Loftus History
Exploring Paddy Waddell’s Railway
John Waddell (1828 - 1888) was a Scottish-born railway contractor based in Edinburgh. He ran the enterprising and respected firm John Waddell & Sons and went on to complete many routes during the rise of the railways across England during the late 19th century, especially for the NER.
Notable examples of his work include the rebuilding of Putney Bridge in London (1882), the Scarborough & Whitby Railway, completion of the Whitby Redcar and Middlesbrough Union Railway and the Mersey Railway tunnel.
On 17 February 1883 an agreement was reached with John Waddell to construct a tunnel under the River Thames between Tilbury and Gravesend, work which would have carried trains through to Dover for a potential Channel tunnel, although that proposal was eventually dropped.
He died at his home, 4 Belford Park, Edinburgh on 17th January 1888, aged 60. He left three sons - George, Robert and John, who carried on his business after his death.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
See web link for story of Paddy Waddell's Railway
by Peter Gleghorn
The railway line between Loftus and Whitby is in the news because of its coming closure – but an interesting side light on the line in this area is illustrated by the two pictures. On the left (top) is a viaduct, about 150ft high, which used to carry the line between Carlin how and Loftus over a beautiful wooded valley, one of the finest walks in the district. The photograph incidentally belongs to Mr J Husband of 62 Coronation Street, Carlin How. The viaduct however can no longer be seen – and for a rather odd reason. When the pillars, made from Sandstone, began to show signs of wear, it was decided to fill in part of the valley up to the height of the viaduct. For this purpose shale was brought from Liverton mines and after a culvert had been constructed to carry the stream, the build up continued until the landmark had disappeared and the railway ran on an embankment instead of a bridge. Local memories differ as to the year the work was completed but 1908 is the majority opinion. And the result can be seen in our photograph on the right (below) where the embankment casts its dark shadow where once the bridge had stood.
When the pillars on this viaduct began to weaken the valley was filled up and the viaduct became an embankment.
Closing Chapter
Another chapter in local railway history is now closing with the taking up of the Skinningrove zig-zag line. Workmen are busy taking out the metals and sleepers of the line which link up with the main Middlesbrough – Loftus railway line at Carlin Howe.
The zig-zag line served Loftus mines, the gas plant at Skinningrove, domestic coal depots and the now disused Bells mine at Carlin Ho. The iron ore from Loftus now goes up to Skinningrove Iron works by buckets on the serial ropeway, and its timber for underground work is conveyed to the mine by lorries.
A similar means of transport now serves the gas plant and alternative arrangements for domestic coal supplies have been made at Loftus.
Picture 1. Workmen load scrap material on Skinningrove zig-zag railway line which is now being taken up.
Pcture 2. Mr R Clough from Darlington District Engineers Department of British Railways burns through a rail so that it can be loaded.
Monday 5th May 1958
After three quarters of a century the Loftus - Whitby railway line was closed on Saturday for economic reasons. TOM ASHWORTH made the sentemental journey on the last regular train, labelled appropriately enough by a young passenger "The Economist"
A chapter if railway history ended when the Loftus - Whitby coast line closed on Saturday night and railway enthusiasts from all over Britain were there to see that the sad event was fittingly recorded.
Just as a much more famous train, the six-five special was clattering across millions of television screens. I rode into Whitby in the guard’s van of the last rain from Loftus to Whitby.
Three quarters of a century after cheering crowds had given a rousing send-off from Whitby to Loftus, guard Norman Watson of Bradford and I were the last people to travel by train over on of the most picturesque stretches of track in Britain.
Our triumphant 16 ½ mile journey was punctuated by cheers, tears and the incessant clicking of camera shutters. Schoolboys, university students and elderly gentlemen all united in the common bond of railway lore, hung out of the carriage windows, wrote in notebooks and took camera shots of everything and everybody. They had come from all parts of the country to make this historic journey.
One of them David Lowther a 14 year old schoolboy from Upper Poppleton, near York, even brought an epitaph in the form of a headboard for the engine pulling the last train. In neat black letters it proclaimed “The Economist” – a silent reproach to British Railway pundits who decreed the closure of the line.
After carefully fixing the board in position, David stood on the platform with his grandmother, Mrs Hannah Sayer of Park View Loftus and a friend Peter Craggs of Meanwood, Leeds. “I suppose it had to come to this” he remarked glumly, “but I still think they could have TRIED to keep the line going”.
The Norman two coach set had been extended to five to cope with the demand for seats. At Loftus, driver Tom Sutherland of Whitby and his fireman, 17 year old Peter Appleton, posed for photographs and signed Autograph books as though they had been used to this sort of thing all their lives.
Station Master J.L. Besford said he had not seen so many people since the snow blocked roads and brought increased traffic to the line. Ten year old twins Barbara and Kathleen Stoot and 13 year old Lillian Raw who, with their mothers had travelled from Whitby with the intention of riding in the last compartment of the last train home were disappointed. The last compartment was locked. In it were a honeymoon couple, Mr & Mrs Norman Stedman. Mr Stedman of Fontwell, Sussex and his bride formerly Miss Elizabeth N Kay-Evans of 23 Richard Street, North Skelton had got in at Brotton when the train was just a train before it became a piece of history. Guard Watson explained: “I locked them in the last compartment because the one they were in originally was covered in confetti”. A few compartments further up. Mrs Peggy Theaker, booking parcels and Clerk at Loftus was travelling home to Staithes by train for the last time. From today Mrs Theaker and porter Lawrence Wicks, who also lives at Staithes will go to work by bus.
As the train pulled in at Staithes Mrs Theaker got out and Mr Fred Dowson, who did her job from 1897 – 1901 got in. Mr Dowson who is 83 was travelling home to Scarborough. He did not travel on the first train but remembers the track being laid and in 54 years’ railway service he knew this section of line better than most people. now a little more about you.
On from Staithes to Hinderwell where there was another crowd waiting. More photographs more cheers and then we puffed round the wide sweep of Runswick Bay to the tiny hamlet of Kettleness. Here the excitement of the railway enthusiasts reached its peak, for the last train in the opposite direction was waiting to receive the tablet to enable it to enter the single line stretch. Hundreds of people stood on the little platform among them Mr J B McClurg, clerk to Whitby Rural Council who had fought hard to save the line. Tom Sutherland who has made hundreds of journeys through Kettleness had never seen a bigger crowd at this point. This was were we saw the tears, from the people of Kettleness who had turned out in force. To them, living nearly two miles from the bus route, the closure of the line means a return to stage coach days and in winter, complete isolation. Finally, hugging the coast, through the deep tunnel nearly a mile long and round to Sandsend. A brief halt, more photographs and we set out on the last stage to Whitby. As we rumbled over the East row viaduct a little knot of people waved from below. Among them was Miss Edith Jackson of Holme Lea, who was a girl of nine when the first train ran, and travelled on the day it opened.
We steamed into West Cliff station and people living in the houses next to the line congregated along their fences and waved. Station Master Ernest Thwaytes was there on the platform to cast a professional eye at the engine, which had been given a special polish in honour of the occasion. Although the end of the line form the closure point of view, this was not the end of the journey for the train crew. They had to take the train to Scarborough and back to Whitby before their tour of duty had finished. But the excitement had gone. From now on our triumphant train was just the 6.2p.m. Whitby to Scarborough. And surprisingly enough after all the hoo-hah she was only six minutes late!
Footnote: for the purists, our train was not the last one from Loftus to Staithes. This distinction went to the 5.30 p.m. from Middlesbrough, known to railwaymen as the “Football Special” which arrived at Staithes at 6.40pm on Saturday night with little or no ballyhoo.
Romance takes a trip… on the last train as newly weds Mr and Mrs J Stedman board it at Brotton to go on their honeymoon. The bride, formerly Miss Elizabeth Kay-Evans of North Skelton gives a farewell kiss to her mother.
The Last Train nears Sandsend, along the track which runs so close to the cliff edge.
Their final meeting. The last train between Middlesbrough and Whitby passing each other at Kettleness, which is now without any public transport.
The scene at the former Loftus railway station this week as British Railways employees dismantle the track. Until recently, goods trains operated between Loftus and Teesside, but the service has now been withdrawn and the track is being demolished.
The closing of the Whitby - Loftus railway line and the start in taking out the line will mean the disappearance of the Staithes viaduct, which carried the line over the valley between Cowbar and Staithes.
The imposing structure (above) is one of the highest viaducts in the North - 150 feet high and 230 yards long. An indication of when the viaduct was built can be gathered from the fact that the first sod for the line was turned at Sandsend on 29 May 1871, and the Whitby-Loftus line was opened on December 3, 1883.
An interesting point about the viaduct is that it has a wind guage installed. When the wind reached a certain force, a warning bell rang in a nearby cabin.
When the viaduct disappears, it will mean the removal of one of the finest points for photographing picturesque Staithes.
The commencement of the demolition of the viaduct at Upgang, where the most interesting "find" todate is a large quantity of Golf balls.
WORK IN PROGESS AT STAITHES AND UPGANG
Work has begun on the demolition of two of the five viaducts on the former section of the Whitby West Cliff-Loftus coast railway line. The first two viaducts receiving attention are Upgang and Staithes. The contractors are Messrs. Thomas Ward, Sheffield and the sub contractors responsible for the demolition are Messrs. Carter-Horseley, engineers, Newcastle-on-Tyne. They are a firm with considerable experience, and they have recently fulfilled contracts in Sweden and at Fraserburgh, where they erected a radio telescope for American interests. A percentage of local labour is being employed on the demolition work, and it is expected that all five viaducts at Staithes, Sandsend, East Row, Newholm Beck and Upgang will be down within three months. Six small bridges on the fifteen mile stretch of the former railway will be demolished later.
Mr D. Nicholson is foreman in charge of work at Staithes, the largest viaduct of the five, with a span of 700 feet and a maximum height of 155 feet, in this viaduct there are 44 tons of timber, 325 tons of steel and 213 tons of concrete, with which the massive iron supports are filled. The materials from this viaduct will go to the Skinningrove Iron and Steel works. Among the equipment used in the demolition work is a six ton tractor crane. A wind guage, which hung in the centre of the viaduct has been moved to the British Railways Museum at York. At the moment Mr. Nicholson has a dozen men employed on the viaduct and he expects the number to be increased to 16. It is anticipated that the structure will be removed before the end of May.
Mr A. Tonks is foreman of the gang of workmen responsible for removing the small viaduct at Upgang. The viaduct there is 86 feet at the highest point from the bottom of the valley, and about 300 feet long. It contains approximately 200 tons of steel and Mr Tonks told a Whitby Gazette reporter this week that the destination of the scrap obtained at Upgang had yet to be decided.
The fact that the iron stanchions supporting the viaducts are filled with concrete - there is 12 tons in each of those at Upgang, and much more in the pillars at Staithes - is adding to the difficulty of the demolition. To get the tall iron pillars down, the workmen have had to cut through the concrete at the base, and then pull them over. All the materials salvaged from the viaducts is being cut into sizes of 4ft.6in. by 2ft. 6in. before it is ready for despatch as scrap.
When the work at Upgang is finished the sub contractors will turn their attentions to the viaducts at Newholm Beck, Eastrow and Sandsend in that order.
"We hope to have everything down within three months" said Mr Tonks "and the work is going very well indeed at the moment."
Interesting discoveries are often made in demolition work and apart from the usual old birds nests at the Upgang viaduct, the workmen have been amused to find scores of golf balls wedged in parts of the bridge structure, and lost by golfers hitting over this section of Whitby Golf Course. So far, they have almost filled a box with the balls they have found.
Railway Finale- and a look back
When the last goods train pulls out of Loftus Station this month it will be the finale of this section of the line that once had one of the most picturesque passenger runs in Cleveland.
For many years passenger trains travelled to Loftus from Saltburn by way of Huntcliff.
From Loftus, the line formerly ran on to Whitby by way of Staithes, and when this section was closed in 1955, passenger trains continued to operate from Middlesbrough to Loftus until April 1960.
Since then the station has been open only for goods traffic. Now the stretch of line between the junction for Skinningrove Works and Loftus is to be closed, saving British Railways heavy repair costs for the bridge which crosses the Carlin How Road.
Opened in 1875
Loftus station was opened on 1st April 1875 and passenger services were introduced from this date. The service was from Saltburn to "Lofthouse", via North Skelton, Brotton and Carlin How, the trains having to reverse direction at Saltburn west junction, near the present day Caravan site.
For half of their journey they used the newly completed Saltburn extention railway, opened June 1 1872, which although only 3 1/4 miles in length, formed a vital link between the Redcar and Saltburn railway and the Cleveland railway at Brotton for transporting the iron-ore traffic from Warsett Hill mines to the iron-works of Teesside.
This line, still in use for freight, abounds in steep gradients and crosses the valley through which Skelton Beck now flows near Marske Mill, on a picturesque eleven arch brick viaduct, 153 feet high and 261 yards long.
After joining the Cleveland railway west of Brotton station, the passsenger trains contuinued around the well known Saltburn landmark of Huntcliff at about 150 feet above the sea which could be clearly seen from the train. Arriving at Carlin How, they were faced with a short downhill run through Skinningrove to the viaduct crossing Kilton Beck. This viaduct, which was built on a curve of 18 chains radius, quite sharp for trains, from the designs of Mr. (later Sir James) Brunless, and was 226 yards long, being constructed of wrought iron lattice girders.
Buried in Shale
It was 150 feet high above the bed of the beck, but only existed for 40 odd years, since 1911 it was buried under 720,000 tons of shale because of mining subsidence. During this period passenger trains were withdrawn for a few months.
From the viaduct the line continued to rise as far as Loftus, but the engines used to take it well within their stride.
Although all passenger services were withdrawn from Loftus in April 1960 a "passenger" train recently visited the station. It was on June 8 last that a train consisting of an engine and four brake vans forming the Stephenson Locomotive Society special - "The Cleveland Limited". It travelled the one and three quarter miles down the single line from Craig Hall signal box and the "viaduct", still clearly defined, to Loftus.
It is this single line which crosses the skew brick bridge at the top of Carlin How bank, now shored up. Because this bridge is in such a state of disrepair, the railway authorities have decided to close "Lofthouse" for ever, lifting the trackwork and later demolishing the bridge.
And so another chapter is almost closed on the North Yorkshire railway system. The line served the community well, as a public meeting before the coast line was closed showed. Let us hope that not all our "Iron" road will go, or what will our roads become? Chaotic!