Yet another Long shot question....

[Big Jumby 74]

But before I go in to detail, this will be one for anyone (other than myself) who has memories or recollections of the German built overhead electric locos that worked around South Tyneside (based at Westoe), and I am talking late 70's in this particular case, not the final few years!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Aug 2023 ==

Edited: May be I should have added, if any one looking in does have such memories etc, then please say so!

 

[Jagdpanther]

I remember seeing them as a kid in the 70s but no real details. More recently I saw two of the locos in the storage area at Tanfield Railway and I believe there is another in North Tyneside which runs using batteries in a coal wagon. Plenty of clips of the Westoe system on You Tube too.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

North Tyneside which runs using batteries in a coal wagon

Ah yes, that one is E4, one of smaller types with the pantograph mounted atop the cab. It is this batch (or an unidentified one of) which is the subject of my question. I have checked the on-line RCTS Railway Observer to no avail, but on the first Saturday in September 1978 took a run from Newcastle to Darlington, but my notes say the train ran via 'a freight line', so am assuming we turned right at Pelaw and ran via Washington. Just after Pelaw there use to be a series of exchange sidings on the left and Follingsby Colliery, and then further South there was the NCB's Lambton Works, but none of these areas were OH electrified (AFAIR), but somewhere along there I noted an overhead electric loco similar to the type I refer to above, although can't say if it was a 4 wheel or Bogie type?
I have details of E4 itself being stored (off the juice) at Boldon Colliery as late as 1982, which is far closer to the OH electrified system, but was wondering if perhaps this loco (or another) were in the areas I mention above four years earlier?

 

[randyrippley]

there's a collection of photos of the line at https://transportsofdelight.smugmug...IAL-LOCOMOTIVES/HARTON-COAL-COMPANY/i-xpHVvfW

one of the images is a map which shows the electrified lines


==edit==
just found this version at http://www.dmm.org.uk/maps/3311-p01.htm

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Many thanks for those links randyrippley, I was aware of the Durham Mining Museum site, but had forgotten about it. Some of the images in the other link I have not seen before. By the time I got to visit the system in earnest towards the end, it was only a couple of the larger Bo-Bo's working (12 & 13 IIRC) and the odd Andrew Barclay (AB) 0-6-0 diesel. Fascinating system for those interested in the more quirky parts of our railway heritage.

 

[Russ_H]

But before I go in to detail, this will be one for anyone (other than myself) who has memories or recollections of the German built overhead electric locos that worked around South Tyneside (based at Westoe), and I am talking late 70's in this particular case, not the final few years!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Aug 2023 ==

Edited: May be I should have added, if any one looking in does have such memories etc, then please say so!

My late dad was from South Shields, so his reminiscences are from the thirties rather than the seventies. He was born in 1918 and gained an apprenticeship at Michell Bearings, on Scotswood Road in Newcastle. He travelled to work by train. That would be as a pedestrian from Cauldwell (pronounced Cadwell) to High Shields station, known to the locals as Trinity, after the church that was nearby, then changing at Newcastle Central for the last leg of the journey to Scotswood. He worked five and a half days per week as an apprentice: a tough timetable for a young lad.

Trinity station and church are both long gone. The area has been slightly tidied up, and there is now landscaping and a path where the line was.

 

[Gloster]

A look at the online Railway Modeller produces two articles. One is a layout idea, with a couple of brief letters in subsequent editions, and the other is a scale drawing of the English Electric locos. Mentioned in the latter is The Harton Electric Railway by W.J.Hatcher (Oakwood, 1994, ISBN 0 85361 4571).

 

[Big Jumby 74]

The Harton Electric Railway by W.J.Hatcher (Oakwood, 1994, ISBN 0 85361 4571).

Thanks, yes I do have this, but alas could not find any mention of the elusive OH loco I noted (off the juice) in 1978. Also checked out the Industrial Railway Society bulletins for the period, also to no avail. The Railway Modeller items are new to me, so will take a look, thanks for that. On the subject of layouts, I did sketch the track plan at Low Staithes whilst there (an almost identical plan is included in the Oakwood Press book I believe) and would make an interesting and reasonably small sized layout, if not a bit restrictive for loco/stock variety.

Trinity station and church are both long gone

It was already the then new Metro when I visited the area, which handily ended at South Shields just across from where the old station had been. Remember after viewing the workings at Low Staithes and St. Hilda's sidings, I use to stop for refreshment (as one does!) in the pub on Mill Dam, still there today I believe as 'The Steamboat'. Not sure that was its name back in the 70's, but memory can't be certain now. It certainly looks (on giggly streetview) much smartened up appearance wise, from what I remember.