Spring change on 401

401 underwent a spring change today after breaking one towards the end of last Thursday

Richard (L) and Michael (R) building packing towers

Richard (L) and Steve (R) jacking up the front end of 401

Broken spring successfully removed

Alan reaming out the spring hanger pin holes on the replacement spring as they were slightly too small

 

History Week, Love Your Railway

This week is #History week as part of the #LoveYourRailway from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The NTSR is one of the only railways to show the development of the railway from its beginnings to the present.

1795 - Willington Quay wooden waggonway - wooden rails and horse-drawn waggons.

1816 - Killingworth Billy, built by George Stephenson at the beginning of the steam age.

1826 - Rope Haulage engine installed at Middle Engine to pull wagons up from the Tyne by rope.

1860's - 1960's - a typical steam hauled colliery railway moving coal to the Tyne.
1914 - NER install tyneside third rail electric railway. One of the first of its type in the UK.

1981 - Tyne and Wear Metro test track opens, to test one of the UK's first new generation light railways.

2022 - New metros on order bringing the urban light railway up to date!

 

First Thursday running of the school holidays

401 was back in service today for the first Thursday running of the school summer holidays. Trains running every Thursday and Sunday now till the end of the summer holidays!

 

Coal delivery

Fresh batch of coal being delivered this morning, should keep us going for a while!

 

Work on 401

It was reported that 401 had a potential lubrication issue. Today volunteers set about investigating, in this photo Robin (L) and Michael (R) work on removing the RHS main steam pipe cladding cover to allow access to the oil pipes

With the cladding removed this allowed the pipes to be removed, proved and any blockages dealt with

 

Today's trains

Steaming up this morning

Dai shunting E4 out of the museum

 

T&W Metro Mock Up Cab

Today we have taken delivery of the new Tyne and Wear Metro trains mock up cab from Gosforth Depot.

The mock up cab was created for Metro to give their drivers a feel for the new trains that are currently being constructed, the first of which is being delivered in November this year. Thank you to Nexus, the public body who owns and operates Tyne & Wear Metro, who have donated the mock up cab to Tyne & Wear Museums & Archives and the North Tyneside Steam Railway Association. The cab will be on display inside the museum for the remainder of the year and, when volunteer availability allows, opened to the public so you can have the chance to sit in and be talked through how it all works!

The first few photos show the cab being loaded at Gosforth depot after Michael, Steve and David dismantled it. Followed by arriving and re-assembling at Middle Engine Lane.

 

Throwback Thursday

Here we see the old alongside the new!

The then newly opened Tyne & Wear Metro is seen alongside the NCB Harton electric railway. Once home to our very own E4.

 

High Flatworth

As we know, the area around Middle Engine Lane and our line is part of the urban outskirts of Newcastle.

But as these two views of High Flatworth show this wasn't always the case! We see two coal trains climbing the bank, one belonging to Hartley Main Collieries, the other the newly nationalised Coal Board.

 

New Diesel Driver and New Fireman

Well done to volunteers Thomas Ashcroft who has passed his practical diesel drivers assessment, and Adam Saunders who has passed his practical fireman’s assessment today!

 

401 shunting and 08915 working a freight train

Some photos of 401 shunting in the yard after today's services had finished, and 08915 running a small freight train to Percy Main and back for driver assessments