One for the train buffs.

Gibbo2286 · Unread post by **Gibbo2286** » 23 Nov 2020, 12:49

No goggles hard hats or ear defenders.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 23 Nov 2020, 13:05

?My dad could well have been one of those gajies, he and my granddad did a lot of work on the SNG, including preparing it to go to York railway museum.

NewcastleFalcon · Unread post by **NewcastleFalcon** » 02 Apr 2023, 10:07

Another bit of testing and a link from the "Pubs Gallery...and the odd hotel" thread where it got an outing.

This is a 1 minute film from 1934 when Cock o'the North had to be taken to Vitry, France for a stationary test because "England has no apparatus powerful enough for the engine".

Neil

NewcastleFalcon · Unread post by **NewcastleFalcon** » 10 May 2023, 20:10

Falcon Original

: The strange light before the Storm

Neil

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 12 May 2023, 06:10

NewcastleFalcon wrote: 10 May 2023, 20:10 Falcon Original

Neil

That's a cracker of a picture Neil

NewcastleFalcon · Unread post by **NewcastleFalcon** » 17 May 2023, 18:11

More Signal Box photography, not in the same league as the light on the old one, this is an active one on the east coast main line, and it looks like its had its timber windows replaced with plastic and plastic cladding. Still very presentable.

...and yes the photo has a bit of action too, and well done the little camera. That thing on the tracks has been stopped by the little compact point and shoot camera before it hurtled past at full pelt and nearly blew the shutter clicker off his feet!

: Yes all a bit dull from the light and colour point of view but a decent enough composition!

: View from the other side of the tracks.

Neil

NewcastleFalcon · Unread post by **NewcastleFalcon** » 24 May 2023, 22:21

I have become just a touch fascinated by the granted relatively simple architecture of signal boxes disused and active.

Alnwick to Cornhill Line at Roseden has a nice little one. If it were mine it would be earning its keep and paying for its own refurbishment. At the moment its in a phase of deterioration, but the stonework is solid as the day it was built. They didn't scrape on the quality of the dressed stone.

Neil

NewcastleFalcon · Unread post by **NewcastleFalcon** » 15 Jun 2023, 08:15

One of the sites I use as a reference book from time to time is the wonderful disused-stations.org.uk a credit to the compilers and contributors. I was looking up the Kelso to St Boswells now disused railway for any information the site had on that particular route. None of the stations came up apart from St Boswells which was a junction station with the "Waverley Line" which originally ran from Edinburgh to Carlisle through the border towns of Newcastleton, Hawick Melrose and Gala.

A note on the home page indicated

"We are currently working on the following"...Kelso-St Boswells and the Jedburgh Branch

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/
From the work in progress there is this single image of Roxburgh Station, which was the junction of the branch line from Jedburgh.

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/

The crowning glory of the line is this superbly crafted viaduct with fine stonework over the River Teviot at Roxburgh leading up to Roxburgh Station. One of those that you can't see from the road, and you need to get out of the car to find, but more than rewards a bit of exploration. Roxburgh is a well known name of course but the place which bears its name is a tiny hamlet about 4 miles from Kelso. The former Roxburgh Castle is nearer Kelso itself, between Teviot and Tweed on the south bank and little remains, while directly opposite across the Tweed is the impressive Floors Castle the seat of the Duke Of Roxburgh.

Having visited Kelso and surrounding area hundreds of times, yesterday was the first time I became aware of the existence of the viaduct or Roxburgh Station.

: First View
Falcon Original

: Shadows and Light
Falcon Original

: View from the top
Falcon Original

Neil

Unread post by **bobins** » 15 Jun 2023, 11:21

NewcastleFalcon wrote: 15 Jun 2023, 08:15 One of the sites I use as a reference book from time to time is the wonderful disused-stations.org.uk a credit to the compilers and contributors. I was looking up the Kelso to St Boswells now disused railway for any.....

<Much Snippage>

Neil

Useless piece of trivia time.....
The chap who started that website is the same one behind the Royal Observer Corps Post survey of 20+ years ago who was also one of the original team behind the early days of Radio Jackie - The Sound of South West London.
Told you it was useless

NewcastleFalcon · Unread post by **NewcastleFalcon** » 17 Jun 2023, 00:07

Continuing my current signal box fascination. On the Newcastle to Carlisle Line at Prudhoe-on-Tyne Station. Actually had a bloke in it doing something! Bit unnecessarily tall, but that is probably to see over the footbridge over the tracks

: Falcon Original
Prudhoe Signal Box

Neil

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 17 Jun 2023, 04:18

He was making a cup of tea I expect Neil... The crossing looks to be automated...

NewcastleFalcon · Unread post by **NewcastleFalcon** » 17 Jun 2023, 07:59

CitroJim wrote: 17 Jun 2023, 04:18 He was making a cup of tea I expect Neil... The crossing looks to be automated...

He had a bit of a two train arrival and departure to manage! and in a quaint fashion in the 2020's...according to wiki

"Manual semaphore signalling complete with a block post at Prudhoe Signal Box, which is located beside the station and level crossing, continues to operate. The full barrier level crossing is signalman worked."

Signalmen must be as rare as lighthouse keepers these these days!

This is an excellent gallery of 6 Pictures selected by the Newcastle Evening Chronicle from a Book by Allen Jackson Signalling and Signal Boxes Volume II. Includes Prudhoe, and also some of the odd existing ones on the Newcastle to Carlisle line as well as one that has now disappeared but is very familiar to me having visited the site only last week. They are a bit precious about their pics so just a link...(er just a note the Chronicle website is awful in common with many, click on the link and you land on what appears to be a largely blank page. A scroll down is required to show the gallery.)

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/hi ... l-13883880

Neil

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 19 Jun 2023, 05:44

Gosh! A manually controlled crossing on NR metals is very rare now... The last I saw was one near Stamford when I took a bike ride around the area during the CCC X Rally when it was last at Burleigh House... Around 2018?

Whilst many preserved heritage railways still have manually controlled crossings, some do now have automatic ones.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 29 Jun 2023, 13:54

Today I visited the East Somerset Railway and took a ride on their immaculate heritage DMU

I love how you can see ahead in them...

It's a lovely little railway and very, very friendly and welcoming

I spent ages chatting to the volunteers, especially up in the signal box...

It's a good job I don't live close by else I'd be always there volunteering, especially in the Signal and Telegraph department!

A visit to the engine shed was a must...

And the DMU in action

This railway is definitely well worth a visit and makes a good day out...

NewcastleFalcon · Unread post by **NewcastleFalcon** » 29 Jun 2023, 15:36

Nice signal box. This is one you may have passed close to on your Northern safari. Very nice one at Alston.

The blurb on geograph, indicates that it’s not original, but transported Beamish Style from Ainderby Steeple on the Hawes Branch line.

https://railwaymiscellany.co.uk/2020/05 ... e-railway/

,Alston signal box

© Copyright Bob Embleton and
licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

There is a model of it too

https://railmodel.co.uk/products/alston-signal-box

Neil

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