cb NEWSHAM, SOUTH BLYTH Staiths, BLYTH Station and back to NEWSHAM

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Ernies Northumbrian Railway Archive

25th May 2006

This collection is an archive of mainly black and white views from the 1960's after closure of the various routes but whilst most of the infrastructure was intact. The photos were mostly taken by the late Jim Scott and are not of top quality but they are at least a record of many scenes which do not appear to have been recorded by few other photographers.
Newsham was the junction for the routes which formed in effect a large out and back loop. Leaving the main line the double track route to the staiths turned off right alongside the Golf Course and headed straight for the coast. South Beach estate and Rotary Way did not then exist and the line formed aboundary between the built up area to the North West and fields on the South East. Crofton Mill Pit or Cowpen Colliery (Mill Pit) as it is described on a BHC 1929 Map sidings were on the left and the line climbed to pass over Wensleydale Terrace or Links Road as it used to be called.
Behind the Park a large reception yard was laid out with further connections off to the right to service South Harbour and the various timber yards where pit props were made.
At the north end of the sidings the line climbed steeply onto a wooden trestle structure alongside the river to reach the loading spouts Nos 1 to 9 (in 1929) The line split into 3 tracks with various crossovers to facilitate the shunting of wagons.
At the north end of the Low Quay the line became double and the trestle stucture descended passing over a track to a Tug spout on the High Quay. The line curved on a stone lined embankment behind the graving docks and there were trailing connections on the south side from the Gas Works and on the north from the Shipyard.
Eventually a single track bridge over Turner Street (Regent street) brought the line into a yard to the north of the Passenger Terminus and Goods yard. Sidings on the North served South Blyth loco shed and the lines from the station merged to cross the road with further sidings to a pit on the right.
The double track now curved South West and headed back towards Newsham with a trailing connection on the right from Isabella pit and Bates Pit and shipping point. Crossing Plessey Road the route joined our starting point back at Newsham station.
Nowadays only South Newsham box survives with a single track branch following the old passenger route before turning off to take the old route to Isabella and Bates. I believe that at present this branch is out of use.
WARNING The negatives unfortunately are not really suitable for printing, bear this in mind if you decide to purchase copies.

1800x1245 a_South_Newsham_37042_on_train_for_Bates_about_1981.jpg Buy Print	1801x1248 a_South_Newsham_37042_runs_round_coal_for_Bates.jpg Buy Print	1800x1253 a_South_Newsham_37_prepares_to_propel_mts_onto_Bates_branch.jpg Buy Print	1800x1130 a_South_Newsham_Level_Xing_with_a_northbound_Deltic_powered_diversion.jpg Buy Print
2051x1599 b Newsham_Excursion_heading_north.jpg Buy Print	7944x5337 b_Newsham_47_on_diversion_late_1960_s.jpg Buy Print	3848x2524 b_Newsham_Deltic_on_diversion_heads_south.jpg Buy Print	1975x1373 b_Newsham_dn_waiting_room.jpg Buy Print
1530x1294 b_Newsham_goods_shed.jpg Buy Print	1975x1137 b_Newsham_lkg_south_note_subway.jpg Buy Print	1478x1059 b_Newsham_main_line_platforms_and_station_buildings.jpg Buy Print	1799x1736 b_Newsham_North_Sthbnd_diverted_Deltic_powered_express.jpg Buy Print
1801x1801 b_Newsham_North_Whitley_Bay_to_Glasgow_xtra.jpg Buy Print	6208x4111 c_BlythCroftonMill_5_RSH7302_46_16apr68.jpg Buy Print	Poor negative but only view found so far of this Box which controlled access to Mill Pit sidings 1600x1751 c_Crofton_Mill_Box.jpg Buy Print	1800x1191 da_Looking_south_to_Newsham_from_the_throat_of_the_holding_sidings_at_Wensleydale_terr_ace__formerly_Links_Road_Ridley_Park_is_on_the_right.jpg Buy Print
1798x1175 db_These_are_the_holding_sidings_behind_Ridley_Park_South_Harbour_lies_to_the_right_with_rail_connections_from_these_sidings.jpg Buy Print	1798x1166 dc_The_commencement_of_the_trestles_climbing_to_the_loading_spouts_behind_Ridley_Park.jpg Buy Print	3625x2292 faaa_South_staiths_ca_1900.jpg Buy Print	1759x1200 faaa_The_spouts.jpg Buy Print
1769x1200 faa_lkg_north_from_the_top_of_the_incline_to_the_spouts.jpg Buy Print	1784x1199 fab_lkg_inland_from_the_trestles_at_the_old_lighthouse_and_Bath_terrace.jpg Buy Print	1799x1188 fac_Lkg_inland_up_Plessey_Road_Polic_Sta_is_imposing_bldg_left_background.jpg Buy Print	1195x1800 fad_Anti_coal_breaker_at_spouts.jpg Buy Print
1799x1176 fae_North_end_of_the_spouts_area.jpg Buy Print	1769x1200 faf_The_spouts_above_the_town_quay.jpg Buy Print	1799x1171 fag Blyth_south_staiths_staff_notice.jpg Buy Print	1645x1199 fa_lkg_south_from_the_spouts_area_with_the_trestles_climbing_towards_us_from_the_holding_sidings.jpg Buy Print
1766x1200 fffa_Approaching_the_station_from_the_staiths_this_is_the_view_on_the_north_side.jpg Buy Print	1798x1200 fff_Descending_northwards_these_are_the_sidings_to_the_tug_spout.jpg Buy Print	1800x1726 fff_Shipyard_note_sidings_in_front.jpg Buy Print	1800x1169 fff_This_is_just_east_of_the_Regent_Street_Bridge_Staiths_lines_lifted_but_track_to_Gas_Works_and_loops_in_situ.jpg Buy Print
1738x1200 ff_lkg_from_the_spouts_towards_the_Cambois_Colliery_staiths_on_the_far_side_of_the_river_Now_the_site_of_Alcans_facility.jpg Buy Print	1758x1202 ff_South_Blyth_Staiths_being_dismantled.jpg Buy Print	2345x1602 ff_South_Blyth_staiths_Dismantling_1966.jpg Buy Print	1762x1199 ff_South_Blyth_Staiths_dismantling_in_progress.jpg Buy Print
2396x1379 ff_Vehicle_used_by_dismantling_contractors.jpg Buy Print	1796x1799 f_South_Blyth_staiths_wagon_awaiting_teeming.jpg Buy Print	3347x1896 g BLYTH_1927.jpg Buy Print	1792x1307 g_Blyth_station_and_goods_yard_after_track_lifting.jpg Buy Print
1771x1201 g_Blyth_station_dismantling_operations.jpg Buy Print	2402x1515 g_Looking_east_across_the_bridge_over_Regent_Street.jpg Buy Print	1541x1375 g_Photographer_is_standing_on_Regent_St_bridge_lkg_east.jpg Buy Print	1796x1192 g_Station_from_Regent_street_bridge.jpg Buy Print
Awaiting the crew signing on and then to work Rothbury goods. 6304x3855 h Blyth65727gtrorige258img564.jpg Buy Print	7682x5382 h_Blyth_Box_and_Water_Tank.jpg Buy Print	1896x1320 h_Blyth_station.jpg Buy Print	1962x1320 h_Blyth_station_Goods_shed.jpg Buy Print
1948x1320 h_Box_and_Water_tank_west_end_of_Blyth_station.jpg Buy Print	1988x1242 h_South_Blyth_shed_coal_stage.jpg Buy Print	1975x1333 h_South_Blyth_shed_turntable.jpg Buy Print	Isabella not only contolled the level Xing over Plessey Road, it was also reponsible for the NE end of the sidings at Newsham station on the branch and also the section to Crofton Mill box on the route to South or New Blyth sidings 1799x1722 I_Isabella_Box_and_Plessey_road_in_foreground.jpg Buy Print
1188x1800 I_Isabella_box_close_up.jpg Buy Print	1800x1244 I_Isabella_Box_NW_elev.jpg Buy Print	2394x1546 I_Isabella_track_singling_in_progress.jpg Buy Print	2668x1813 k Isabella_Exchange_sdgs_for_Bates_in_foreground.jpg Buy Print
2655x1791 k Isabella_Exchange_sdgs_NCB_Barclay_shunter_Mar79.jpg Buy Print	2458x1569 k Isabella_Shunter_with_mts_from_Bates_0379.jpg Buy Print	This route was built in the early 1950's. Originally the line crossed the main road in the background on the level useing a temporary track laid over the road each night and taken up in the early morning! 1800x1737 k_Bates_branch_An_Austerity_blasts_up_the_bank.jpg Buy Print	1783x1799 k_Bates_branch_A_Barclay_brings_loads_up_the_1950_s_built_line_to_Isabella_Xchange_sidgs.jpg Buy Print
1800x1770 k_Bates_branch__we_have_a_problem_.jpg Buy Print	1800x1788 k_Bates_descending_the_bank.jpg Buy Print	2642x1922 l Bates_with_West_Blyth_staiths_in_distance_0379.jpg Buy Print	2668x1739 ll Bates_shipping_point_Shunters_had_a_paint_job.jpg Buy Print
3387x2052 ll NCB_Shunters_at_Bates.jpg Buy Print	1773x1801 L_shunting_at_Bates.jpg Buy Print