On 30th September 1983, the final freight train ran on the line when 37023 took five empty 16T coal wagons down the line from Consett. Here we have four photos from Craig Oliphant of the train passing through what was left of South Pelaw Junction.
The Last Freight at South Pelaw…
Ken Groundwater photographed this train a few minutes later in Tyne Yard. He recorded the working as:
6P07. Driver Jackie Lodge Guard R Johnson
Dep 09.40 arr TY 11.00
Loco 37023 + (front to back) B558426, B572080, B587925, B562803 & B567637
He provided a copy of his photo to my father who was working at the Yard at the time. He had climbed one of the lighting towers to take it and it certainly is a different POV!
Malcolm Braim
Thanks for the additional information Malcolm.
John
Thank you, Malcolm, I should have noted this at the time, and thanks to the late Ken Groundwater for doing so. Just as a footnote to this image, take a look at the state of the tail lamp.