A couple of photos from Malcolm Braim with less than 3 months to go until the closure of the steelworks…
37055 passes through South Pelaw heading to Consett with a train of empty steel wagons on 26 June 1980. Photo copyright Malcolm Braim37063 heads towards Ouston Junction with a train of steel billets on 26 June 1980. Photo copyright Malcom Braim.
6 thoughts on “The Final Days…”
The writing is on the wall, it’s as though BR knew the end of the works was nigh. The layout had recently been heavily rationalised, compare it to the one on the sites home page. The rusty, little used reduction sidings are no longer directly accessible from the Washington line, and all of the pointwork in front of the box has gone. Despite the air of impending gloom they are great photos all the same, thanks for sharing them.
I remember as a child (early 70s) school holidays visiting the signal man in that box, he used to allow us to change the points. We felt like we had a real live train set .
The line to Washington/Sunderland was a playground for us if memory serves me right, as from the very late 60s to the mid 70s was not used.
The iron ore pellets (plenk as we used to call it ) was great ammo for our catapults.
I get the two lines were the lines which went up and over the ECML on their way past crossing the A167, Pickree Lodge, under the A1(M) and then on to Washington, but what about the two lines to the left … where did they go ?
The two lines on the left went to Washington passing over the ECML, the two in the centre were sidings that stopped just behind the photographer and the two on the right joined the slow lines next to the ECML at Ouston Junction.
The writing is on the wall, it’s as though BR knew the end of the works was nigh. The layout had recently been heavily rationalised, compare it to the one on the sites home page. The rusty, little used reduction sidings are no longer directly accessible from the Washington line, and all of the pointwork in front of the box has gone. Despite the air of impending gloom they are great photos all the same, thanks for sharing them.
I wonder which signal box that is ??.
Allam, it is South Pelaw signal box.
I remember as a child (early 70s) school holidays visiting the signal man in that box, he used to allow us to change the points. We felt like we had a real live train set .
The line to Washington/Sunderland was a playground for us if memory serves me right, as from the very late 60s to the mid 70s was not used.
The iron ore pellets (plenk as we used to call it ) was great ammo for our catapults.
Great picture of
”37063 heads towards Ouston Junction”
I get the two lines were the lines which went up and over the ECML on their way past crossing the A167, Pickree Lodge, under the A1(M) and then on to Washington, but what about the two lines to the left … where did they go ?
The two lines on the left went to Washington passing over the ECML, the two in the centre were sidings that stopped just behind the photographer and the two on the right joined the slow lines next to the ECML at Ouston Junction.