VIRTUAL TOUR
Here is a brief guide to what you can see and do during a visit to Bowes.
TRAIN RIDES
The platform to board our trains is located in the middle of the colliery yard. . Passengers can travel in one of three authentic brake vans, giving the passenger a real railwayman’s view and experience of working locomotives at close quarters.
(Train rides will hopefully resume during the 2017 season - see open day page for more details).
The train rumbles over the points in Springwell yard, once over the level crossing the engine works hard up the incline. On one side of the train is the quarry whilst from the other you can see out across County Durham, reaching the top of the climb the train leaves the main line onto the Pelaw main curve. After a short distance Blackhams hill platform is reached. Carrying on around the curve, passing the old chapel and Waggon Inn public house the line enters a shallow cutting. This part of the line has a more rural feel, with horses in the adjoining fields and lots of local wildlife. Leaving the cutting the train reaches the top of the climb, coasting down to the loop at Wrekenton. Here the engine will uncouple and run around the train ready for the journey back to Springwell. The line is followed most of the way by the Bowes railway path which provides views of our trains aswell as a way to stretch the legs for the more energetic.
(Train rides will hopefully resume during the 2017 season - see open day page for more details).
The train rumbles over the points in Springwell yard, once over the level crossing the engine works hard up the incline. On one side of the train is the quarry whilst from the other you can see out across County Durham, reaching the top of the climb the train leaves the main line onto the Pelaw main curve. After a short distance Blackhams hill platform is reached. Carrying on around the curve, passing the old chapel and Waggon Inn public house the line enters a shallow cutting. This part of the line has a more rural feel, with horses in the adjoining fields and lots of local wildlife. Leaving the cutting the train reaches the top of the climb, coasting down to the loop at Wrekenton. Here the engine will uncouple and run around the train ready for the journey back to Springwell. The line is followed most of the way by the Bowes railway path which provides views of our trains aswell as a way to stretch the legs for the more energetic.
WORKSHOP TOURS
The railway have carefully restored and maintained the large colliery workshops and courtyards used by the coal company's from 1826 to 1974. This large range of sandstone buildings contain the Tub shop and locomotive shed (1919 and 1934 respectively). The Tub shop is home to our resident blacksmith on selected open days. Also as part of the workshops you can visit the machine shop which is still at the heart of the railway, repairing our locomotives and waggons, it still looks as it did when the National Coal Board left in 1974. Whilst next door is the joiners shop dating back to 1826 and the opening of the colliery, you can smell the freshly cut wood as you enter this building.
The Springwell site is supposed to be Haunted by a number of ghosts, as you would expect with buildings dating back to 1826. The Blacksmiths shop (part of the tub shop) is supposedly haunted, by man in a boiler suit and flat cap and a strong smell of soap has been reported in this area. The final series of paranormal activity is the throwing of stones which has been experienced in the joiners shop and workshop buildings.
On the opposite side of the Springwell site you will find the self acting incline and waggon shops. These areas are accessible only across the tracks so care must be shown when visiting these areas.
The Waggon shop is the large building on the other side of the site, this cathedral like structure has been recently restored thanks to an English Heritage grant. Originally it was a coal bunker for the adjoining Spingwell colliery (storing 2,000 tonnes of coal), upon the mines closure, it was converted into a large workshop to maintain the railways waggon fleet. It was originally built in 1854 and was converted in 1932. Inside 25 men were employed repairing 5 waggons per fortnight.
ROPE HAULED INCLINES
At Springwell stands the remains of the self acting incline. This lowered waggons from our yard down to Jarrow on the river Tyne using gravity - fully loaded waggons running downhill hauled empties up the bank via a return wheel. The speed of the waggons was controlled by the brakesman in the cabin. This is an original part of the railway dating back to 1826, designed by prominent railway engineer George Stephenson. The buildings which stand here are the return rope wheel, bait cabin and the taller brake cabin from which the speed of waggons was controlled. The Planet shunter is seen here in-front of the Brake and bait cabins.
At Blackhams hill you can alight from the train and view the unique rope haulage equipment and the winding engine which is currently under restoration.* Once this is complete haulage displays will again occur here. The Engine inside is powered by electric and was installed in 1950 being constructed by Metropolitan-Vickers, replacing an earlier Steam hauler. Blackhams hill and Springwell represent the two types of incline used in the north-east, rope hauled using a stationary engine and gravity operated inclines. Please visit the rope haulage page for more information.
*Trains will only stop at Blackhams hill on request until restoration is completed.
The picture below left shows Blackhams hill today whilst below right in the final years of NCB operation.
*Trains will only stop at Blackhams hill on request until restoration is completed.
The picture below left shows Blackhams hill today whilst below right in the final years of NCB operation.
MINING EXHIBITION
The Tub shop as well as being the centre of our Blacksmithing displays also forms an exhibition of mining heritage, this includes underground locomotives, colliery documents and underground waggons displayed in two large rooms. The exhibition is currently under development and also includes a history of the Bowes Railway and models of the railway in its heyday.
KIP & DISH CAFE AND SHOP
Upon arrival at the Museum the first building you encounter is the Kip and Dish. Named after the raised and sunken sections of track associated with a rope hauled incline, this building is home to our cafe, shop and toilets. The cafe provides a range of hot and cold drinks as well as homemade cakes and hot sandwiches. The shop stocks a range books, railwayana and magazines for the rail enthusiast.
ENGINE SHED
Why not visit our locomotive shed where our steam engines are maintained and prepared, here you can see engines under repair and even visit the footplate. This is also a great location for photography as the shed looks exactly as it did in the days of the National Coal Board.
WAGGON DISPLAY
The large courtyard is home to our waggon display. The Bowes railway is based around its waggons, these form a key part of our collection. The display charts the development of our waggons from the earliest Chauldron waggons used upon the railways opening in 1826 through to the largest steel hoppers used in the 1960's and 70's.