# Railway Control Tower - Gateshead - September 08



## KingElvis (Sep 5, 2008)

As I was up this way yesterday I thought I would have a quick look around this place.

The place is about 30 seconds off the A1 and I really do recommend a visit. A place like no other I have been before. The incredible tower is accessed by a scary staircase and as you go up, you pass two floors FULL of relay racks....a smashing place.

The control room is like a UE dream, overgrown machines, ferns, buttons sheer heaven LOL

Two words of warning though, park away as the Transport Police cruise the area (I saw them) and access to the very top control room is a tight squeeze and requires a bit of dexterity LOL

Outside of the Tower







Sacry Staircase






Button porn






The bottom floor






Relay rooms


























Top floor control rooms


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## smiffy (Sep 5, 2008)

whoa! thats great .never guessed control towers for trains existed ! airplanes maybe but trains !? great stuff mate.........


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## Sabtr (Sep 5, 2008)

Nice one.  I'm glad you took the time to post more pictures of the control units. Is it true that they never actually got to use the facility?


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## urbtography (Sep 5, 2008)

Now this reminds me of LOST  all the green controls with the plants taking over, its actually so photogenic really well done on capturing the true nature of the tower.


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## sqwasher (Sep 5, 2008)

Very nice King Elvis-those control panels are fantastic! You've captured the place well.


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## Foxylady (Sep 5, 2008)

I'd never heard of railway control towers either.  That's a brilliant find...very interesting. Love the colours of the control desk along with the ferns.


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## Gazmat (Sep 5, 2008)

Awesome post. 

Quite sureal to see it all covered with green mildew stuff!


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## jock1966 (Sep 5, 2008)

Nice find Great post, nature taking over


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## lost (Sep 5, 2008)

That place looks a lot more inspiring than I'd expect it to be if I was looking at it from the road, nice work!


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## Neosea (Sep 5, 2008)

Cool find, like the retro feel of the place. Wonder what a modern one is like inside.


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## Dirus_Strictus (Sep 6, 2008)

Sausage said:


> Is it true that they never actually got to use the facility?



Lamesley (Tyne) Marshalling Yards, opened 1963, thus plenty of use. Building is the control room containing the yard and area panels, signal relay room, telecoms relay room and battery room. The building was not referred to as a 'Control Tower' in the old BR days, although this is the term used to describe these structures on the Continent - when they control marshalling yard operations.


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## tarboat (Sep 6, 2008)

Some interesting old stuff in there. I like the greenery slowly enveloping the equipment.


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## Sabtr (Sep 6, 2008)

Dirus_Strictus said:


> Lamesley (Tyne) Marshalling Yards, opened 1963, thus plenty of use. Building is the control room containing the yard and area panels, signal relay room, telecoms relay room and battery room. The building was not referred to as a 'Control Tower' in the old BR days, although this is the term used to describe these structures on the Continent - when they control marshalling yard operations.



Ah right. Thanks for that. Must be getting confused with something else!


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## Rob (Sep 6, 2008)

Fantastic place & great photo's. Thanks for showing us this cool location.
It is difficult to tell for sure from your photo's but the relay room looks burnt, is it?
Such a shame this structure has been left to get in this state. It doesn't really look too chaved?


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## krela (Sep 6, 2008)

Fantastic building, thanks for posting.


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## jackylad (Nov 11, 2008)

Tremendous! I drive past that building all the time and have often wondered what it looks like inside.


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## KingElvis (Nov 11, 2008)

jackylad said:


> Tremendous! I drive past that building all the time and have often wondered what it looks like inside.



Don't just drive by mate, squeeze your ass in there LOL


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## IVIik (Nov 13, 2008)

KingElvis said:


> Don't just drive by mate, squeeze your ass in there LOL



Squeeze being the operative word there; especially at the top.


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## DigitalNoise (Nov 15, 2008)

Great building, wish we had stuff like this near me!
I cant work out what it is growing by the fire exit... Looks a bit conspicuous to me!!!


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## Foxylady (Nov 15, 2008)

DigitalNoise said:


> I cant work out what it is growing by the fire exit... Looks a bit conspicuous to me!!!



Ah, I see what you mean! My mate found one like that growing in her back garden when she first moved in...but it turned out not to be the plant we thought it was.


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## krela (Nov 15, 2008)

Plain old hemp...


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## jackylad (Nov 16, 2008)

KingElvis said:


> Don't just drive by mate, squeeze your ass in there LOL



Heh, might just do that. Is funny, I've started noticing more derelict buildings in the area since I started looking at this site, might go out with me camera and get some photos. There's a couple of good ones in Whickham that would be worth a visit.


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## Scruffyone (Nov 16, 2008)

FOR SALE

This spacious 'Underground Lair'
In need of some work since previous criminal mastermind moved to an extinct volcano.
shark tank, trapdoors in the 'meeting room' and giant laser aimed at the moon all included in asking price

Offers in the region of 1 million dollars.


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## FusionRail (Jan 24, 2010)

Its called a Signal Box!


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## jonney (Jan 24, 2010)

I was parked outside here last week on my tachograph break and was going to have a look around but there were too many workmen about the place. Looks like it's all boarded up now


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## tom83 (Jan 25, 2010)

Cracking find, thanks for sharing.

Noice


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