Last Days of Steam in North East England

In September 1967, the last steam locos finished operations in the North East—the area where it had all begun 142 years before. The last trains ran from the engine sheds at Sunderland, Tyne Dock, and West Hartlepool, and were hauling coal from collieries to industrial sites, power stations, and docks for export or transport by coaster to ports in the south of England. The traffic had hardly changed as the original railways were built to transport coal, only the distance the coal traveled was now greater. Even the means of moving coal had not changed greatly—most coal moved in trains of wagons capable of carrying 16 or 21 ton loads and some were hauled by 0.6.0. locos. This book of color photographs shows scenes from the last two years of steam operations in and around Tyneside and Wearside, including locos in service with the National Coal Board at various collieries and the Doxford shipyard at Sunderland.

In septembrie 1967, ultimele loco-uri cu aburi au terminat operatiunile in nord-est - zona in care incepusera cu 142 de ani inainte. Ultimele trenuri circulau de la magaziile motorizate de la Sunderland, Tyne Dock si West Hartlepool si transportau carbune de la gazduiri catre site-uri industriale, centrale electrice si docuri pentru export sau transport cu coasterul in porturile din sudul Angliei.