Preserved railway Bowes Railway

1 preserved railway

1.1 rope haulage

1.1.1 original system
1.1.2 preserved system


1.2 locomotives , brake vans
1.3 railway today

preserved railway

tyne & wear industrial monuments trust established april 1975 , took control of line around springwell national coal board through medium of county council direction. 1975 springwell workshops building replica locomotives such locomotion no. 1 trading locomotion enterprises. marley hill shed of tanfield railway former bowes railway running shed short lengths of track @ marley hill. marley hill became preservation base 1971.

the centre of preserved bowes railway springwell workshops.

a third bowes railway running shed @ wardley depot of north east bus preservation trust.

rope haulage

original system

when bowes railway in full operation line employed 8 rope-worked inclined planes. 2 of these (the springwell , birkheads inclines) operated on self-acting principle; weight of descending full waggons hauled empty waggons via rope running around return wheel @ top of hill. on remaining 6 inclines (the kibblesworth, black fell, blackhams hill east , west, starrs , allerdene inclines) ropes wre driven stationary steam or later electric haulage engine located @ incline top. type of railway operation pre-dates modern locomotive- type operations , laid down here george stephenson in 1826. line s gradual closure left 4 inclines in use, these closing on 4 october 1974).

preserved system

the line preserved post-1974 includes 2 rope-worked inclines. these blackhams hill east , west inclines. both worked blackhams hill engine; 300 h.p. metropolitan vickers engine commissioned on 30 july 1950. works both east or flatt incline (1170 yards @ gradient of 1 in 70) , west or short bank (750 yards @ gradient 1 in 13). on these inclines preserved railway demonstrates 1 of oldest , unusual types of railway operation; place in britain can seen. however, inclines not operational, due vandalism , decline.

locomotives , brake vans

steam locomotives

andrew barclay 0-4-0st w.s.t. makers number 2361 built in 1954. awaiting overhaul. formerly used @ long meg mine , @ cocklakes.
andrew barclay 0-4-0st no 22 (number 6 area b group 85). makers number 2274 built in 1949, use on bowes railway. in use on railway s brake van rides.
peckett 0-4-0st w6 special makers number 1967 merlin. owned merlin locomotive group, based @ bowes. on loan plym valley railway, plymouth.

diesel locomotives

planet 0-4-0 no 101. used on shunting duties , freight trains not hunslet due small size.
hunslet engine company 0-4-0 no 6263. used regularly on freight trains , shunting, powerful shunter on line.
ruston & hornsby class 88 0-4-0 - restored use on both passenger , demonstration coal trains.

brake vans

lambton hetton & joicey collieries brake van no 1. in use passenger vehicle on trains.
l.m.s. no 2, built use in derby. in use passenger vehicle on trains.
l.m.s. no 3 brake van. in use passenger vehicle on passenger trains.

waggons railway has fleet of 45 original bowes railway waggons dating 1887 through 1963, 7 similar waggons other industrial sites in north east.

the railway today

the museum based around workshops @ springwell, contains museums, shop, cafe, toilets , guided tours of buildings dating 1826. buildings such waggonshop , blacksmiths open during museum open days , guided tours can arranged.

the site open first weekend of each month , every week tuesday & thursday static display , tours. admission free on non steaming days donations welcome.

the railway hopes restart train rides , unique rope haulage display in 2017 season.