Lynemouth
Northumberland
England
Gauge : 3 Feet
Status : Working
One of only two locomotive worked stockyards in the coal industry.
Just a few years ago, colliery stockyard railways were a common feature
for the movement of materials around the yards, and in and out of the mine.
Now there appears to be just two colliery stockyards using narrow gauge locos
for this purpose. The stockyard for Berwick Drift Colliery is 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 is on charge here, while the other is working in the yard.
The battery units are not swapped over, but charged while in place on the loco.
A special feaure of the trackwork is the recessed point levers. This is vital in the busy
yard where road vehicles are also constantly in use.
No.1, a 4wBE Clayton loco, 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.
At the far end of the yard various examples of rolling stock and locomotives can be
found. A Clayton, rebuilt in 1983 was seen out of use when pictured in 1995.
Amongst the various types of rolling stock in use are these 'home made' 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 let down the incline.
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.