cc West Blyth sidings and Cambois shed, early 1980's

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Ernies Northumbrian Railway Archive

26th January 2005

West Blyth staiths were served by an upper yard for fulls and extra storage and a lower yard for empties which gravitated from the staiths. At the yard throat stood Cambois shed which also provided locos for traffoc to the adjacent Power station complex and also trip workings to the Alcan pots near the harbour entrance. Alumina and Petro coke was received at the 'pots' for Lynemouth smelter and Alumina was also shipped to Fort William via the West Highland line. One of the best viewpoints was a bridge carrying a cart track over the yard throat from which one could observe activities at all the local facilities including the Power station reception sidings. The exposed site near the North sea meant that there were few trees to block the views although this made the bridge one of the windiest and coldest spots in the North East! Looking south over the yard the skyline was dominated by the 2 Power stations A and B then the staiths and finally the 2 square blocks with gantrys between were the Ash Disposal Plants. Ash was taken out to sea and dumped. Beyond the Ash plant on a clear day (which wasn't very often) the Alcan 'Pots' at North Blyth could be seen. Activity at the yards was fairly brisk but the 1984 Miners strike basically was the death knell for the staiths and deep mining in the area. Eventually the Power stations were run down with A (the smaller pair of chimneys) being at first put on stand by and then with B which was acknowledged to be one of the most efficient coal fired Powered Stations ever built both being closed, to be replaced by Gas fired Stations. With Gas now running out and having to be imported from half way across Russia at high cost, what a brilliant idea this has proved to be!In Dec 2006 I paid a return visit and what a sad sight it is, most of the track remains but is completely overhrown and the shed is derelict.

1922x1212 08747_propels_lds_to_staiths.jpg Buy Print	2223x1508 08872_actually_manages_to_cast_a_shadow_today.jpg Buy Print	1785x1258 08872_on_lower_level_sdgs_Cambois.jpg Buy Print	2044x1266 08872_prpels_repaired_wagons_into_upper_sdgs.jpg Buy Print
2241x1429 08872_working_the_lower_yard_The_sun_shone_sometimes.jpg Buy Print	2136x1447 08886_in_the_sunshine.jpg Buy Print	1953x1228 08_shunting_lower_yard.jpg Buy Print	2037x1327 08_shunting_the_lower_yard_useing_exit_road_as_headshunt.jpg Buy Print
2214x1429 08_s_747_and_886_have_the_day_off_today.jpg Buy Print	2014x1212 36063_departs_with_mts.jpg Buy Print	1622x1185 37005_and_van_are_off_to_the_Alcan_pots.jpg Buy Print	2241x1473 37083_on_shed.jpg Buy Print
2214x1403 37132_reverses_onto_mts.jpg Buy Print	1991x1129 37132_with_lds_approaches_upper_yard__shed_and_repair_yrad_in_background.jpg Buy Print	2171x1438 37136_is_taking_mts_from_Lynemouth_down_to_the_Alcan_pots.jpg Buy Print	2171x1351 37200_on_shed.jpg Buy Print
2067x1151 37238_leaves_with_mts.jpg Buy Print	2075x1060 37_238_leaves.jpg Buy Print	2267x1386 37_s_on_shed_note_LMS_brake_van.jpg Buy Print	2241x1499 56006_and_a_sister_wait_for_permission_to_enter_the_yards.jpg Buy Print
2300x1567 56006_makes_a_smoky_exit_from_the_lower_yard.jpg Buy Print	2223x1525 56076_Byth_Power_at_its_home_depot.jpg Buy Print	2092x1333 56126_is_off_to_the_Power_station_whilst_08747_is_spare.jpg Buy Print	1953x1174 56128_with_Alcan_Lynemouth_trip.jpg Buy Print
1726x1159 56130_cautiously_drops_down_the_connecting_link_with_mts.jpg Buy Print	2206x1499 56130_departs_129_is_in_the_shed_sidings.jpg Buy Print	2075x1136 56132_passes_the_shed_throat_as_it_leaves_with_mts.jpg Buy Print	1953x1365 56_awaits_permission_to_enter_yard.jpg Buy Print
2258x1421 56_s_and_HAA_s_monopolise_this_later_shot.jpg Buy Print	2052x1159 Alcan_trip_from_dunes.jpg Buy Print	2249x1516 Another_miserable_day_as_37132_dumps_its_van_and_a_56_powered_set_arrives.jpg Buy Print	2021x1319 An_08__shift_over_trundles_down_the_exit_road_back_to_the_shed.jpg Buy Print
2031x1368 An_mt_set_passes_the_shed_throat_on_its_way_back_to_the_pits.jpg Buy Print	2223x1482 A_pristine_56006_in_the_usual_morning_mist.jpg Buy Print	1991x1296 A_resplendent_56135_idles_on_the_middle_road.jpg Buy Print	2223x1299 A_train_of_HEA_s_leaves_the_yards_Blyth_A_in_background.jpg Buy Print
3604x2218 Cambois_depot.jpg Buy Print	2899x2131 Cambois_depot_Not_much_in_the_wagon_repair_sdgs.jpg Buy Print	3597x2237 Cambois_depot_NW_elev.jpg Buy Print	2232x1412 Cambois_main_street_is_the_backdrop_to_a_rail_tour.jpg Buy Print
2075x1438 Cambois_shed_Wagon_repair_roads_in_foreground.jpg Buy Print	2014x1106 Cambois_was_a_modern_purpose_built_diesel_depot.jpg Buy Print	2006x1220 Clean_56_departs__wagon_sidings_and_shed_in_background.jpg Buy Print	2037x1319 engine_and_van_arriving_from_shed__repair_clutter_on_right.jpg Buy Print
2275x1438 Engine_and_van_reverse_down_to_the_yards_for_work.jpg Buy Print	1312x1731 looking_down_the_connecting_spur.jpg Buy Print	2258x1351 L_to_R_Ash_disposal_Staiths_A_PSta_and_B_Power_Sta.jpg Buy Print	1938x1273 mts_from_the_top_yard_used_the_spur_to_depart.jpg Buy Print
2214x1543 Mts_sometimes_departed_direct_from_the_upper_yard.jpg Buy Print	1968x1205 On_a_misty_morning_56006_drops_down_the_spur.jpg Buy Print	1813x1246 Power_stations_A_left_and_B_dominate_the_skyline_as_a_37_lurch_s_down_the_connector.jpg Buy Print	1499x1124 Recently_built_56135_reverses_through_the_rain.jpg Buy Print
2214x1473 repaired_wagons_are_propelled_to_the_upper_yard.jpg Buy Print	2060x1197 Repair_sidings_Alumina_wagons_were_of_several_types_including_ex_grain_wagons.jpg Buy Print	1945x1342 some_trips_still_required_a_brake_van.jpg Buy Print	1304x1624 s_awaiting_orders.jpg Buy Print
2060x1281 s_on_shed.jpg Buy Print	2206x1525 There_were_2_shunter_duties.jpg Buy Print	2363x1447 The_Ash_Disposal_pointdominates_the_background_as_one_of_the_final_trains_leaves_an_empty_upper_yard.jpg Buy Print	2188x1368 The_Brake_Van_will_be_gravitated_onto_the_37_s_train.jpg Buy Print
2258x1342 The_odd_ex_LMS__brake_van_added_a_bit_of_variety.jpg Buy Print	1960x1289 The_power_station_dominated_the_sky_line.jpg Buy Print	1915x1266 The_sun_did_shine_ocassionally__Power_station_in_distance.jpg Buy Print	1709x1212 The_upper___lower_yards_were_linked_by_a_steeply_graded_spur.jpg Buy Print
1915x1327 The_wagon_door_closerslockers_at_the_lower_yard_entrance.jpg Buy Print	1892x1325 The_yards_are_full_today.jpg Buy Print	1945x1327 Top_yard_had_extra_storage_sidings__Power_station_ash_disposal_plant_in_background.jpg Buy Print	1960x1106 Trip_to_Alcan_Lynemouth.jpg Buy Print
3601x2284 West_Blyth_offices_NE_elev.jpg Buy Print	3601x2199 West_Blyth_Offices_SE_elev.jpg Buy Print	3599x2204 West_Blyth_Offices__SW_elev.jpg Buy Print	3601x2181 West_Blyth_Upper_reception_sdgs_lkg_north.jpg Buy Print
3602x2161 West_Blyth_upper_reception_shunters_hut.jpg Buy Print	3601x2375 West_Blyth_Wagon_door_closers.jpg Buy Print	2592x1944 y_West_Blyth_reception_sdgs_dereliction_23nov06.jpg Buy Print	2592x1944 y_West_Blyth_reception_sdgs_remains_23nov06.jpg Buy Print
3598x2346 za_37083_comes_off_shed_in_the_distance_as_an_Alumina_wagon_is_shunted.jpg Buy Print	3602x2354 zb_37083_in_the_distance_waits_whilst_the_08_s_fight_over_the_Alumina_wagon.jpg Buy Print	3600x2322 zc_37083_leaves_its_van_on_the_connector.jpg Buy Print	3597x2237 zd_37083_having_left_its_van__enters_the_reception_sdgs_for_its_train.jpg Buy Print
3604x2303 ze_37083_hauls_out_a_rake_of_mt_s.jpg Buy Print	3604x2349 zf_37083_takes_its_train_along_the_departure_road.jpg Buy Print	3602x2223 zg_37083_The_brake_van_gravitates_from_the_connector_onto_the_train.jpg Buy Print	This is the level Xing adjacent to the road entrance to Cambois diesel depot. Changed a bit! 3900x2672 zz Cambois_railtour_approaching.jpg Buy Print
2592x1944 zz_Cambois_view_from_Level_Xing_23nov06.jpg Buy Print	2592x1944 z_Cambois_depot_remains_23_nov_06.jpg Buy Print	2592x1944 z_Cambois_remains_of_repair_sdgs_23nov06.jpg Buy Print