Regarding late 70's trains on the North Tyneside loop

[lar1976]

Hi, Just a quick query regarding the type of stock movements on the North Tyneside loop Via the likes of Benton? I take it that there were local trains, empty stock movements from South Gosforth but anything else which may be of interest? Some time back I had a book containing pictures of Flying Scotsman on the Coast platform as well as the APT-P on the same platform, Any info would be greatfully received.

[ac andy]

Regarding your enquiry on the North Tyneside Loop it was also possible to see freight traffic pulled off the East Coast Mainline to allow faster services to use the MAINLINE via Morpeth. Trains would rejoin this route a little to the east of Morpeth after travelling via Benton and the Ashington area. It was also possible to see particularly on Sundays diverted express trains running this way, althuogh this could happen on a weekday if a problem occured on the mainline. Coal traffic from local collieries was also seen. Hope this is of assistance to you.....

[Percy Main]

Bits of the Ponteland branch were still in use until 1989 via the south west curve at Benton.

Into the late 70s there was also a parcels service round the loop often consisting of a single vehicle hauled by an EE type 4.

[third-rail]

dont forget the train that went to callerton [explosives i think it carried].
and the sweetie train to fawdon ,there also at one time the glucose tankers to the lucazade factory at longbenton but i do not know when that finished,also frieghtliners used to be a regular visitor to the car sheds ,possibly for minor fault repairs?