cg Port of BLYTH

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Ernies Northumbrian Railway Archive

cg Port of BLYTH

13th February 2006

Blyth in Nortumberland held in the 1960's the title of the UK's premier coal shipping port. At its peak there were 5 sets of staithes, 3 originally being built by the North Eastern railway and its successor the LNER. In addition there were 2 sets of Colliery Company owned shipping points of which Bates on the Blyth town side of the river survives albiet in a much rebuilt form. The site of the Cowpen Coal Company staithes is now occupied by the Alcan alumina and petro coke unloading facility. The railway owned staithes at South, North and West Blyth were all high timber structures where coal could be teemed by gravity. South Blyth closed first followed by North Blyth whilst West Blyth, the most modern of the three lasted until after the 1984 Miners strike which effectively killed off the bulk of coal mining in the North East.
I had the good fortune to be given a conducted tour of the West Blyth staithes by John Sinclair whilst they were still fairly active and there is a seperate photographic collection.
Nowadays Blyth port earns its living by importing.

2668x1787 Alcan_A_suction_unloader_in_action_Grab_crane_on_right.jpg Buy Print	1901x1203 Alcan_before_the_suction_unloader_was_added.jpg Buy Print	1787x1238 Alcan_Note_the_37_shunting_hoppers.jpg Buy Print	2441x1612 Alcan_unloading_alumina.jpg Buy Print
1805x1307 Alcan_Unloading_Alumina_with_the_grab_bucket_was_a_dusty_business_and_led_to_many_complaints.jpg Buy Print	2592x1944 Bates_shipping_point_Nov06.jpg Buy Print	2206x1438 Bates_The_loading_conveyors.jpg Buy Print	2214x1508 Bates__Wilmington__was_a_regular_caller_for_power_station_coal.jpg Buy Print
2592x1944 Battleship_wharf_in_distance_Note_imported_coal_heap_with_66_hiding_behind_Nov_06.jpg Buy Print	2592x1944 Battleship_wharf_now_has_a_new_lease_of_life_nov2006.jpg Buy Print	2889x1930 Blyth_Cambois_cc_staiths_ca_1900.jpg Buy Print	1866x1255 Blyth_Harbour_Commission_suction_dredger__Crofton_.jpg Buy Print
2399x1383 Durrington_on_the_Alcan_wharf.jpg Buy Print	The vessel in the distance is moored at the site of Hughes Bolkow shipbreakers who also scrapped a number of BR steam locos in the 1960's notably 2 A4 pacifics 1822x1238 Ferry_looking_towards_Battleship_Wharf.jpg Buy Print	2650x1673 Fly_Ash_loading_gantries.jpg Buy Print	2592x1944 I_see_no_ships__Nov06.jpg Buy Print
North Blyth staithes accross the river whilst West Blyth staithes are in the distance 1622x1255 lkg_up_the_river_from_on_top_of_South_Blyth_staithes_Jun65.jpg Buy Print	1892x1272 looking_down_the_river_from_the_West_staithes.jpg Buy Print	1813x1203 Looking_over_the_dry_docks_and_shipyard_towards_the_power_station.jpg Buy Print	Ship in background right is loading at Bates shipping point. Vessel on left is at general cargo wharf which also has a RoRo facility. Mainly paper was/is handled here 1822x1229 North_Blyth_staithes_remains_in_foreground.jpg Buy Print
The village was a dormitory for North Blyth Steam shed which was situated behind and to the left of the village. The ferry was originally a chain one capable of taking vehicles but now a motor boat suffices. 1822x1229 North_Blyth_village_and_the_High_Ferry_landing.jpg Buy Print	These closed in 1964 and were dismantled in 1966/7 1778x1987 South_Blyth_Staiths_anti_coal_breaker__Jakey__J_Scott_photo.jpg Buy Print	Note class 37 on Alcan train across the river 1892x1299 South_Blyth_staiths_Site_of_Maximus_moored.jpg Buy Print	2607x1673 South_Blyth_Staiths_site_of__Link_Star__is_moored.jpg Buy Print
This quay is on the site of the old South staithes 2415x1586 South_Blyth_staiths_Site_of__Link_Star__moored.jpg Buy Print	1927x1307 South_Blyth_staiths_site_of__Shoreham__is_off_to_Eire_with_coal.jpg Buy Print	See the photo taken from the top of the old staithes. The building on the left appears in that picture too. 2694x1638 South_Blyth_staiths_The_trestles_followed_the_fence_line_in_the_foreground.jpg Buy Print	2162x1551 South_Harbour_is_now_mainly_an_anchorage_for_pleasure_and_small_fishing_craft.jpg Buy Print
South Harbour had large timber yards for the receiving and storage of pit props 2179x1499 South_Harbour_The_BHC_dredgers__Crofton__and__Cresswell__are_moored.jpg Buy Print	The space under the staithes is now the town quay and is just about opposite tyhe Alcan unloading facility 2554x1656 These_are_the_old_South_Blyth_Staiths__the_first_to_close_J_Scott_Ernie_Brack_Coll.jpg Buy Print	2319x1447 The_Fly_Ash_boat_on_its_way_to_sea_with_a_full_load_to_dump.jpg Buy Print	1787x1299 West_Blyth_staiths_Bucket_Dredger__Cresswell__in_action.jpg Buy Print
2241x1386 West_Blyth_staiths__Jvlland__loading.jpg Buy Print	2214x1543 West_Blyth_staiths__Lancasterbrook__loading.jpg Buy Print	1805x1211 West_Blyth_staiths__Shoreham__loading.jpg Buy Print	2232x1464 West_Blyth_staiths__Stability__loading.jpg Buy Print
2145x1473 _Cape_Race__being_towed_Note_one_of_the_4_tugs_is_the_wrong_way_round_to_facilitate_manouvres.jpg Buy Print	2302x1647 _Cape_Race__having_been_turned_in_the_upper_pool_our_Ore_Carrier_heads_down_river.jpg Buy Print	2223x1429 _Cape_Race__is_towed_up_to_the_turning_pool.jpg Buy Print	2179x1377 _Cape_Race__s_2_rear_tugs_face_opposite_ways_to_facilitate_turning.jpg Buy Print
1561x1194 _Cresswell__grabs_another_bucketful_of_s--t_er_silt.jpg Buy Print	1831x1238 _Maximus__was_a_Blyth_resident_tug.jpg Buy Print	1892x1255 _Oswestry_Grange__has_coal_from_Bates_for_London_Power_Stations.jpg Buy Print	1831x1281 _Shetland_Trader_appears_to_be_sailing_empty.jpg Buy Print
1822x1281 _Shetland_Trader__again.jpg Buy Print	3361x2131 _Westside__and__Northsider__have_arrived_for_a_big_towing_job.jpg Buy Print