brandon to Durham - I used it often enough -but the more westerly one interests me.
Thanks, folks.

[AndyRush]

I think you must be referring to the Lanchester Valley line, opened to passengers on 01.08.1862 and closed on 20.06.1966. The line is covered in 'The Railways of Consett and North-West Durham' by G Whittle ISBN: 0715353470, from which the above dates have been taken. Not too exorbitantly priced second hand copies of the book are being offered by Amazon and Abe Books at the moment.

Regards

Andy

[52A]

Or is it the line from Bishop Aukland via Tow Law and Blackhill and down to Swalwell, covered in the same book.

[JohnV]

Yes, I noticed that the line in question was, in effect, a continuation of the line from BA to Tow Law via Crook (ie the line which still runs from BA to Darlington and beyond).
Cheers

[PinzaC55]

If you visit this excellent site http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/bu ... ndex.shtml he has a history of the line and photo's of all the stations. The only surviving station is Rowley which was dismantled and rebuilt at Beamish Museum. The line closed to passengers from Tow Law to Blackhill , and for goods from Tow Law to Saltersgate, in 1939. The remaining section from Blackhill to Burnhill closed in 1969.

[JohnV]

Thanks for the link. It answers my questions for the present. Really informative. Thanks to all.

[PinzaC55]

You're welcome. Also I have my own copy of the signalbox diagram for Burnhill here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinzac55/4 ... 7/sizes/o/

[Mallard]

If you visit this excellent site http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/bu ... ndex.shtml he has a history of the line and photo's of all the stations. The only surviving station is Rowley which was dismantled and rebuilt at Beamish Museum. The line closed to passengers from Tow Law to Blackhill , and for goods from Tow Law to Saltersgate, in 1939. The remaining section from Blackhill to Burnhill closed in 1969.

I think the line from Blackhill finally closed when the ore trains started coming from the Tees loading point rather than Tyne Dock. However I am happy to be corrected!
36E

[52A]

I think the line from Blackhill finally closed when the ore trains started coming from the Tees loading point rather than Tyne Dock. However I am happy to be corrected!
36E[/quote]

The line through Blackhill came in from the north from Blaydon and Swalwell, this line closed to passengers in 1954 and freight in 1963. The line from Consett Low Yard to Blackhill goods survived beyond this date used mainly for household coal delivery. The ore trains came in from the east via South Pelaw, Beamish and Annfield and did not use the route through Blackhill.

[PinzaC55]

If you visit this excellent site http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/bu ... ndex.shtml he has a history of the line and photo's of all the stations. The only surviving station is Rowley which was dismantled and rebuilt at Beamish Museum. The line closed to passengers from Tow Law to Blackhill , and for goods from Tow Law to Saltersgate, in 1939. The remaining section from Blackhill to Burnhill closed in 1969.

I think the line from Blackhill finally closed when the ore trains started coming from the Tees loading point rather than Tyne Dock. However I am happy to be corrected!
36E

The line to Consett from Ouston Junction (Birtley) closed in about 1984 and nothing remains now.

[52A]

Just a cycle track!

[James Brodie]

Baxter Wood-Lanchester- Knitsley then Consett yard...Darlington men used this route as did Newport/Thornaby men The 100T wagon ore tipplers went via Beamish as did the Torpedoes.
I need to get my old appendix out for the other routes. We worked to Crook which was a few more gasps short of Tow law. Darlington men worked there (Tow Laaaw) with A8s on the local passengers.
At Blaydon was the other end of one of the Consett routes. (Blackhill).
Jim Brodie.

[third-rail]

worked at lambton coke coke works replaceing handrails on top of the ovens(bad enough in the eightys hate to think what it would be like during ww2 when they where roofed over to stop the bombers seeing the glare from the ovens)and remember seeing the torpedos passing by two at a time i think,where they just moved on freight only lines, i shudder to think of the outcome of a 100 tons of molten metal spilling out