The Consett Circle

[Allan]

Can anyone tell me which classes of locomotive, and especially the numbers of the locomotives and the type of carriage (in BR times) that were used on the Newcastle - Blackhill-Consett-Annfield Plain-Birtley-Newcastle circle passenger service? I know this stopped around 1953 or so. Any pictures of such trains or locos would be appreciated.

[earlswood nob]

Good morning all
The website http://www.disused-stations.org.uk is useful for looking up closed lines etc with pics of stations and trains.
As it closed in the early 50's, there wouldn't be much time for the BR standard designs to reach.
I'd guess at J39 and K1 would be used post war, with A8 and G5 before.
Earlswood nob

[Allan]

Thanks Earleswood,
the line was also used in part for the Tyne Dock to Consett iron ore and steel trains, and I was hoping to get some pics of the Pelton Station and perhaps of the Stella Gill marshalling yards and Pelton Colliery as well. I've investigated a lot, but i know many forum members do not have websites with all of their pics on.

[JASd17]

The Gresley 2-6-2 Tanks look to have worked some of the trains post-war.

The later stock is steel panelled post-war types, i.e. Thompson BT (4) and CLs, with another brake third vehicle which seemed to vary in type, at the very end BR non-corridor brakes made up the third vehicle, not sure of which type, probably BT (6)?

John

[ArthurK]

The classes mentioned above certainly appear on this route'

In pre-war days G5s and A8s would predominate. F8s were also used until withdrawn. An A7 was fitted with train brakes and trialled on the line but I don't think that it lasted long on these duties. N8s N9s and N10s also appeared. tender locos were less common but J39s were used. In later LNER days V1/V3s were used. In early BR days K1s from Blaydon were sometimes used but the NER classes were still used.

My father used to meet the early morning train every day to collect the newspapers. I recall travelling to Newcastle early one morning bound for Chathill and Seahouses but that's another story. Trains of that period were NER stock, clerestory (some still gas lit) and elliptical. The trains were probably 3 or 4 coach sets. The former were Brake third, full third and brake compo. The 4 coach sets added a second third.

Occasionally there were specials organised by the local clubs/churches/schools for days away to the seaside. No doubt to Whitley Bay but perhaps further afield to Roker or Redcar. As can be seen these were crowded and necessitated a special train much longer than normal. On this occasion it was hauled by a B16.

ArthurK

[52H]

Hi
Here is a photo of Pelton station

[Allan]

Thanks Arthur and 52H,

I certainly have a copy of the Pelton Station photograph, and one other looking in the opposite direction, and plenty of pics of coal and iron ore trains going up and down, but no pictures at all of the passenger service, and its locos and rolling stock. I do remember, as a 4/5 y.o. being dragged by my mother along Station Lane in order to catch the train to Newcastle....but wasn't a trainspotter then, or had a camera.

So, Arthur, when are you going to have some nice etches of the rolling stock and these locomotives for me? When is your Q7 out?

[ArthurK]

Thanks Arthur and 52H,

So, Arthur, when are you going to have some nice etches of the rolling stock and these locomotives for me? When is your Q7 out?

I am still working on the Q7. Release will be in the New Year. Currently I am endeavouring to make the B15, D20 and N10 available. I am awaiting the first production etches for the B15.

I believe the Q7 will be worth the wait.

Arthur

[Allan]

Please put me on the list for an N10 and the Q7, but for delivery together when the Q7's are due out. I'm now in Bangkok, so I'll have a different delivery address. Thanks

[Beamish]

Hi,

Trains on this route were few and far between towards the end ( last train 23/5/55 I think) There was one in the early evening that my Dad used to take me to see close to Beamish station. Regular locos were V3s 67658 and 67688 though K1s were used towards the end as well, 62025 hauling the last scheduled passenger service.

[Allan]

Best photographs and information about rolling stock and motive power for passenger services i have yet seen. Thanks a great deal.

[PinzaC55]

If you are interested in these lines "Railways Of Consett And North West Durham" by G.Whittle is still pretty much the best book you can get. It was one of the first books which got me seriously interested in railways.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Railways-Conset ... 0715353470

[UpDistant]

I wholeheartedly agree with PinzaC55 recommendation of Whittle's book. It also includes details of some daft proposals - Stocksfield to Low Westwood to avoid going the long way round via Blaydon for trains from the west on the Carlisle line.

NERA produce a facsimile copy of the Passenger Loco roster for 1948 - apart from one Gateshead V3 turn, all the other weekday passenger trains were booked for Blaydon A8's (2) and V1's (2). The G5's worked only between Newcastle - North Wylam, Newcastle - Hexham, and Newcastle - Haltwhistle. On Saturdays, Gateshead had 2 V3 turns, with Blaydon supplying 2 A8's. The A8's were transferred away before the beginning of 1950, I haven't got the relevant Yeadon to cross-check, and were presumably replaced by V1/3's. Between 1948 and closure, there was a considerable reduction in passenger workings, all due to bus competition. Who on earth would walk halfway up Ebchester bank to catch an infrequent train when the bus went past most people's front doors every half hour?

WTT reprints do the passenger and freight WTT (minerals not included) for 1953 for both Newcastle - Blackhill via Lintz Green, and Newcastle - Blackhill via Annfield Plain and Consett. At this time the former was part of Newcastle district and the latter part of Sunderland district - so you have to buy 2 WTTs.

Coaching stock - NERA also do a Carriage Working Notice for 1954, but by this time only the service to Blackhill via Annfield Plain was running and this was worked by Newcastle - Hexham sets which mostly trundled up and down the Tyne Valley to North Wylam and Hexham, and as far as Haltwhistle with some workings to the Border Counties line and to Blackhill. Sets were booked as BT(3) - CL(3:4) - BT(4), usually Gresley Brake ends sandwiching a Thompson Lav Compo - the first class accommodation being upgraded from teak Gresley's to Thompson's as they became available. This was the booked formation but variations (quite a few) did occur - best way is to check some photos, ex-NER, GN, GC and others turned up on the Border Counties so could also have gone to Blackhill. All the above sets were electrically lit, but there were 2 gas lit sets (booked for BT(4) - C(3:4)) one of which was rostered for the 09:35 ex-Newcastle and 11:00 ex-Blackhill return. Possible (NE) diagrams are 134 for the BT(4) and 160 for the Compo. Then there's the question of strengtheners - anything goes!

Hope this is more of a help than a hindrance.

John

[Allan]

Thanks UpDistant,

I do have the Whittle and the Roger Darsley books and they are great. However, all I can find in pics are the V1/V3's and a K1 on pax service, and the rest are mineral trains. Actually, reading the Darsley book, it seems that there was not a 'Consett Circle' but rather discrete Newcastle - Blackhill/Consett service via Lintz Green, and a separate Newcastle - Consett service via Birtley/Beamish, and no continuous 'circle'. Anyone have any info to confirm/deny this?

[UpDistant]

I'm not sure what was in the public timetables for the two services, but the Working Time Tables were split - Newcastle to Blackhill via Blaydon and Lintz Green was in Section V (Newcastle) and Newcastle to Blackhill via Annfield Plain was in Section U (Sunderland). However, there were some workings which can be regarded as circular, and some which ended at Blackhill having travelled via Annfield Plain:

06:18 ex-Newcastle (WTT No 5056), arr Blackhill (via Lintz Green) at 07:11. This continued to Consett and formed the 07:40 departure to Newcastle (via Annfield Plain) arr at 08:20

12:35 ex-Newcastle (WTT No 5070), arr Blackhill (via Lintz Green) at 13:09. This continued to Consett and formed the 13:20 departure to Newcastle (via Annfield Plain) arr at 14:15

17:40 ex-Newcastle (WTT No 5076), arr Blackhill (via Lintz Green) at 18:13. This continued to Consett and formed the 18:23 departure to Newcastle (via Annfield Plain) arr at 19:15

In the opposite direction it wasn't quite as straightforward:

07:57 ex-Consett (WTT No 3889) was formed from ECS ex-Blackhill at 07:00 which went to South Medomsley to reverse and form a 07:53 departure from Leadgate to Consett, and travelled via Blackhill and Lintz Green arriving Newcastle at 08:34

07:00 ex-Newcastle (WTT No 3887), arr Consett (via Annfield Plain) at 08:08. This continued to Blackhill arr at 08:25. This formed the 09:50 ex-Blackhill (WTT No 5066) to Newcastle via Consett and Annfield Plain arriving Newcastle at 10:40

17:07 ex-Newcastle (WTT No 3897), arr Consett (via Annfield Plain) at 18:11. This continued to Blackhill arr at 18:26. This stabled for the night and formed the ECS for WTT No 3889 the following day.

20:35 ex-Newcastle (WTT No 3899), arr Consett (via Annfield Plain) at 21:28. This continued to Blackhill arr at 21:37 and departed ECS at 21:38 for Scotswood Bridge CS via Lintz Green arr 20:08

The WTTs don't have the relevant light engine movements so it would be interesting to find out where the loco from WTT 3897 went after depositing its stock at Blackhill for the night - Blaydon or Consett?

The WTTs are available from http://www.wttreprint.talktalk.net/Nort ... rn/NER.htm if you haven't come across them before.

John