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Berwick Drift Stockyard
Lynemouth
Northumberland
 
Gauge : 3 Feet
Status : Ceased
(click on photos to open in a separate window)

 
Berwick Drift Stockyard  

By 1995, this was one of only 2 such surface stockyard railways working in the industry.

 

Date: September 1995

Date: September 1995

Date: September 1995

Colliery stockyard railways were once a common feature for the movement of materials around the yards, and in and out of the mine. By 1995 there were just two colliery stockyards using narrow gauge locos for this purpose. The stockyard for Berwick Drift Colliery was situated a short distance from where the coal actually comes to the surface.

In one corner of the yard stands a small brick built loco cum charging shed. Usually one of the small battery locos was on charge here, while the other was working in the yard. The battery units were not swapped over, but charged while in place on the loco. A special feaure of the trackwork was the recessed point levers. This was vital in the busy yard where road vehicles were also constantly in use.

No.1, a 4wBE Clayton loco (CE5924 1972), is pictured in front of the entrance to the drift at changeover time. No2, Clayton B3060 pictured in the background, is about to be driven back into the shed for charging.

 

Date: September 1995

Date: September 1995

Date: September 1995

At the far end of the yard various examples of rolling stock and locomotives could be found. A larger Clayton, rebuilt in 1983 was seen out of use when pictured in 1995.

Amongst the various types of rolling stock in use are these specialised tipper wagons The body has been put onto a typical 4 wheel flat wagon, and is tipped by a wheel at one end of the wagon.

Wagons coming into the drift from the left track are shunted up towards the winding engine at the end of the drift, and then the train of wagons (with a manrider attached at the back), is slowly winched down the incline.

Date: September 1995

No. 1 has just pulled 4 flat wagons from the drift. A third operating loco, No. 3, (Clayton B1561) is the reserve loco, and was found off the tracks in a shed without its battery.

 
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© Steve Thomason 2018

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