Continuing his series of regional books reviewing the industrial
railways of England, Wales and Scotland, author Gordon Edgar looks at
the railways of what is today Northumbria, County Durham and Teesside,
covering a period of the last six decades, with an emphasis upon the
former National Coal Board railways. This is the eighth volume in the
series, covering an area once proudly boasting widespread coal mining,
steelmaking and shipbuilding activities, as well as numerous other
traditional industries large and small, most now sadly history. The
industrial railway diversity that one could have witnessed in this
region up until the latter part of the twentieth century was arguably
unequalled in Britain. The National Coal Board's Lambton, Hetton, Bowes,
Derwenthaugh, Ashington and Backworth railway systems, and the steel and
ironworks complexes at Consett, Lackenby and Skinningrove, and Doxford's
shipyard in Sunderland are just some of the locations familiar to many
industrial railway enthusiasts, all of which are covered. Far-reaching
changes in this region over the last half-century sadly leave just three
bona-fide industrial railway locations featured in this book surviving
today. Primarily utilising previously unpublished photographs, the
author offers a fascinating insight into the industrial railways and
locomotives of this region, endeavouring to convey the raison d'etre of
such railways held in great affection by many.
