# Tanfield Railway - Gateshead - January 2011



## Horus (Feb 24, 2011)

*Tanfield Railway

Visited with: forsaken
*
The Tanfield Railway was originally built to transport coal from the collieries of County Durham, to the staithes on the River Tyne, for onward transport in colliers (bulk coal carrying ships). The oldest part of the original Tanfield Railway, located to the north east of the present heritage line, in the Lobley Hill area, dated from 1647, and was in continuous use until final closure in 1964.

The route and structures of the oldest section of the now preserved part of the line, between Sunniside and Causey, dates from 1725, and is thus claimed to be the World's oldest working railway. The Middleton Railway claims to be the oldest working railway, on the basis that it was the first railway granted powers under the first railway Act of Parliament in 1758. The Causey to East Tanfield section was built in 1839.

The Marley Hill engine shed was built in 1854, and in use until 1970. The shed first housed a winding engine before the arrival of locomotives. The shed is thought to be the oldest engine shed in the world still used for its original function. Although the line to the shed closed in 1962, it remained in use servicing other colliery railway's locomotives in the area.

Originally a wooden railed horse drawn wagonway, conversion to a conventional steel railed railway began in 1837, and by 1840 was complete as far as Tanfield Moor Colliery. In 1881 the railway was converted to steam locomotive operation, becoming part of the North Eastern Railway. Although still primarily a freight railway, it did carry some passengers. The East Tanfield Colliery closed in 1964, and the railway, by this time owned by the National Coal Board, was closed and the track lifted.


*No. 14 working at Dawdon Colliery near Seaham in 1965

The building : Hawthorn Lesle Newcastle upon Tyne
*

No 14 is one of 151 locos built to the 16” cylindered, four wheeled tank loco designed introduced by Hawthorn Lesie in 1907. The first was delivered in 1908 and the last one in 1954, ten of the 151 were built to 5’6” gauge for use in India.

75 locos were built by Hawthorn Lesie in Newcastle from 1908 to 1938, 76 locos were built by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns from 1938 to 1954, mostle in Newcastle but with some in Darlington. No 14 the sole Hawthron Leslie survivor, there are three preserved locos in England built by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn in the 1950’s Some of the Indian locos were still at work recently.

No 14 Hawthorn Lesie No.3056 was built for a stack order of September 1913, the customer order was received on January 1914 and it was finished on 22nd April 1914, It cost £1336 to build and was sold for £1530.

*The User: Lambton & Hetton Collieries and sucessors

*
No 14 was delivered in 1914 to Lambton & Hetton Collieries Ltd in County Durham, which in 1924 became Lambton, Hetton and Joicey Collieries Ltd. In 1947 the coal industry was nationalized and No 14 became part of the National Coal Board.
At nationalization in 1947 No 14 was based at Hetton shed it remained on this section until closure in 1959, In 1960 it left the Lambton system and worked at coastal pits Vane Tempest, Seaham and Dawdon before returning to the Lambton Railway at philiadelphia for storage in 1968.

*Preservation.*


No 14 was preserved by Beamish and arrived at Marley Hil shed, its first preservation home, In December 1972 It was moved to Bemish in 1974 for restoration and a periol of passenger train use at Rowley station before being statically displayed at Bearmish colliery, It returned to Marley Hill in September 2010 as part of the Tanfield Railway Collection.












*Robert Stephenson and Hswthorns No.7796 of 1954 Central Electricity Generating Board No 21*

The engine worked at the newly built Stella South Power Station in Blaydon, on the site of the Blaydon Races, from 1954 until 1970 when she was replaced by diesel locomotives. Arrived at Marley Hill in 1973











*No 6*


This saddle-tank shunter was built by Hudswell Clarke & Co. Ltd. of Leeds in 1919 and carries works no. 1366. It spent it's entire working life in the iron and steel industries, mostly in Renishaw quarries.
The locomotive is on short-term loan from Tanfield Railway.












Unfortually thats all the History i can find on the selected trains, the others are hard to find.
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Random Pictures*


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Hope you Enjoyed.​


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## dobbo79 (Feb 24, 2011)

great pics there horus....some great angles
I love steam engines (not so much to say im a spotter lol) and theses are lovely )


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## Horus (Feb 24, 2011)

yeah one of the guys that worked there was asking a load of questions, untill the point i had to tell him im not a train spotter


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## TK421 (Feb 24, 2011)

The Tanfield railway is excellent, I have visited many times and always a warm welcome. Great atmosphere of lovely old junk, trains and muck, magic. Great set of photos mate.


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## Parkus. (Feb 25, 2011)

Good photos, and a good report. It really is an amazing place.


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## Munchh (Feb 25, 2011)

High quality in all regards. Fantastic place, thanks.


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## BFG316 (Mar 1, 2011)

Great pics.

It is a great place and people are really freindly there too. They do a "North Pole" Express at Christmas for the kids, my 2 loved it.

Once again great pics.


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## darrenwindle (Mar 1, 2011)

awsome shots there.... Have you not visited the North tyneside Steam railway yet? theres some awsome shots to be had in there too.


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## Foxylady (Mar 5, 2011)

These are great. I don't know a lot about trains but really like to see them. Love the pic with the boots and oil cans...and the old trucks and wagon. Nice.


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## Horus (Mar 5, 2011)

darrenwindle said:


> awsome shots there.... Have you not visited the North tyneside Steam railway yet? theres some awsome shots to be had in there too.



No have'nt been there yet 

Thanks for comments


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## darrenwindle (Mar 5, 2011)

Horus said:


> No have'nt been there yet
> 
> Thanks for comments



No Problem. 

You should try and make that your next visit when you go Northwards


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## dobbo79 (Mar 5, 2011)

I want to visit this one - great shots


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