Matt Ditch Photography Blog

 

My previous visit to Beamish was in less-than-ideal conditions (rain!). So, when I found out visiting Andrew Barclay No.1219 would be running during the week I decided to make another visit. thankfully the weather was much nicer! And, I was able to record a video of it shunting. Which I'll release this weekend on my Youtube channel (Matt Ditch Photography) The attached image shows 1219 passing by the colliery engine shed with a rake of Chaldron wagons. The full gallery can be found here

 

 Video of the day - Beamish steam gala. 01/04/23 Unfortunately due to a fault with my video camera, I could not capture any meaningful footage from the recent Steam gala at Beamish. I have therefore put together this video slide show to show off a selection of the images I was able to capture at the event. But, this has given me the opportunity to experiment with a new type of video.

 Beamish Steam Gala. 01/04/23 Over the weekend of the 1st &2nd of April, Beamish Museum held its first transport-related event of the year. The star guest for the event was Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No.1219 visiting from the Pontypool & Blaenavon railway in South Wales. The engine was operating on the colliery railway with museum resident Coffee Pot No.1. 1219  is staying at the museum till early May.  Below are some of my favorite pictures from the event. The full gallery can be found here. Visiting Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No.1219 Foden "Mighty Atom" No.1 behind the Colliery engine shed 1219 & Stephen Lewin replica "Samson" Fowler road locomotive and Sunderland tram No.16

 Head, Wrightson & Co No.21/ Seaham Harbour Dock Company No.16  No.21 was built in 1870 by Head, Wrightson & Co as No.21 at their Teesdale Ironworks in Stockton-on-Tees for the Londonderry Railway to work at Seaham Harbour in County Durham, just south of Sunderland. In 1899 the Londonderry Railway became part of the North Eastern Railway. And in 1900 the Seaham Harbour Dock Company Ltd was formed and the locomotive passed into their ownership, where it became No.16. It remained at Seaham until 1959 when it was sold back to Head, Wrightson & Co. Who restored it to how it would have looked when built. Today the loco is on static display in Preston Park near Stockton. Sister engines No.33/17 and No.1 are based at Beamish museum. No.1, which is nearly identical to 21 is operational and steamed regularly (pictured below).

Event recap: Beamish Museum - "Coffee Pot 150"  01/05/21 Beamish museum held their first event since 2019 on the 1st of May 2021. The event was to celebrate the 150th birthday of the museums resident "Coffee Pot" No.1. Which, was built in 1871 by  Head Wrightson & Co Ltd in Teesside for  Dorking Greystone Lime Company for use at Betchworth Quarry. It is believed that the engine was in use up till 1949, although some reports suggest that it was dismantled for inspection in 1950 and returned to steam, steaming till 1952 when it was withdrawn. In 1960, it was repurchased by its makers and along with 2 other "Coffee Pots" both from Seaham. These were No's.21 and 33, which is also a Beamish resident. No.21 is now on static display at Preston Park near Thornaby. No.1 was offered to Beamish Museum in 1962 but did not arrive at the museum till 1970. Between 1962 and 1970 it was stored at British steels Consett Ironworks. At Beamish it was restored to opera...