Hello Tom, Glad you enjoyed my film. I also remember Billingham old station and the coal workings to ICI . Access to the works was from the Haverton Hill branch which had a south facing connection to the main line. Coal trains came from the north hauled by engines from West Hartlepool and Sunderland and ran through the station and into a long goods loop on the up side which stretched as for as Norton signal box. The engine would then run round through the station and back onto the opposite end of it's train. When there was a clear path the train would run "wrong line" through the station then onto the branch. The same arrangement was repeated for the empties returning north and because of the potential delays this could cause to other traffic and adverse gradients the engines worked very hard through the station. This made for spectacular sights and sounds. Happy memories. Peter.

Hi, The shot you asked about is at Corfe Castle on the Swanage branch and was taken from the ruins of the castle. Peter.

Quite a trek I'd guess!!!

Yes it was but I was much younger and up for anything.@@christhompson2126

Hello Chris, If you have not seen it I have a shot of a Q6 at Thornaby on my West Hartlepool workings video. I also made sound recordings before I began filming and Thornaby was as good location as locomotives from Darlington, West Hartlepool, and Sunderland South Dock sheds worked through there. Happy days Peter.

Hi Peter, Well I'd guess that we both made a fair few sound recordings on our portable reel-to-reel machines... Some trips we made together, instance Normanton? Incidentally I changed my name to Chris/Kris some decades ago, soon after gaining promotion to Colchester as 'Area Technical Officer' in 1971 (a really fantastic job involving track levelling and supervising 'Traxcavators' on Saturday night relaying work "under the wire"... Do you still have your old tapes??? Best,

Hello Chris, Well, I had a feeling it might be someone that I knew back then but your first name did not register with me. Yes I remember Normanton very well particularly the occasion when a signalman invited us into the signal box one afternoon. I recall that there were a variety of engines still to be seen at this time including 4Fs on freights, Jubilees, Black fives and B1s on passenger trains and 2-6-4 tank engines on parcels trains. My portable reel to reel recorder suffered a mishap and was replaced by a more modern cassette recorder in 1967 Many years ago I was lucky to find a working second hand Sony tape deck with 1 7/8 inch per sec speed and using this transferred all of my reel to reel tapes to dvds. Also with the aid of a 12 channel graphic equaliser I was able to suppress some of the unwanted noise which was evident on these old tapes. Having done this I had no further need of the original tapes which were then disposed of. Thus my library of sound recordings became available to dub onto my Cine films which are all now on my KZfaq channel. Hope these bring back happy memories. Peter.

Hello, In response to your question the J27 65833 hauling a coal train was filmed at Bowesfield Junction Stockton. It is coming round the curve from Hartburn and heading towards Thornaby and Tees Yard. The lines in the foreground lead to Eaglescliffe. Peter.

Hello Philip In answer to your question the WD is leaving the short branch from Vane Tempest colliery north of Seaham at Hall Dene level crossing and heading off along the coastal line towards Sunderland. Peter.

Thank you Peter. ​@@PeterHutchinson-jc6wv

​@@PeterHutchinson-jc6wvjust looked on Google earth and you can still see traces of the the trackbed to the colliery. Thanks again Peter!

Hello Allen, You are correct in assuming that the blue star is that of Newcastle breweries. I believe the star represented the five sites operated by the company at that time, the products of which were enjoyed by railwaymen and enthusiasts alike !. It is being carried by the J27 65894 working the last steam operated trips on the Silksworth colliery branch. The branch left the coast route at Ryhope south of Sunderland and climbed at a gradient of 1 in 60 to the colliery giving the engine and crew plenty of work to do. Glad you enjoyed my film. Peter.