In the early 1980s, coal was still the lifeblood of many lines in
Yorkshire and the North East, with more than 50 pits still active in the
Yorkshire coalfield and more than 20 across County Durham and
Northumberland. Operations ranged from the slick merry-go-round services
to major power stations such as Drax to small-scale wagonload deliveries
to industrial and domestic customers. The steel industry was in full
swing, too, with numerous rail-served sites around Sheffield, Scunthorpe
and Teesside. The pits closed one by one along with their associated
sidings and, in some cases, branch lines. Tyne Dock adapted to
industrial change as it switched first from exporting to importing coal
and then to importing biomass. Meanwhile, the steel industry is still a
major user of rail freight, even though operations on Teesside and
around Sheffield are much reduced. Illustrated with over 160 carefully
chosen photographs, many of which are previously unpublished, this
volume looks at the changing face of rail freight in Yorkshire and the
North East. It details the changes in traction, rolling stock and
railway infrastructure over four decades.
