– A HISTORY OF THE TYNE DOCK TO CONSETT RAILWAY –

Menu
  • Home
  • The Location
    • History
    • Through the Years…
      • 1930 to 1939
      • 1940 to 1949
      • 1950 to 1959
      • 1960 to 1969
      • 1970 to 1979
      • 1980 to Closure
      • Track Lifting After Closure
        • Consett
        • Leadgate
        • Greencroft
        • Stanley
        • Beamish
        • Between Pelton and South Pelaw
        • Between South Pelaw and Washington
      • After Track Lifting
    • Past and Present
    • Towards Tyne Dock…
      • Ouston Junction
      • Birtley and Washington
      • Tyne Yard
      • Tyne Dock
    • Towards Consett…
      • Stella Gill
      • Pelton
      • Beamish
      • Stanley and West Stanley (Shield Row)
      • Annfield Plain
      • Greencroft
      • Leadgate and East Castle
      • Consett
        • Consett Station
        • Iron Ore Unloading
        • Steelworks
        • Low Yard
        • Consett East
      • Blackhill
    • Signalling
    • Locomotives…
      • Steam Locomotives
      • Diesel Locomotives
    • Train Formations…
      • Goods Trains…
        • Iron Ore Trains
        • Steel Trains
        • Coal Trains
        • Weedkiller Trains
        • Molten Metal Trains
      • Passenger Trains
    • Collieries…
      • South Pelaw Colliery
      • South Medomsley Colliery
      • Eden Colliery
  • The Model
    • Introduction
    • Layout Trackplan
    • Layout Progress…
      • Layout Update – June 2020
      • Layout Progress – May 2020
      • Layout Progress – April 2020
      • Layout Progress – February 2020
      • Layout Progress – November 2019
      • Layout Progress – Pre November 2019
    • Rolling Stock…
      • Diesel Locomotives…
        • Class 24
      • Wagons…
        • 56 Ton Iron Ore Wagons
        • Steel Wagons
        • Coal Wagons
    • Structures…
      • Washington End Bridge
  • Documents
    • Local Trip and Engine Workings
    • Track Diagrams
    • 1948 Timetable
    • Summer 1954 timetable
    • Working Timetable June to September 1979
  • Acknowledgements
  • Links
Menu

South Pelaw Junction

South Pelaw Junction was a vital junction on the Tyne Dock to Consett railway line with connections to the East Coast main line at Ouston Junction, Tyne Dock via Washington as well as local collieries via Stella Gill.

South_Pelaw37006_and 008_come_up_the_bank_from_Tyne_Yard_
A classic late 1970s shot of 37006 and 37008 double heading an iron ore train on its way up the hill to Consett.  Photo copyright Ernie Brack.

This site chronicles the history of the Tyne Dock to Consett line, concentrating, for the most part, on the section from Ouston Junction to Consett, as well as my plans to build a 4mm scale model railway of South Pelaw Junction.

The site includes a photographic history of the location (as well as selected sites further up and down the line from the junction), concentrating, for the most part, on the period from 1954 onwards when the new iron ore facilities came in to use at Tyne Dock, and a number of ‘past and present‘ pictures to show the massive changes that have occurred since the line was abandoned in early 1984 and redeveloped as part of a coast to coast cycle way.

IMG_1990
The site of South Pelaw Junction as it was in 2013. Photo copyright John Donnelly

As well as South Pelaw Junction itself, other locations covered are Birtley and Washington, Ouston Junction, Stella Gill, Pelton, Beamish, Shield Row (Stanley), Annfield Plain, Greencroft, Leadgate and East Castle, Consett Station and other locations around Consett.

This site would not have been possible without the generosity of those who have supplied photographs of the locations on the line over the years.  I am always on the lookout for photographs of any location on the line so, if you have any, I would love to see them and, subject to your permission, publish them (full acknowledgement of copyright will, of course, be given).

Iron Ore Pellets
The stuff without which the line would never have existed. Iron ore (taconite I believe) pellets collected from the site of Beamish Station which, even today, over 40 years after the last iron ore train ran, are just lying on the surface if you know where to look.  The pellets made excellent catapult ammunition…

If you spot any errors on the site, please let me know. I can be contacted via email here or leave a comment on the relevant page.

Use of Images

Please note that all images that appear on this site do so with the express, written, permission of the copyright holders.  Please do not copy them to other sites or social media platforms without permission, any such postings will be reported to the platforms involved.  

I have no issue with my own images (which are clearly marked as being copyright John Donnelly) being used in this way as long as my copyright is acknowledged.

Site Copyright © 2013 – 2021 John Donnelly

22 thoughts on “South Pelaw Junction”

  1. Alan Cessford says:
    September 5, 2015 at 9:38 pm

    I do not have any photographs of South Pelaw Junction or any of the Tyne Dock / Consett line but I do remember 9f’s double headed working the line with perhaps nine loaded wagons, I also remember Std Class 5 and Q6 working with lighter loads as well as molten metal flasks. This was between 1964 /1966

    Regards
    alan

    Reply
  2. David Milburn says:
    January 11, 2016 at 6:40 pm

    1966 – 2016

    It’s now 50 years since the last full year of steam working over the line to Consett. As a Beamish lad who lived literally feet away from the railway line I watched the trains for years and in my teens started to keep records.

    I’ve enclosed just a tiny sample from a week in July of 66 (some folk then were bothered about England and the World Cup!!) showing the nature of freight workings and the motive power used. The 9Fs were still in charge as train engines for the ore workings but banking was in the hands of Class 40s. They certainly made the job easier for the steam crews.

    Coal and other workings, oil for example were done by Q6s, K1s and WDs. These latter locos had always been around but in the last year of working many more appeared, the K1s from Alnwick and the WDs from the Yorkshire sheds.

    Diesels were often used to bank. If the train was a through working it would have steam at the head and the banker would be waiting at Pelaw. The diesels were put to work hard. I’ve seen a 22 hopper coal train climb through Beamish with a Q6 up front pulling four trucks and a Type 4 (Class 40) pushing the rest!

    The variety of freight had gone. There were no more pick up freights, trip workings and loads of scrap for the furnaces. And, as one by one the pits closed there was practically no coal moving down the line. But the iron company still needed material and so tons of ore, coal and oil made their way up the line each day.

    1966

    Sample

    July 18th Monday.

    Beamish 63377 Oil train (8)
    92065 banked by D6820 Coal train (21)
    92060 banked by 92098 Coal train (21)

    —————————————————————————————
    July 19th Tuesday

    63379 Coal train (8)

    Seen at Beamish
    —————————————————————————————–
    July 20th Wednesday

    63377 Oil train (8)
    92060 Iron ore empties
    92061 Coal train (12)
    92097 Iron ore empties
    Beamish.
    —————————————————————————————–
    July 21st Thursday

    92060 Iron Ore empties
    92098 Coal train (12)
    Beamish.
    —————————————————————————————–
    July 22nd Fri:day
    63366 Coal train (8)
    92060 banked by D5112 Coal train (19)

    Reply
    1. Porcy says:
      February 3, 2017 at 4:35 pm

      Quality Information

      P

      Reply
  3. David Goodliff says:
    September 28, 2016 at 12:46 pm

    My late father did his two years national service at Pelton Lane National Service Miners Hostel, working in the local coal mines 1946-48.
    The miners hostel was a nissen hut complex, on a site directly behind where South Pelaw Signal Box once stood. A housing estate is there now – built in the early 1960s I understand.
    Dad was a railway enthusiast, and I am a railway civil engineer.
    I have often wondered about that Signal Box now gone – when it was built, and when the line’s heydays were, operationally.
    Although I am ‘a Londoner’, I still occasionally stop over in Chester-le-Street and South Pelaw … ..
    David G.

    Reply
    1. Porcy says:
      February 3, 2017 at 4:26 pm

      Thanks for that. I’ve been trying to remember what that place was for years. The boiler house was still standing when I was a nipper and my Uncle (who’s been up the the miners hostel in the sky for decades) had told me it’s original purpose. but I couldn’t bring it to mind. I think it became NCB offices that supplemented the NCB offices at No Place/Beamish prior to being replace by the NCB HQ (Coal House) on the Team Valley.

      P

      Reply
      1. Dodd says:
        April 30, 2019 at 9:52 am

        Hi Porcy, in reply to you post. the nissan huts were for the Bevin Boys in the war years, Later on part of the site was used by the Ministry of Labour Offices. Pelaw Pit offices were at the end of the pit officials houses at the entrance to the pit ie 50 yds south of the bridge. I remember as a kid the bloke coming out of the wagon weighbridge or sometimes the shunters guard (Jack Bridgewater was one of them as there was two shifts) with a red and a green flag at the road crossing to warn motorists of wagon movements. I lived in the railway cottages over the bridge, from 1947 till 1963 before moving away.

        Reply
        1. David Goodliff says:
          May 21, 2019 at 3:35 pm

          Hello Dodd,
          Your April post above I found very interesting.
          As per my post above (Sept 2016), my late father was a Bevin Boy – immediately following WWII, for the 2 years 1946 – ’48.
          I’ve built a OO 1:76 gauge model layout of the entire Nissen Hut complex (known as Pelton Lane National Service Miners Hostel) behind South Pelaw signal box. [Its still modelling work in progress … ..]. It includes a small section of the exchange sidings serving South Pelaw Colliery.
          Based on your post, maybe you could help me with some questions – to assist my historical accuracy please:
          1. Which ‘part’ of the nissen hut site was used for Ministry of Labour Offices please? [Does this imply the rest of the site became disused?].
          2. The shunter using flags. Does this imply that the level crossing was without any traditional level crossing gates?
          Thanks again for adding your post.
          Yours sincerely,
          David Goodliff

          Reply
          1. Dave Gardner says:
            May 10, 2020 at 11:18 am

            Hi David, did your Dad leave you with any memories of his time at the South Pelaw Hostel. I am a member of the Chester-le-Street Heritage Group and I trying to pull some information about the Local Bevin Boys. There is very little that exists today about either this hostel or the one that was at Chester Moor. Any snippets you have would be appreciated. What was your Dad called and was he a local boy or did he move to Chester-Le-Street when conscripted to work in the mines. Cheers Dave.

    2. Stephen Shields says:
      March 11, 2019 at 12:47 pm

      South pelaw had it’s own pway staff ,a right motley crew better known as F troop.Consett had it’s own pway staff. I was a relief Signalman at Consett and South pelaw was one of my cabins.Steve shields

      Reply
      1. David Goodliff says:
        May 21, 2019 at 3:50 pm

        Hello Stephen,
        I am an ex British Railways Eastern Region civil engineer from DCE Stratford, East London. I have a family connection with South Pelaw, as my late father lived there for two years at the former Pelton Lane National Service Miners Hostel.
        I was both interested and amused by your post above – thank you. Arising from my age, I remember the programme ‘F-troop’ when I was young, about 1970 I think on children’s television … ..
        One of the excellent pictures added to the South Pelaw website by Mr. Stark, shows what I understand to be South Pelaw P.Way cabin. A standard precast concrete p.way cabin that I estimate was erected in the 1950s or 60s. Comparatively, its quite a big one.
        Would your remembrances recall:
        1. Approximately how many there were in that p.way gang?
        2. Was the South Pelaw gang, a static gang? (In other words did they have a personnel carrier truck, routinely parked up at South Pelaw?).
        Thanks in advance.
        Yours sincerely,
        David Goodliff

        Reply
  4. David Goodliff says:
    June 6, 2017 at 8:43 am

    Looking at the pics of the South Pelaw Jcn. model, there appears to be a p.way cabin on the opposite side of Pelton Lane (at road level) – to the signal box. Do the South Pelaw Jcn. Model Group have any photographic clues showing this p.way cabin, or the Pelton Lane level crossing access across the road to the colliery – they could share please?
    Advice I sought during a BR Eastern Region civil engineers Xmas Reunion at York last December, suggested that South Pelaw Junction was within the Consett Permanent Way Section, of British Railways DCE Newcastle Division.
    It is my aspiration to see the model one day, if it is planned to be shown at a model railway exhibition anytime soon … ..
    Yours sincerely,
    David Goodliff

    Reply
    1. John Donnelly says:
      June 6, 2017 at 1:57 pm

      I’ve never seen any photos of the level crossing but I’m told that some do exist, I shall ask around.

      The layout is due to appear at Railex NE in July 2018.

      John

      Reply
  5. Dave willoughby says:
    August 24, 2017 at 6:31 am

    Have you got the new book released by book law.TYNE DOCK TO CONSETT.

    Reply
    1. John Donnelly says:
      August 24, 2017 at 11:02 am

      Hi Dave,

      Yes, I have and an excellent book it is. What we need is a 1970 onwards equivalent…

      John

      Reply
  6. Dave Ditchburn says:
    October 4, 2017 at 8:23 pm

    Fascinating. Well done thankyou.

    Reply
  7. Ben Scotting says:
    October 17, 2017 at 3:02 pm

    Hi, I am looking at woodlands local to Pelton and am interested in the history of a site sometimes called Twizell Woods Reclamation Site which is on Twizell Lane at NZ223522 and some 300m south of the dismantled railway. It is marked as a disused tip and has a significant mound and retaining wall. Can you provide any clue as to what was tipped there (I wondered if it had anything to do with the railway construction). The significant retaining wall means someone had an eye to moving and keeping some overburden in place.

    Reply
    1. Anon says:
      April 12, 2020 at 11:33 am

      Always assumed this was just a spoil heap from Twizell Colliery, which was literally across the road where the poultry farm stands.

      Parts of it have little pieces of coal mixed with the stone.

      On the farm track side of it (south side) near the fence line there is a short length of what may be rail sticking out.

      The railway line itself seems to be an embankment, so not sure if it would be waste as it is built onto the fields, as oppose to dug out.

      Reply
  8. John Stark says:
    February 11, 2019 at 6:54 pm

    Can’t find an email link on your site, so I’m posting here…..
    I was brought up a couple of hundred yards away in Conyers Avenue and have listened to the train engine and banker whistling to each other night and day throughout my childhood.
    – I have a number of photos of the location taken 1965. You’re welcome to use copies of the photos if you wish. (Includes brake tenders, which I didn’t spot glancing through your site).
    – The ‘railway’ houses to the east of the bridge were not very nice. I went for tea there as a bairn in the mid-fifties and I think they still had dry ash toilets.
    – You show samples of the iron ore, but might like to mention what superb catapult ammo it was (if you didn’t mind the purple muck)
    – Somewhere in the attic I should have a copy of a Beamish signalbox train register which deserves a more useful home.

    Reply
    1. John Donnelly says:
      February 11, 2019 at 7:02 pm

      Thanks for that John, I’ve sent you an email.

      Reply
  9. Steve Passmoor says:
    May 4, 2020 at 12:56 pm

    John,
    Don’t know if you’ve seen this before but I came across this video today, from about 25 minutes in, there’s approximately 12 minutes of footage of the line from Ouston Junction to Consett steelworks.

    Reply
    1. John Donnelly says:
      May 5, 2020 at 11:56 am

      Thanks for the link Steve, not seen that particular video before although a lot of footage appears in other videos.

      Reply
  10. David Goodliff says:
    May 6, 2020 at 6:30 pm

    I bought two British Rail Sectional Appendix’s last week on ebay for a small sum. These internal BR operating publications are lengthy and detailed infrastructure operating publications and include detail of line speeds, train numeric headcodes, and local locomotive whistle codes for example. I bought the 1969 and 1979 editions. The 1969 sectional appendix shows South Pelaw to Consett line speed was 40mph, South Pelaw to Washington 45mph, and Ouston Jcn northwards on the Slow Lines to be 60 mph. The 1979 sectional appendix shows the same line speeds except the ECML northwards from Chester-le-Street Station across the viaduct towards Newcastle had been raised from 80 mph, to 100mph and 105 mph.
    The 1969 appendix still showed line speeds etc. for surviving colliery branches, even legacy information – where the line was disused but still insitu … ..
    David G.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Site Search

Recent Updates

  • Signals and Sulzers (Part 2) February 25, 2021
  • Signals and Sulzers (Part 1) February 25, 2021
  • Around Consett February 16, 2021
  • Beamish February 7, 2021
  • Track Lifting at South Pelaw January 25, 2021

Subscribe for Updates

Enter your email address to subscribe to this website and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Previous Updates

  • February 2021 (4)
  • January 2021 (5)
  • December 2020 (6)
  • November 2020 (2)
  • October 2020 (2)
  • September 2020 (4)
  • August 2020 (6)
  • July 2020 (3)
  • June 2020 (3)
  • May 2020 (4)
  • April 2020 (5)
  • March 2020 (1)
  • February 2020 (3)
  • January 2020 (2)
  • December 2019 (2)
  • November 2019 (3)
  • October 2019 (3)
  • September 2019 (2)
  • August 2019 (1)
  • July 2019 (3)
  • June 2019 (2)
  • May 2019 (2)
  • April 2019 (4)
  • March 2019 (5)
  • February 2019 (3)
  • January 2019 (3)
  • December 2018 (4)
  • November 2018 (4)
  • October 2018 (2)
  • September 2018 (2)
  • August 2018 (3)
  • July 2018 (4)
  • June 2018 (4)
  • May 2018 (4)
  • April 2018 (3)
  • March 2018 (7)
  • February 2018 (3)
  • January 2018 (5)
  • December 2017 (4)
  • November 2017 (2)
  • October 2017 (2)
  • September 2017 (2)
  • August 2017 (3)
  • July 2017 (1)
  • June 2017 (4)
  • May 2017 (1)
  • April 2017 (2)
  • March 2017 (5)
  • February 2017 (2)
  • January 2017 (5)
  • December 2016 (4)
  • November 2016 (3)
  • October 2016 (3)
  • September 2016 (1)
  • August 2016 (4)
  • July 2016 (1)
  • June 2016 (2)
  • May 2016 (6)
  • April 2016 (2)
  • March 2016 (5)
  • February 2016 (5)
  • January 2016 (5)
  • December 2015 (4)
  • November 2015 (2)
  • October 2015 (3)
  • September 2015 (6)
  • August 2015 (5)
  • July 2015 (1)
  • June 2015 (3)
  • May 2015 (5)
  • April 2015 (6)
  • March 2015 (6)
  • February 2015 (6)
  • January 2015 (7)
  • December 2014 (6)
  • November 2014 (3)
  • October 2014 (3)
  • September 2014 (5)
  • August 2014 (8)
  • July 2014 (3)
  • June 2014 (2)
  • May 2014 (10)
  • April 2014 (19)
  • March 2014 (14)
  • February 2014 (3)
  • December 2013 (9)
©2021 | WordPress Theme by Superbthemes.com