This weekend marked the annual Legends of Industry Gala at the Tanfield Railway, and for a change, I visited the famous heritage line yesterday, rather than spend the whole day on buses. Two visitors came in the form of ''Sir Berkeley'' and USA Tank BR No. 30065.
In steam alongside the two visitors were the three steam locomotives that they currently have within their boiler certificates; ''Sir Cecil A. Cochrane'', an 0-4-0 industrial tank that was built by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns in 1948 and spent it's working life in Tyneside, later bought for preservation in 1971 and stored at Backworth Shed in Northumberland, by this point still owned by the National Coal Board. In August of 1975, she was moved to Marley Hill Shed, the main two-road shed at Tanfield, and has seen regular use since, quite possibly the longest-serving locomotive at Tanfield in terms of how long she has been in steam and operational. Their second locomotive is No. 3 ''Twizell'', also built by Robert Stephenson & Co., but over half a century before Cochrane, in 1891. Acquired by the North of England Open Air Museum in 1972, Twizell was stored at Marley Hill Shed from purchase until 1977 when she was moved to Beamish. Her overhaul commenced here, before she was returned to Marley Hill in 1995 for it to be completed. After fifteen years, Twizell became operational again in 2010 and is regularly used alongside Cochrane, as well as No. 2; the third steam locomotive in regular use. Twenty years younger that Twizell, No. 2 was outshopped in 1911 after construction at Hawthorn Leslie at Forth Banks in Newcastle. Upon arrival at Tanfield in June 1976, No. 2 was first used in the 1980s, becoming popular with visitors due to the fact that she has no upper-half to the back of the cab, allowing those in the carriage behind her to see what is going on on the footplate. After being withdrawn in 1997, she was stored in the large 5-road shed (along with many other items of rolling stock awaiting their turn in the restoration queue or simply being stored undercover rather than in the yard), and re-entered the main shed at Marley Hill in 2009 for her overhaul to commence. She was returned to traffic in March 2013. History lesson over.
My interest in Tanfield started at an early age. It was very common for my father and I to spend many a Sunday morning up at Tanfield, always parking the car at Andrew's House, the main station out of the four (Sunniside, Causey Arch and East Tanfield being the other three) and having a wander down to the two-road shed at Marley Hill before then having a full trip on the line. Locomotives that I recall being in steam at the time were Sir Cecil A. Cochrane, National Coal Board Green-liveried No. 49 (now undergoing overhaul in Marley Hill Shed), National Coal Board Black-liveried No. 38 (an austerity tank effectively the double of No. 49 aside from the colour, this one is now stored in the 5-road shed), and our most regular engine was Stagshaw, a unique steam engine that was first built in 1923 as a compressed steam locomotive, later turning out to be unsuccessful and then converted back to a conventional steam engine. Stagshaw is now being restored in the 5-road shed. The charm of the line, which claims to be the oldest railway in the world still operating, having dated from 1725 (although I understand a line in India outdates that) in the days of the horse and cart, has always made every visit for me enjoyable, always bringing back memories of my younger years.
After waking up at about 08:00, later than normal for me on a Saturday these days (many people my age couldn't comprehend the idea of being up at 06:30 to catch the first X21 of the day through to Newcastle), I left my house at about 08:50, taking a leisurely walk into Chester-le-Street. My plan had been to catch either the 09:13 8 or 09:27 78 (both would have thrown up a Coast & Country Streetlite, although the 8 is a nicer route up to Stanley in my opinion), but I sighted ELC Lolyne-bodied Dennis Trident 3878 turning around at the bottom of Front Street to take up duties on the 21, in place of the usual Hybrid. After scrapping the plan of heading to Stanley first, I had an enjoyable and quiet ride through to Newcastle on 3878; still retaining it's original interior, which has sadly fallen into poor care, but I still love this one. It's tired now, with the gearbox constantly sticking when kickdown is applied, but definitely the best of the four that I have left to choose from. If 3864 isn't returned to Stanley, then I'll have five. I can only live in hope. A video of 3878 is available to view here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg4qwXCbP-8
Upon arrival in Eldon Square Bus Station, a few minutes after 10:00, I floated around for about five minutes before I saw one of the Toon Link-branded OmniCities allocated to Stanley coming in, due out at 10:15 as the X31. I boarded, and sat behind the cab at those two seats that are located in a perfect position for those who want to get a closer look at the cab detail. The Optare Versas have a similar set-up, although unlike the OmniCities, the general consensus of Versas with drivers, is that they are awful. Bouncy, awkward driving position and slow. I'd not want to spend four hours on the 34/34A with one. 5250 was my ride up to Tanfield, providing a nice journey, doing particularly well on the fast stretches between Sunniside and Tanfield. A few others alighted at Tanfield with me, obviously intent on heading to the Gala as well. After paying for a Child Rover, I met with Ken Weaver, who was there specifically for USA Tank No. 30065 (masquerading as NCB No. 35, also a USA Tank, that didn't make it into preservation, but did operate in the north east) as it was required for haulage with it being in the book as a British Railways-owned locomotive. He was with a friend, and after chatting for about five minutes or so, they departed to head to Newcastle on the next X30/X31.
Had a gander down to Marley Hill Yard, observing Armstrong Whitworth No. 2, an early diesel shunter that was built in 1933 and saved for preservation at Tanfield in 1978, primarily used for shunting around the yard as well as covering on passenger duties, having been fitted with a vacuum for that purpose, shunting a few coal hoppers around the yard. A walk into Marley Hill Shed through the side entrance, with the usual entrance of walking through the doors that I've long been accustomed to being prohibited with some scaffolding around the front of the building; found No. 49 at the back, with No. 14 (owned by Beamish I believe, but stored at Tanfield) sandwiched next to it, and ''Gamma'' No. 20 at the front (out of active service since the late '90's I think, but once used heavily as an ambassador for the railway, being loaned to the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway for a while in 1993), all on one road. A walk back to Andrew's House saw me board a double-headed train of Twizell and USA Tank 30065 on a Sunniside-bound service. I sat in one of the two verandah carriages, one was built by the Great Western Railway long prior to the amalgamation of all four railway companies (the LNER, GWR, SR and LMS) in 1948, and another that is almost identical by British Railways in the 1950s. The trip to Sunniside was quite nice, and I managed a rather pleasing shot of Twizell running around the USA Tank, the latter later being detached from the train, with Twizell hauling the carriages on the return journey entirely on her own.
After alighting again at Andrew's House, I boarded the next Sunniside-bound service, in the hands of No. 2 and Cochrane, rather than carry on to East Tanfield. As I'd not travelled behind No. 2 before, with it being out of service when I visited the railway regularly when I was younger, and I'd not had a chance since it re-entered service in 2013. A ride behind a pair of steam engines is quite hard to judge, as you're in a rickety old carriage anyway, and they all travel at about the same speed on the line, so reviewing them isn't as easy as a bus, where you can pick faults with ease. Sir Berkeley, the other locomotive on-loan to Tanfield for this event, took the train back, while Cochrane and No. 2 rested on the other line at Sunniside. I arrived back at Andrew's House for the second time in the space of about an hour, and left Tanfield at this point as I'd made haulage behind all five of the locos in steam. 5240 was my horse back to Newcastle, running quite late, but with a lead-footed driver at the wheel. Quite a fast machine when put to the test.
Castles Express-branded 6304 was in the next stand with the 13:39 X21 to Bishop Auckland. One of my driver friends at Chester-le-Street (well-known within the enthusiast community, John Westmorland, he regularly takes vehicles to rallies) had told me he was on the 14:38 X25 from Chester-le-Street to Langley Park, so I decided to join him for that. Following a chat with Gary Wheatley on Front Street, I was quite happy to see that we'd have Streetlite 5401 for this trip. When not required for cover on the Coast & Country, this red spare frequently sees allocation to just about everything. It's John's favourite single deck vehicle at present, and I think it's quite a good runner in comparison to some of the boneshakers that see use on the Coast & Country everyday. Had a smooth ride through to Langley Park, carrying about fifteen at the most, the majority alighting at Sacriston and Langley Park, before having a layover of around five minutes in the turning circle (photograph available on my Flickr). Return journey to Chester-le-Street carried almost fresh air, aside from the two or three people who boarded en-route. John then had to survive 4 hours on 34/34A with a Versa. Rather him than me. I walked home for about 16:00.
Hope you enjoyed this review. Not entirely bus-related, but it was something different to write.
