a glimpse...
Tanfield
17 July 2025
One evening more than forty years ago, a
friend took me to look at lines of ex-
industrial locomotives awaiting restoration
at Marley Hill loco shed. Since then a
splendid heritage railway has developed on
what ended its days as a BR freight branch
- a line which, in this year of 200th anniversary
celebrations, has a 300 year-long history.
I was on my way to Dunbar, a drive of over
300 miles: I should have left home earlier.
By the time I arrived at Andrew’s House
station, beside the aforementioned loco
shed in the hills to the south-west of
Newcastle, the day’s last round trip was
about to depart - and I’ve still got 100 miles to go. Taking
the train ride would have meant a later arrival at my
destination than was wise. I resolved to return when I
could enjoy the railway at leisure.
That last round trip arrived in the hands of Twizell, an
attractive and sturdy-looking little 0-6-0T built by Robert
Stephenson in 1891. I could record its arrivals and
departures and, in between, visit the loco shed - and be
Geoff’s Rail Diaries
back on the road at a sensible time.
There must have been one or two non-
steam locomotives here in 1983, but I don’t
remember seeing any. Today, in the yard, a
1958-built Ruston diesel was engaged in a
spot of shunting. In the loco shed was a
significant older diesel - No. 2, Armstrong
Whitworth’s D22 of 1933, an 0-4-0 diesel-electric, of the
type that once saw passenger service on the North
Sunderland Railway. And there in the lines of stock
awaiting restoration was an even older machine, none
other than the AEG Bo-Bo overhead electric locomotive,
formerly no. 9 on the Harton Railway which once served
Westoe colliery. I had visited Westoe the day after my
earlier visit to Marley Hill. I’d had the merest
glimpse of it before it saw me - and scuttled
away to hide.
There was much more of interest here - I
could have happily spent a full day enjoying
the delights of the Tanfield Railway. I will
return!
Link: Tanfield Railway
