Train Graveyard, Tanfield Railway, gateshead

[@CycolacFan]

How refreshing to find a film with natural sound and clear photography, rather than some tattooed chav waving his phone around, addressing the audience as ‘guys’ and yelling nonsense about how ‘this train is probably 300 years old…’ Thank you for a great, if depressing, film.

[@jc5454]

"Guys". That pisses me off so much.

[@danclayberger770]

What i think makes this video so great is. No boring narration and especially, no dumb music just the lonely sound of someone walk. Good job.

[@patricknoveski6409]

Theres a channel where the 2 Ameri an kids just wont shut up while going thru scrap train yard. You are awesome for being respectfully quiet. Thank you brother. No words is more than enough.!

[@colvinator1611]

I'm sure the preservation groups are aware of this place but the cost of shifting and housing a project must be enormous. Sadly, we live in an age where young people are told to be ashamed of our heritage and all the 'damage ' it did to our world. Thanks a lot, excellent video.

[@nottmfunguy]

Well said

[@bluebellModelrailway]

It is still an operational heritage railway... and most are preserved on that site, of course money, space, and undercover storage for any railway is in short supply, still begs the question why is someone walking round it on a closed day.

[@lesigh1749]

@@bluebellModelrailway I went there as a child in the 80s on a day when the trains weren't running and you could just walk among the trains. They were rotting like this then too.

[@paulos9900]

There are plenty of preserved and running trains there. It takes time to work through the inventory though. I used to go there 30 years ago with my dad as a volunteer. I still vaguely recognise a few of the trains in the yard from back then and they are still sat there but i'm sure there used to be a lot more sat there rusting back in those days so they have restored plenty of them.

[@jonahyudkindibdin4208]

I work here as a volunteer and at the minute we’re collecting money to build a huge roof over various sections to preserve them. We are working through them but with time money resource and skills also being needed just to keep the railway operational it’s a slow job to sort all this stuff out. Also some of it is privately owned and we’re not allowed to touch it so

[@richardskelton5119]

I first visited the Tanfield in 1985 and it is amazing how much has been done over the years. In those days I don't think there were so many diesels on site, but plenty of old steam locomotives in need of a bit of TLC. One of the things that has gone is the body of Flying Scotsmans' second tender which used to stand near to the car park. In those days the line ran from Andrew's House, the station in the video to Sunniside. Some time later the line was extended to the Causey Arch and a new station was built on the line at 90 degrees which replaced AH. So much history just laying there, I wish I lived closer and could help with the restoration efforts. Thanks for sharing the film.

[@stephengirling7859]

So that's what happened to Thomas and his friends when CGI took over!

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

A visit to the railway when trains are running would be well worth the effort, especially if a 'gala day' is chosen.

[@RobertEHunt-dv9sq]

Absolutely love the small gray mobile crane. Need to build one of these for my HO layout. Fantastic video. Sorry to see so much falling into decay, but there are never enough funds for the right projects.

[@1701_FyldeFlyer]

Came across this place and Causey Arch on day in 1998. Everything just seems to be slowly rotting or rusting away now though. There's some real historic carriages and wagons being left to rot never mind some locos and boilers. They need to sell or move on some of these items for others to restore else they'll be beyond restoration and lost forever. Might also give them some income to really get started on somethings they want to restore.

[@TIMMEH19991]

In all honestly, I think the majority of those wooden framed coaches are too far gone now which is a real shame. Tanfield tried to save everything but bit off far more than it could chew.

[@mason7778]

Super Aufnahmen 👏👏👍 Sehr viel Erhaltenswert 🧐

[@JimBobZee]

I like it, Train Graveyard, sound of the foot steps and the steady recording.

[@turtletruck1664]

i love stuff like this ! great video!

[@stewsretroreviews]

Great stuff, I bet my Grandad worked on some of those relics back in the day. I used to take my kids here to see Santa on the train every year, lush times, and we got to the front of these sheds one time and seen some lovely Steam engines inside too. Not left to rot like these neglected ones 😞 Nice content, and now I know what's behind those train sheds 😊

[@martinconnerty1201]

They did well to collect them so they had a chance to enter into prosperity. I hope their turn in the "queue" will come one day.

[@digitalmoviedv]

Fantastic and unique historic train. Great video report. Thanks for share it. Greetings from Italy. Stefano

[@brightspark4817]

i went there fifteen years ago, a few locos up and running and a few in workshop getting repaired a good day out

[@TechJoe1994]

If I was in any state too I'd love to assist with restoring the diesels. Take them for a spin afterwards. Like they do in Bo'ness.

[@johndrew3202]

It is many years since I had a good wander around this place. There are many good projects awaiting attention, some requiring megabucks others just cosmetic restoration to save them rotting any more. The Scandinavian 'Pacific' is the saddest example, it looked in decent order when it first arrived but has been allowed to disintegrate over the many years since. I wonder if ANYONE knows what is there and where everything is, including the various parts?

[@leeandrew8987]

This place looks so cool

[@benaubrey6651]

Great to see some history without graffiti all over it. A lot of stuff there doesn’t seem in too bad condition considering the age

[@markm-ci6rj]

What's up guys :) Amazing place, it was good to see a video without personalized music, time laps and I agree with others on here if you do not know what your talking about or not pointing out something that isn't obvious shut up! So well done, great to watch

[@gregwilliams386]

I'm really impressed. As mentioned before by others, I hope that people and groups that are involved in the restoration of rolling stock are aware of this location.

[@rogercullum9881]

Fantastic great video

[@johnmorning7036]

I agree a lot of those wagons are beyond economic repair it's a hoarders paradise, all i see is thousands of pounds worth of scrap which could generate funds for stuff that can be rebuilt and maintenance of existing rolling stock.

[@louisjardine1158]

This stuff is so vintage ! So sad its rotting away :(

[@joostderidder]

Stunning

[@OFFTOROADVLOG]

Watching from the Philippines. Quite place

[@cheesekakes4116]

Hello and thank you for watching

[@daviddonoghue5438]

What a shame so much history is just rotting away.It would be good to employe people to get some of this equipment restored.Lovely big stone building

[@stevenpryce7808]

A lot of the local pits ran through Tanfield to Lobley Hill then down to Dunston where the coal would go either to Dunston staithes & be shipped to that horrible place called London or to where the MetroCentre is & onward to elsewhere via the main rail network possibly MGR's

[@CaptainJackSparrowisreal]

I went to the same place dude and I dropped to my knees when I saw an abandoned tank engine

[@ianlane7026]

I know there are a lot of positive comments and no doubt there is a lot of good work being done, but, and based purely on this film I have never been so depressed over the state of so many seemingly rare and old vehicles. Most look basket cases, such a shame. Again I don't want to denigrate others efforts. So sad.

[@densondirosa4497]

We as humans, build wondrous & beautiful monuments to our technological prowess, only to let them fall into disrepair & decay when they become old & seemingly useless, sadly, not to unlike our elders…. I know all cannot be saved, but our world suffers a loss of heritage & much as their creators, they deserve remembrance, & where possible, preservation. Let us not forget….

[@royfearn4345]

A graveyard full of ghosts, none of them named Lazarus!

[@louisjardine1158]

I can tell this might be in the UK definitley not US stuff but still wow

[@printzapper]

Amazing, something this large undisturbed, no graffiti, a torn sign staring that the area is monitored, I hate to say it in the US a large area like this graveyard would have been pillaged and what was left vandalized.

[@setzera]

I could swear I saw some of Thomas The Tank Engine's old pals in this graveyard. From the original show. I don't know what they have on the new versions.

[@rosewhite---]

Pretty sad! We visited on a sunny Sunday some years ago. Now it just looks to have lost hope. Needs lottery money and setting up a scheme to employ local youngsters to get some restoration work done on the more rare and unusual pieces! The rare stuff need signs explaining origin and designer. There used ot be one brake van that had name of George Hudson on!

[@clarefreeman3909]

yes I agree, I watch a lot of train videos and some are completely spoiled by stupid music or too much narration. I want to see and hear trains not someone talking all the time. Keep up the good work. Best wishes from Perth Western Australia.

[@RobertPalmer-se1ep]

They need to apply for a National Lottery Heritage grant.

[@roberthopper1872]

they have and do, currently i think its 7 steam engines working and 4 diesels with a large collection of coaches and waggons, every once in a while if nothing breaks, an engine get dragged out the yard, such as horden the andrew barclay recently returned to service

[@MrJoeyWheeler]

I feel so...angry seeing the locomotives rotting. The destroyed wagons and coaches are bad enough, but locos being left to rot like that. They could at least have covered them to protect them from the elements, but no, they're left in the open to rot away forever...

[@davehitchman5171]

Its such a shame, the guy reckons he is going to fix them all... but not a chance in several lifetimes without a huge amount more space and people. There are probably a hundred or more engines there, and not all just UK standard gauge either

[@michaelnaisbitt7926]

Why did they go broke 2hy didn't they try selling some of the locos off Some wooden carriages are beyond restoration

[@spankflaps1365]

Most of that wooden bodied stock will have disintegrated after a few more winters. Shame because some of it looks Edwardian.

[@flatbrokefrank6482]

Its a travesty - some of those really old coal waggons should be in a museum, what's left should be stabilised, there is too much heritage there to be lost.

[@lukeslocos6610]

People are saying scrap them and make replica's, now where is the legacy and fun in that, I agree with you

[@steves5172]

Agreed, I’m sure some items can be salvaged and it is a great shame! There.are many ways of ‘seeing’ this film - some see scrap others see restoration. I like to see hope and sponsors! Thanks for uploading, at least your video preserves them on film!

[@petejones9755]

Tanfield railway- it is a museum, hence the coal stocks. Most items in queue for restoration.

[@sullivanrachael]

Some of the stuff looks really rough. However, it still exists. The wooden bodied rolling stock especially. To quote my Dad, a railwayman, “if it was scrapped it would vanish. At least the vehicles still exist, and if the wood won’t save it’ll act as a pattern for replacement timbers.” Ideally they’d have all the vehicles under a roof. However the cost is presumably unaffordable.

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

​@@sullivanrachael No, it is too far gone. It all needs to be broken up for scrap now. Set it on fire to burn off the wood then chop the trucks with cutting torches.

[@randywise5241]

So much history rotting and rusting away.

[@daviddarrall9384]

Unbelievable. You have to see it to believe it!

[@rosewhite---]

11:16 massive dogs! what were they intended to lift!

[@timothyclarke7689]

I have no doubt that a lot of good work has been done by the members of this group to restore items to their former glory. Unfortunately it would seem that some items will turn to dust before their turn comes to get some TLC. There comes a time when you have realise that restoration it is never going to happen and disposal to pastures new would be the best option. One mans trash does not always mean it is someone treasure. If it remains everyone's,trash it should be burned or sold for scrap. At least the money could go to a better cause. This is a case rebuilding a replica is cheaper than restoring the original no matter how rare. I know that these are harsh words, but there does not seem to be any obvious signs of any future for some of these items. I would like to be proved wrong.

[@lukeslocos6610]

The problem is there's is nothing good about replica's The real thing did this, a replica pretends to be the thing that did that, you should try save a real one and only replica if there is none left ie class 23 lms 10000, but these still exist so why build a fake when the real thing exists Let's just scrap history We could just knock down castles and villages now because new housing is cheeper?

[@Pandagun.]

someone needs to restore them

[@sharynkhan1104]

Sad to see, considering there are many heritage railways up and down the country who would probably put a lot of this to good use. For instance NYMR and the Bluebell railway

[@gntdriver2840]

Its not really a train graveyard in the sense that they are waiting to be cut up for scrap like the various scrapyards that stored thousands of redundant steam locomotives after diesel took over in the 1960's. Most locomotives and rolling stock here are kept for parts or maybe one day to be restored. This place is deserted most of the time as it is run by volunteers who mainly only come here at weekends. I sometimes do deliveries to this place and its always a right faff on to actually find anyone here.

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

This is the site at Andrews House, on an X-bus route betwixt Stanley and Wickham. A new facility (as in café/shop) is at East Tanfield, not on any bus route, alas. Much has been done by way of preserving (and running) ex-industrial locos and coaches. Much stuff is left in the open, being allowed to rot.

[@petermartin3069]

Wholeheartedly agree! There is a nice cafe at East Tanfield but no way of getting there other than by car. Meanwhile nothing seems to change at Andrews House which is easily accessible by public transport - the bus which passes the site also stops outside Central Station on its way out of Newcastle. Also even now the railway still insists on pre-booking - why? There seems no sense of direction here which is why items are left to rot.

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

@@petermartin3069 A woeful lack of strategic planning seems apparent. There are many good things there, but long-term . . . ?

[@danny1983ish]

The blue stepple cab could be useful at Leiston railway group

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

@@danny1983ish Then they should buy it if they can. The loco is from the Harton Electric Railway (coal-hauler, south Tyneside) and will shamefully rot away if left where it is.

[@danny1983ish]

@@EllieMaes-Grandad a price would be handy lol

[@theenginemanfromthepast.]

What an absolute mess!!!! More stuff rotting away then they will ever do anything with!!!!

[@kevinbrewis6014]

It's in Counry Durham.

[@leswall3061]

Great find, good safe videoing, just a shame it's all left to rot away

[@welsh_Witch]

it's more that it costs to much to restore them

[@JintySteam1]

Don't worry, things may be rusty but I'm sure they can still be restored.

[@CycolacFan]

Give another ten years and they’ll be even worse.

[@paulos9900]

They can be. There are trains that were in this condition 30 years ago when I used to go there as a kid and i've seen recent videos where they are restored and running. They also have more shed space than when I went. They only had the main shed and a a small shed that could hold maybe 3 locos next to the turntable we see in the video at 8:00. They have another 3 storage sheds or so now it seems.

[@simonauty3851]

I’m a bit heartbroken to see the amount of history here that will just rot and rust away before it can be preserved. This group has an amazing collection that desperately needs to be catalogued and then assessed for what they can legitimately save, what is already preserved around the country and should be donated to those groups for parts etc and what is critically important and needs to go to other groups to save. Buildings and site also need TLC. There is an opportunity here for some sensible management and a good clean up of the site

[@cwp1alpha]

amazing so much left to waste away like this. Not scrapped or restored. I bet several of those steam engines could fire up again. Even a few of the diesels, too. The rotted wooden rail cars could be scrapped and recycled, same with the axles and such. Property owner not realizing their gold mine here. Sadly so many sites like this unkept and unwatched. Basic 24/7 security and some grounds maintainence could keep this site up and functional. Even in a civilian defense mindset, this could've been a reserve transportation hub of back-up EMP resistant railway units.

[@danielbarton9291]

I'm sure this is Backworth 44 at 12 mins.

[@jamesbraithwaite478]

Those 0-6-0 tank engines look really unusual. An outside piston Austerity is really rare. The rear piston tank at 6:33 looks like a fireless locomotive. I believe the 0-4-0 tank with the wooden buffers at 12:40 is a 19TH century Pug class shunter. The 0-4-0 tank at 21:31 is probably a Sentinel well tank engine. It looks like there's a rich seam of restorable vehicles/usable boilers there.

[@AlongPreservedLines]

the 0-4-0 with wooden buffers is not a Pug, it's some kind of andrew barclay 0-4-0 if I remember correctly, whilst the term 'Pug' can apply to a lot of 0-4-0's, I believe the one you are thinking of is the L&YR class 21, in which case there are only 2 and that is not one of them

[@martinforester3471]

Outside piston? How does that one work?

[@jamesbraithwaite478]

@@martinforester3471 I meant the piston moving the coupling rods. They're usually connected to the inner workings via a crank axle.

[@martinforester3471]

You mean outside cylinders! The 0-6-0T Austerity, designed by Hunslet to R A Riddles specification, all had inside cylinders.

[@iknowiminsane]

would you happen to know what the 4-6-2 is at 20:20

[@gordonbruce2618]

Although this video was filmed on what appears to be rainy day with nobody else about, I sincerely hope they've good good security at the site. Otherwise the local pikeys and gippo's would have all that scrap metal away in no time!

[@spawnofscutter7056]

did you have any permission to be on their property or were you just trespassing?

[@davidmorton883]

Well done for showing these old forgotten trains and wagons your local railway heritage is been forgotten such a shame and I would not worry about trespassing it's the peoples taxes that paid for those old trains they are our history.

[@spawnofscutter7056]

peoples taxes have absolutely nothing to do with private property on private land... taxes go to the government..... not private individuals...... you clearly don't understand what tax is..

[@bobawatsit]

@@spawnofscutter7056 hey pawn of splutter, I bet that is not all private land, if any ! and when it comes to tax you really tax peoples patience when it comes to opening your mouth, so shut it, and he touched/removed nuttin and gave many a good insight to how a scrappy could do very well there in the future

[@rayswann7618]

@@spawnofscutter7056 Well you are very taxing, you silly boy

[@cheesekakes4116]

It's open for anyone to visit.

[@rosewhite---]

looks like they need some lottery money to get some work done!

[@twospirits2669]

Well it isn't that abandoned. There's a light lit up on the green building at the beginning to your left.

[@chriswesley2529]

Did you get to go into the sheds??

[@cheesekakes4116]

No unfortunately they were locked . Would definitely be a good video for next time

[@granttaylor7392]

@@cheesekakes4116 So you were trespassing?

[@Mr29Kevin]

18:50 looks to be the Ashby loco. They had big plans for it when they were given it.

[@dennisleslie8962]

Who owns all that stuff?

[@thomaslindstrom3673]

Is this just a dump or is there a sociaty planing to restore? In my homecountry a collection like this would be worth a fortune.

[@pigeonliveryworks]

It's a storage yard at the railway. It takes time and money to restore heritage stuff so they will leave them in storage outside until they can be brought in the workshop for restoration

[@owenaero]

such a waste of history and useful things that can be saved in thinking of building a Diorama on this if its ok to use your video for a reference

[@alexpiper9475]

where is Tanfield Railway ?

[@eliotreader8220]

I believe it was a filming location for a Famous five film?

[@cheesekakes4116]

oh really i didnt know that, i just thought it was a cool place for a video

[@showmanpete2805]

how and why has all that lot just been left to rot?

[@jameswells6003]

Only so much time, money and resources. Everything is waiting its turn.

[@feuersteinmarkus6838]

Na hoffentlich haben sie noch alle Papiere

[@jwatson9732]

Does anyone know what that 4 6 2 at 20:22 is? or used to be?

[@marccherry7409]

British built imported from Australia in early 70's I think

[@sightscreen66]

Yes, that caught my eye too. It's a Tasmanian Government Railways M class from 1952, built in the UK by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns. It runs on 3ft 6in gauge so would be unlikely to run anywhere in the UK, even if it was restored. The other nine members of the class remain in Tasmania - seemingly all in better condition than this one.

[@danny1983ish]

Why import it if not going to do anything with

[@craigharris7299]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmanian_Government_Railways_M_class_(1952)

[@Ultra4115_]

There's so much stuff there I'd be happy to take

[@simon-oy6um]

Piles of junk been let go far too long and no funds

[@Howard_20]

I hope you have permission to be there…..

[@bliebezeit]

😱😰

[@stryrker135]

Does any one know what class loco that is shown at @20:20 ?

[@TrainBloke38]

Its a Tasmanian Railways M class locomotive

[@stryrker135]

@@TrainBloke38 Thank you! =D

[@TrainBloke38]

@@stryrker135 No problem

[@Robert-tt5tg]

Must be from the 1800s

[@dansterland1824]

All that old vintage stock rotting away should be saved before its gone for good

[@dancostello6465]

Would they mind sending me a couple of curved roof carriages, bachelor pad coming up. 22:24 two of those old things would do me. I'd stuff them nice and warm. Winterize and drop a bunkie stove in the end. Look at that pop out window frame.

[@lalbahaduryadav163]

New skrep sending and pent

[@garyruark9506]

No comment

[@1topfueldrag]

needs environmental cleanup

[@lalbahaduryadav163]

Water follaw

[@LouisJones-bp6wg]

THESE PEOPLE HAVE MONEY TO BURN IF YOU DONT BELEAVE IT JUST LOOK AROUND. CHEEZECAKE I LOVE YOUR HAT.I HAVE SEEN THESE CAR 3OR4 TIMES SO I'LL MOVE ON.🚅🚇