Dont climb on the trucks As kids we did as they were shunted into the sidings at Highspen on the Chopwell line a very dangerous game indeed. We also slid down the pitheap at the spen in a tin bath. Six kids in the bath and off we went all day and black with the coal dust had my grandads pit belt a few times for taking the the bath home with no bottom in it. Great days whe i stayed at my nana's house north view Highspen.

Hi. I only just found your site today by accident looking on the history of victoria garesfield. I was born September 1954 at Victoria terrace ( the duckets) Victoria Garesfield during the full production of coal from five drift mines in that area plus the coal screens and engine sheds. I am 70 now and make it priority twice a week for a walk on the original footpaths that the miners used every working day. My Grandad was stable man/ boilermaker at Garesfield coterie among a lot of other jobs to do with the railway to the coke works at Winlaton mill to the stone heaps at Highfield. Great site

Lovely video and I both enjoyed and appreciated the historical and informational aspect of it. Thanks very much for that 🙂👍

Used to love looking over Wearmouth bridge and seeing the Staithes working and walking to school how the railway line went under Durham Road near the Barnes roundabout ,also the Lambton railway had running powers down to the staithes near Sunderland shed ,the line to Hartlepool ran over them just south of Sunderland inside the tunnel ,ps who remembers carriage sidings at Vilette road or the goods yard nd sidings on Newcastle road behind the then new Bowling Alley ,used to go down to Ryhope junction every evening and watch normally a Pacific come through from Gateshead and reverse down to One of the big mail order depots ,sometimes very long trains ,happy days,!

The whole city is a student campus now.

Good detective work ,I often pass this and wonder where? What?

Same with the beehive coke ovens we used to call them, we used to be able to enter them as kids before they were sealed up about 10 year ago now, we’ve always tried to find a way back into them without causing damage but isn’t possible, shame really the insides still had old equipment and stuff from the 1900s

The first pic is the old bricked up tunnel what went under ground, we used to be able to climb inside of it as kids there used to be huge holes under the tracks falling what looked miles was quite sketchy, it got re closed up about 3 years ago now and is slowly being taken over by nature

Nice shots, excellent video.

did 18 years at the workshops and being 4th generation still got a lot of memories of the place

I noticed in the last part of the video the Cegin was struggling to get the ballast cars(?) uphill on the new line's big curve. Later on Cegin came into the main yard turned and facing downhill with the ballast cars. Does that mean the New Line is operational now with turning facilities?

Does anyone know what happened to the very old loco that stood on a plinth in Lambton engine works?

Fabulous video well done

Thanks for this mate, loco was in the shed last time I was there, always nice to see them on the move 🎉

Excellent video. Cheers. Enjoyed all that shunting in the yard.

Do you know any history about fox cover woods?

Back on her home turf after 123 years, lovely little locomotive...

Absolutely amazing video shot 👍

Not only thunders up but does so with steam to spare!! Magnificent.

The 9F double header was a big highlight of the gala. I have old NE steam videos showing double 9F’s on coal trains, which I’ve always liked watching on a big LOUD telly. Never thought I’d see it in the flesh! 😃

great vid matt, its a stark difference from 23 odd years ago when there was no steam or railway movements in the colliery and now look, well done

I expected to see Gilesgate Station and even the current one. From Relley Mill Junction, lines went to Bishop Auckland, Esh Winning and Lanchester, all walking routes today.

Brilliant video, Lots of old memories.

Nice video, it was a great gala besides the rain

Severn valley railway have confirmed that this loco Vulcan is confirmed to join the gala lineup

Fantastic work, well done.

Brilliant video.

No Gelert ?

Found it: my first and only appearance is at 25:50!! I would say at 26:32 you must have been standing next to the guy whose photo appeared in this month's 'Trackside' :-) And also a very nice bit of footage that marks the end of a very enjoyable weekend.

Good to revisit 'Welsh Pony' with the slates at 3.52 :-) Some great footage Matt.

Nice, like the bit just after a minute in, where one goes past the other. Not been to Beamish for years, really should go back up and visit again.

Tadge windy perhaps? Great video.

Yes, i remember how useful NCB Philadelphia was after the end of BR steam.

I'd like the Narrow Gauge train

Some excellent pictures Matt.

The weather was vile on the Saturday; I'm impressed that you managed to capture such vivid images despite the drizzle and mist. Sunday was dry and mostly bright.

All my relation were Miners - something I'm seriously proud about. It's a brave man who goes down a very deep hole in the ground to do heavy manual work in the dark with no amenities or emergency health care....and with his own food and drink.

Nice to see an industrial loco in an industrial setting. "Illingworth" is a handsome little engine that sounds great starching along. Thanks for the video! 👍

Lovely pictures Matt. And I remember visiting the Lion Park.

Fabulous, love seeing these old vehicles restored to former glory.

I know this part of the Nort East very well, great people and still have many good friends from this area. I certainly drank many a pint of Vaux brewery beer in my time and loved Double Maxim.

Are you doing the full route to Penrith?

I've walked up there a few times when I lived in Lanchester and this video has brought back some happy memories. It was interesting to see a photo of the viaduct in its original form before it was filled in, it was quite a structure.

Excellent Matt...

nice video. Apparently "Glyder has the stame paintjob that it had in the quarry days. it has never been repainted or repaired. i really should get over there more often. i only live a few miles away.

Nice one Matt, one of my favourite walks, I read in The Railways of Consett & North West Durham that a brickworks was set up in I think Rowlands Gill, they used the cream coloured clay that was dug out during the building of the line to produce the cream coloured bricks the engine shed is built of; also a lot of the local houses...

What a crying shame that some heritage railway in the UK hasn't acquired this little jewel & isn't getting her into steam. Surely a relatively straight forward & cheap (by steam standards anyway) restoration. I genuinely believed that tear jerking shots like this of derelict steam engines would be unobtainable in the 2020's & were a thing of the late un-nostalgic & uncaring fifties & sixties.

Fantastic 😃⤴️⤴️ Excellent video 😉👍️✨ Thank you for sharing :D

Super rail movie! Awesome images with Steam loco in action! Good work! Thumbs Up & Subscribe All the best from Romania Andrew