Low Yard was the main marshalling yard for the steelworks where incoming and outgoing trains were arranged. It was also the location of Consett Loco Shed.
Q6 63395 at Consett Low Yard on 30 May 1964. Photo copyright Rail-Online.
Consett South Signal Box on 16 July 1962. Photo copyright George Devine
Low Yard in the 1970s…
Consett Low yard in the late 1970s. Photo copyright Paul and Mike MatthewsConsett Low yard in the late 1970s. Photo copyright Paul and Mike MatthewsConsett Low yard in the late 1970s. Photo copyright Paul and Mike MatthewsThe line from Consett High Yard to the Low yard in the late 1970s. Photo copyright Paul and Mike MatthewsConsett North Signal Box track diagram. c1979, photo copyright Paul & Mike MatthewsConsett North Signal Box lever frame. c1979, photo copyright Paul & Mike Matthews
An 08 passes Consett North Signal Box with a very short train consisting of three 21T hoppers and a brake van. Photo copyright Paul & Mike Matthews
An 08 passes Consett North Signal Box with a very short train consisting of three 21T hoppers and a brake van. Photo copyright Paul & Mike Matthews
08708 shunts the Low Yard on 22 November 1976. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon
37079 at the Low Yard on 17 June 1979 with the remains of Fell Coke Works in the foreground. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon.
37008 leaves Low yard on 19 May 1978 with a loaded steel train headed for Tyne Yard. Photo copyright Malcolm Braim.
37094 with the 9P32 at Consett Low Yard on 19 September 1978. Note one of the works Sentinal Shunters just to the left of the nose of the Class 37. Photo copyright John Atkinson
37074 passes Consett North signal box on 19 September 1978. Photo copyright John Atkinson.
Below is the only photo I’ve ever seen of a Class 47 on the line while it was open…
47311 with the 9P31 at Consett Low Yard on 21 February 1979. As the photographer says, the snow didn’t stay white for very long in Consett… Photo copyright John Atkinson
Interior of Consett North Signal Box 1 12 May 1979. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon
Consett North Signal Box 1 12 May 1979. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon
A unidentified Class 37 arrives at Consett to collect a load of steel in November 1979. Photo copyright Peter Doel
A Class 08 shunter sits outside Consett Engine Shed at the Low Yard. Photo copyright Grahame Hunter
Photo copyright Grahame Hunter.
Consett Low Yard. Photo copyright Grahame Hunter
Consett East Signal Box. Photo copyright Grahame Hunter
Low Yard in the 1980s…
37058 shunts a train of scrap in the Low yard on 15 July 1983 with the increasingly desolate site of the steel works in the background. Photo copyright Craig Oliphant37058 at the Low yard on 15 July 1983. Photo copyright Craig Oliphant37058 shunts the Low Yard on 15 July 1983. Photo copyright Craig Oliphant37173 shunts in the remains of the Low yard at Consett in 1983. Photo copyright Craig Oliphant37173 shunts in the remains of the Low yard at Consett in 1983. Photo copyright Craig Oliphant37173 shunts in the remains of the Low yard at Consett in 1983. Photo copyright Craig Oliphant
37173 descends in to the Low Yard with a train of 16T mineral wagons used to take scrap away from the demolished steelworks. Photo copyright Craig Oliphant
On 15 July 1983, 37058 heads down towards Consett Low Yard, with a train of empties to form a scrap train from the former steelworks. Photo copyright Craig Oliphant.
37094 leaving Consett Low Yard with a train of scrap from the demolition of the steelworks on 10 May 1982. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon
37079 leaves Low yard on 15 June 1983 with a load of scrap from the demolition of the Steelworks. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon.
A view of the Low Yard in late 1980 just after the closure of the Steelworks. Consett North Signal Box is just visible on the right. Photo copyright Jon Hale
37084 stands at Consett Low Yard with a trainload of scrap from the closed steel works during 1981. Photo copyright Keith Brown
37062 at the Low Yard with a train of scrap on 26 April 1982. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon
37062 passes the derelict remains of Consett North Signal Box at the Low yard with a train of scrap from the demolition of the steelworks on 16 April 1982. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon
37094 assembling a scrap train at Consett Low Yard on 10 May 1982. Photo copyright Stephan McGahon
Showing that track gets recycled a 3 bolt LMS chair in Consett Low Yard on 11 May 1982. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon
37008 leaves the Low yard with a train of scrap on 21 May 1982. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon
25198 at Consett Low Yard with a train of scrap wagons on 26 May 1982. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon
Consett Low Yard. Photo copyright John Aiston
Consett Low Yard. The building in the centre is the Engine Shed. Photo copyright John Aiston
Consett Low Yard. Photo copyright John Aiston
37058 at the head of a steel works scrap train, seen in Consett Low Yard, mid way down the train chargehand Stan Sharp checks the wagons, as the driver takes a leak on 27 October 1982. Photo copyright Craig Oliphant
37198 enters the Low Yard at Consett during the demolition of the steelworks. c1982, photo copyright Craig Oliphant37173 shunts a train of 16T mineral wagons in the Low Yard at Consett during the demolition of the steelworks. c1982, photo copyright Craig Oliphant37173 shunts a train of 16T mineral wagons in the Low Yard at Consett during the demolition of the steelworks. c1982, photo copyright Craig Oliphant37173 shunts a train of 16T mineral wagons in the Low Yard at Consett during the demolition of the steelworks. c1982, photo copyright Craig Oliphant
37079 in almost ex-works condition enters Consett Low Yard from the High Yard, with a train of empties for recovery of track materials and steel works scrap in August 1983. The remains of Consett Shed is seen to the left of the rear of the train. Photo copyright Craig Oliphant
By way of a comparison to the above shot, this photograph shows Consett Low Yard on 27 September 1984 from the same vantage point. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon
37198 in Consett Low Yard with a Scrap train consisting of parts of the steel works. Wagons above the loco are being loaded by a road crane, with a felled lighting pylon beyond, with wagons seen through the arch of the distant bridge. September 1983. Photo copyright Craig Oliphant
37198 shunts a scrap train in Consett Low Yard seen through the former Durham Branch span of the line linking with the High Yard in September 1983. Photo copyright Craig Oliphant
A solitary signal post, with it’s arms removed sits at Consett Low Yard in 1984. Photo copyright Roy LambethConsett Low Yard in 1984. Photo copyright Roy LambethConsett Low Yard in 1984. Photo copyright Roy LambethConsett Low Yard in 1984. Photo copyright Roy LambethConsett Low Yard in 1984. Copyright Roy Lambeth
Railway Bridge at Southern End of Low Yard…
Railway bridge at southern end of Low Yard. On the extreme left can be seen the span that passed over the line that lead to Hownsgill Viaduct. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon
Railway bridge at southern end of Low Yard. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon
Railway bridge at southern end of Low Yard. Photo copyright Stephen McGahon
Consett Low Yard in 1984. Copyright Roy Lambeth
Map, courtesy of the National Library of Scotland, showing the position of the bridge:
