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

smiffy · Sep 5, 2008

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

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?

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.

sqwasher · Sep 5, 2008

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

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.

Gazmat · Sep 5, 2008

Awesome post.

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

jock1966 · Sep 5, 2008

Nice find Great post, nature taking over :lol:

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!

Neosea · Sep 5, 2008

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

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.

tarboat · Sep 6, 2008

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

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!

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?

krela · Sep 6, 2008

Fantastic building, thanks for posting.

jackylad · Nov 11, 2008

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

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

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.

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!!!

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.

Railway Control Tower - Gateshead - September 08

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