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Busy Day at Redcar

How many of you remember the excursion platform at Redcar? Well, there’s a car park there now; but in its heyday it was heaving. Redcar had a beach then; there was no deep water channel in the Tees, no Blast Furnace on the skyline and Redcar had two picture houses and a theatre! It must have been a busy day as I can count three engines in steam here as well!

Image courtesy of Mike Holliday.

A Deltic on the Whitby Branch

I couldn’t resist posting this image!  David tells me that it’s Castleton Station, but when was a Class 55 ”Deltic” on the Whitby line, I know that there used to be one at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway?

Russ Piggot says ”Without sounding too trainspotterish, it was 55002 on a special to Whitby in summer 1981. I remember seeing it go through Great Ayton”.

Craig Oliphant tells us: ”55002 did two Merrymakers from Newcastle to Whitby on 02/08/1981 via Durham, Ferryhill, Stockton, and the second one on the 30/08/1981 via Sunderland, both I believe had what are now termed Mini Tours from Whitby to Middlesbrough and return during the day.”

Thanks David Richardson, Russ Piggot and Craig Oliphant for the updates.

Staithes Viaduct

Staithes Viaduct, with a local commuter train, powered by a British Railways “Standard” tank engine.  This photograph was probably taken towards the end of the line’s existence, a two carriage train indicating the decline of rail traffic as increased fares and better road links caused migration away from the railways. Simon Chapman advised the Archive: “All that remains now are the concrete piers that supported the steelwork. In view is the stone abutment which supported the west end. The east end abutment, also of stone, was demolished.”

Image courtesy of Maurice Grayson and the David Liddle Collection, thanks again to Simon Chapman for the last piece of information

Staithes Viaduct

A view Staithes viaduct from downstream, looking inland; the train is heading towards Staithes station. Chris Davies tells us:”The engine is a Raven/Gresley A8 4-6-2t hauling a train of ex-NER and a Thompson suburban brake of the LNER.”

Image courtesy of Maurice Grayson and thanks to Chris Davies for that update.

Staithes Viaduct.

This coloured postcard view was produced by T. Watson, Lythe.  It gives us a clear picture of the structure of the viaduct.

Image courtesy of Beryl Morris.

Dismantling Staithes Viaduct

Dismantling Staithes viaduct in 1960, one of several we have of this end of an era. Eric Johnson advised that ”Subterranea Britannica” had further information on this activity.

Image courtesy of Mrs Sakelaropoulos and thanks to Eric Johnson for his researches.

Carnaby Willis Timber Merchants – Saw Mills

This view of Loftus station site includes the Carnaby Willis Timber Merchants Saw Mill (Carnaby Willis as well as becoming a Loftus Councillor was a local benefactor in later years). The shed roof featured carried the caption heading to this image for many years.

Image courtesy of the Pem Holliday Collection, the David Linton Collection and others, thanks to Derick Pearson for the update.

Carlin How Station – 1899

The stationmaster and his porters line up to get their picture taken on Carlin How Station (the name wasn’t changed to Skinningrove until 1903).  Does anybody know who they are?

Image courtesy of Carlin How Community Centre.

Viaduct Repairs

Doesn’t look real  does it?  The train going over Loftus viaduct is dumping shale from the mines to convert the viaduct into an embankment.  The viaduct was seriously weakened by undermining from the ironstone mines, so these drastic measures were taken to fix the problem. Simon Chapman tells us: ”Messrs Bell Brothers wanted to mine ironstone from beneath the viaduct from their Carlin How Mine so arrangements were made to fill in the viaduct to support it from 1907. In January 1911 it was found that one of the piers had begun to crack because of unequal infilling so rail services were suspended for a fortnight to enable extra tipping to take place. Shale was tipped from Liverton and Loftus Mines and was completed by 1914.”

Image courtesy of the Pem Holliday Collection and thanks to Simon Chapman for that update.

Loftus Railway Station

An image of Loftus Railway Station, unfortunately a little age-bleached, but showing the beautiful Victorian canopy well.

Image courtesy of Pauline Dolling.