Diesel Gala Sunday

The first train of the day is a brake van ride hauled by T.I.C. No.35.

At Percy Main, the brake van ride ran straight through the platform and continued to the buffer stop at the bottom of the headshunt. Not only was this the first timetabled passenger train to ever traverse this section of the railway, but also provided an opportunity to ride behind No.35 a stone's throw away from its former stomping ground. The T.I.C. system began just on the other side of the road bridge beyond the buffer stop.

Ran round and ready to return to Middle Engine Lane.

The view from the balcony.

The next train was a rake of tankers hauled by 08915.

The brake van ready to be gravitated into Percy Main platform.

Marshalling the train in Percy Main loop.

At Middle Engine Lane, Nev and Paul completed the shunt release with 03078.

Passengers waiting for the first passenger train of the day, hauled by No.35...

...and 08915.

Unfortunately, No.10 failed on the Saturday afternoon and was relegated to footplate access in Middle Engine Lane yard...

No.35 and 03078 arrive into Middle Engine Lane with a double header.

The two demonstration freight trains in Middle Engine Lane yard.

03078 shunting coal hoppers...

...ready for an afternoon demonstration coal train.

03078 and No.35 running round at Percy Main...

...and hauling the train through Wallsend Road bridges.

Passengers gathering for the next departure...

...hauled by 03078 and 08915.

Passengers waiting on Middle Engine Lane platform for the last train of the day...

...another brake van ride to the buffer stops at Percy Main with No.35.

Diesel Gala Saturday

35 leading the first train of the day into Middle Engine Lane...

...crewed by Second Man Matt (L) and Driver Nev (R).

Departing for Percy Main with 03078 on the South end.

Consett No.10 running in the yard...

...with Michael at the helm.

08915 leads 35 into Middle Engine Lane.

08915's driver, Robin, looking back along the train.

Chad selling tickets from the Guards' Van Shop.

03078 waiting at Percy Main to lead the train back to Middle Engine Lane.

William and Aidan staffing the welcome stall, with Consett local history group's stall in the background.

Petrol loco 'Kibworth Castle' hauling trains on the miniature railway.

A double headed freight train arrives back at Middle Engine Lane...

...hauled by 35 and 08915.

03078 completing the release shunt.

Passengers boarding the next departure for Percy Main...

...which is flagged away by Guard Tristan.

08915 ready to propel the freight train...

...into the south headshunt.

35 and 03078 double heading into Middle Engine Lane.

Ben driving 'Kibworth Castle'.

The last train of the day is double headed by 35 and 08915.

Photographic Evening

This evening is the railway's annual photographic evening, providing photographers with a rare opportunity to get up close to several locomotives and vehicles in the yard.

There were plenty of volunteers in heritage clothing from the railway's youth group to help set the scene.

Photographers enjoying a scene involving No.1 posed with a coal train.

Ben, Robert, Callum and Josh posing with No.1.

Consett No.10 lined up alongside A.No.5 - two surviving locomotives from Consett steelworks...

"Quayside locomotives" - Blyth Harbour Company No.2 posed with T.I.C. No.35, which was paired with the T.I.C. bolster wagon.

No.35 led the demonstration coal train down to the Coast Road bridge ready for a series of run-pasts for the photographers.

Aaran in the Second Man's seat.

Ready for the arrival of the photographers, who were being escorted down the Waggonways by a team of volunteers.

No.10 completing its first run-past.

The sight and sound of No.10 on a rake of hoppers was well received by the photographers.

Shunting with No.35 and Consett No.10

Robert at the controls of T.I.C. No.35...

...marshalling wagons ready for tomorrow's photographic evening.

Coupled onto the carriages ready to haul them into Middle Engine Lane loop.

Robert shunting ACC5, 401 and 08915 into the shed...

...with Michael driving No.10.

No.10 propelling stock into the south headshunt.

Michael D at the controls of No.10.

Both locomotives back in the shed. It makes a refreshing change to see a duo of industrial diesels in the running shed rather than the usual BR blue combination of 03078 and 08915!

NCB No.69 at the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Hunslet Gala

 This past weekend (Friday 27th to Sunday 29th of June) volunteers involved in the restoration of NCB No.69 were kindly invited to the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway for their Hunslet Gala, showcasing the evolution of 'Fitzwilliam' Class of Hunslet locomotives ranging from 14" to 18" piston diameters.

Within the engine shed, volunteers set up an advertisement stall with items from NCB No.69, informative reading and visual material, and merchandise.

A welcome site at Embsay Station on the Friday was Hunslet Austerity 'Cumbria' (W/No. 3793) - a sister engine to NCB No.69.

A massive thank you to all those at the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway for putting on a fantastic weekend and being very hospitable to our visiting volunteers!