Beyond the Blaydon Races by Alan C. Clothier C.Eng FIMechE FNEIMME

Author:Alan C. Clothier, C.Eng, FIMechE, FNEIMME [Alan C. Clothier, C.Eng, FIMechE, FNEIMME]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781909757400
Publisher: Melrose Books
Published: 2017-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Note: The carryings in 1855 were only for a part-year

In 1869 the company is given as R. Stephenson & Son, their colliery being in the seasale category. At some as yet unknown date, thought to be between 1870 and 1876, their route was altered to again make use of the way via Walbottle Dene and the line to the old Wylam Waggonway west of Newburn was discontinued. This change may well have been necessary because of the construction of the SN&WR. However, the table of leadings over the Wylam WW provides no quantities from the close of 1864, so it is possible that the route alteration may have taken place then with the knowledge of an impending closure of Wylam Colliery and its waggonway. It will be realised that the precise reason for this change is not apparent but might well have been initiated by a desire to be free of the wayleave payments to Blackett and with the knowledge that it was unlikely to be long before a railway was substituted for the WW along that route. In 1880 this concern is listed as the ‘ Old Throckley ’ Colliery and the proprietors given as William Stephenson & Son. As we shall see later the future for this colliery from 1906 lay with the Throckley Coal Company (TCC). An interesting feature, and one that was unique in this district, was the use of a dandy cart, the remains of which were still to be seen at Throckley Brickworks in 1959. It seems likely, in view of the gradients on the route via Newburn Grange, that the dandy cart was used solely from the time that the route via the Walbottle Dene was adopted and ceased with the improvements made once the concern became a part of the TCC. The practice was to gravitate the trains down their 2¾ mile long branch to the staiths at Lemington, conveying the horse in a dandy cart attached at the rear for the return empty run. This was the last location known in this country where such a practice was in vogue. Tomlinson in his history The North Eastern Railway depicts a drawing, dated 1903, giving the side and end elevations of the dandy cart said to be in use on the Throckley WW. The waggon has small diameter iron wheels, as one would expect, to keep the slightly inclined floor of the waggon low and only the head-end axle was sprung. Chain couplings appear only at this end too. Much later, in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle of 21st September 1959, an illustrated article depicted the remnants of the allegedly one hundred and two-year-old dandy cart preserved as ‘ an honoured relic ’ at the Throckley Brickworks. If correct that would mean it worked from 1857 and that it would have worked over the Newburn Grange route for a time.

It was to be 1867 before the Throckley Royalty was again worked. The Stephenson and Spencer families joined forces to form the Throckley Colliery Co.

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