Tanfield Railway Events 2012

Welcome to Tanfield Railway

12 February "Freight Train Day"

18 March "Mothers Day"

6-9 April "Easter Eggstravaganza"

21-22 April "Light Railway Weekend"

6=7 May "Bank Holiday Weekend"

3-5 June "Jubilee Weekend"

17 June "Fathers Day"

18 July "Music & Machines"

26-27 August "Bank Holiday Weekend"

7 September "Photographic Evening"

8-9 September "Legends of Industry Gala"

21 October "Coal Train Day"

17 December "Evening Christmas Carols"

26 & 30 December "Winter Warmers"

North Pole Express; Nov 25, Dec 1/2, 8/9, 15/16, 22-24.

 

Recreating the days when freight trains delivered the goods

A day for photographers, railway enthusiasts, and everyone with an interest in transport history; the sound of clanging buffers and hard-working engines will be filing the air on February 12.

In the days before the motorway network and heavy goods vehicles changed our country forever, almost everything went by rail. From coal to bricks, from steel to farm animals, the train was the fastest and most efficient method of transport.

Steam hauled freight trains will be running all day alongside our normal passenger train service.

Trains of vintage waggons will be thundering up our famous steep gradients, filling the crisp winter air with smoke and steam. A powerful image for any photographer and a great spectacle for all, freight trains will be running from 10.15am

The first passenger train leaves at 11am from Andrews House station.

The almost lost art of shunting will also be demonstrated throughout the day using our vintage 1933 built Armstrong Whitworth diesel electric. A great spectacle to watch as a shunter uses his wooden shunters pole and wooden brake stick to carefully position historic waggons in wonderfully atmospheric Marley Hill shed yard.

Locomotives in action (subject to availability):

Sir Cecil A. Cochrane Built by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns, Forth Banks Works, Newcastle, 1948

This locomotive spent its working life at the Redheugh Gas Works of the Newcastle & Gateshead Gas Co, it is named after a chairman of the company.

Renishaw Ironworks No. 6 Built by Hudswell, Clarke, Railway Foundry, Leeds, 1919 A locomotive built for the iron industry, it worked both at the ironworks and at the iron ore mines of the Renishaw Ironworks in the midlands.

A Reyrolle & Co Ltd No. 2 Built by Armstrong Whitworth, Scotswood Works, 1933 This pioneering diesel locomotive was used as a demonstrator by its builders until it was bought in 1937 by A Reyrolle & Co for use at their Hebburn works. Here it worked between two different plants in the town over the Newcastle to South Shields railway line.

 

Engineering works

Due to engineering works, train services on the Tanfield Railway will be suspended on February 26, March 4 and March 11.

Timetabled train services will resume at 11am on March 18.

During the suspension Andrews House station shop and tea rooms will remain open as will Marley Hill engine shed.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused

 

Coal train / freight day sounds good, any gen on which loco's doing the passenger trains please?

 

Website still says "a timetable for this event will be available to download soon, please check back for more information"

 

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*bump* Still not too late to fill the car up for an early start tomorrow if the event's going ahead and info's available?

 

Steam Railway Magazine Facebook: Light Railway Weekend on April 21/22

The Tanfield Railway is welcoming 135-year-old 0-4-0T 'Captain Baxter' for a new April event weekend. The locomotive will be making a rare appearance hauling passenger trains on a railway (as opposed to short demonstration lines) away from its Bluebell home.

'Captain Baxter' is making its trip to Tanfield as part of a tour of North East sites, including Locomotion at Shildon (May 6/7) and Beamish Museum (April 12-15).

Only recently fitted with vacuum brake equipment, the former Betchworth Quarry machine had previously been limited to shunting and demonstration goods work.

As well as starring in the Light Railway Weekend on April 21/22 alongside locomotives from the railways own fleet, 'Captain Baxter' will be recalling a locomotive from the same stable that worked from Tanfield’s Marley Hill shed in the 19th Century.

Pontop & Jarrow Railway No. 6 arrived at Marley Hill in 1880, probably from Pelton Colliery, also in County Durham. It spent 15 years working at Marley Hill before moving to Felling Colliery, in the same ownership but not directly connected to the P&JR. Recorded dimensions of W/No. 125 of 1875, including cylinders and wheel diameter, point to P&JR No. 6 being very similar to 'Captain Baxter'.

Hopefully more information will be forthcoming this time.