NE coast walk

A cold but bright December day was the occasion for a walk from Blyth to Whitley Bay

Approaching Seaton Sluice 

Fish and chips in the Harbour View cafe - that's the so called small portion!

St Mary's Island

Sony NEX 6

Views Zuiko 50mm f1.8, food Sigma 19mm f2.8

Gasometers - Hendon, Sunderland

Gasometers, or gas storage tanks, are a rapidly disappearing feature of the landscape.  I noticed that they are currently dismantling the tank at Wallsend, long a Tyneside landmark, and decided that I should photograph the Sunderland gasometers before they also go.

There are three surviving tanks on the Hendon site and they represent an evolution of the technology from early to late Victorian, and then 20th century. The oldest tank has ornate cast iron columns, the late Victorian tank has a riveted steel framework, while the most recent is self supporting.

The last time I looked at the tanks a few years ago, they were still in use, but today they look  sadly neglected and I suspect that their days are numbered.

I'd like to see the oldest of the three preserved, if at all possible.

The three tanks seen from the south, newest nearest to camera

The oldest tank with ornate cast iron columns

The riveted steel (or wrought iron?) framework of the middle tank dating back to 1895

Sony NEX 6

Fatfield, Washington last of Autumn Colour?

Went for a local walk yesterday. The morning started rather gloomily, but then the sun came out and there was still some colour in the leaves.

Reflections in Mount Pleasant Lake

Woods above the Wear valley on the south, or Penshaw, side

South View Fatfield - Perfect reflection in the river Wear

Sony NEX 6 Pentax 28 and 35 mm lenses

River Tyne Walk - Riding Mill to Corbridge

This is a walk from Riding Mill, along the south bank of the river Tyne, to Corbridge. It's not all that far, maybe three miles, but with strong winds blowing we wanted a sheltered walk with hopefully some views of autumn colour.

We parked in the railway station car park at Riding Mill, plenty of room despite commuters' cars left earlier in the day.

To access the riverside path you need to cross the railway by the newly restored footbridge within the station - beautiful varnished wooden rails topping the steelwork - and then head west along the eastbound platform. There is a small gate at the end of the platform that leads through a wood and down towards the river. After that you just follow the path.

We were out of the wind for most of the walk, but also out of the sun on the shaded north facing side of the river. Glimpses of autumn colour could be seen occasionally on the other bank, but the path is for the most part inboard of the river bank and you are looking through trees and branches. Nevertheless it's a pleasant stroll, and the far bank does become fully visible on a couple of occasions.

The railway line follows much the same route, but further south. At one point you pass the portal of an abandoned railway tunnel, maybe the rails were moved further from the river to avoid flooding?

The photos below were both taken just outside Corbridge. It's difficult to get a clean shot of the bridge because of the vegetation and the Tyne was running full, preventing any sensible photography further from the bank.

From the bridge looking north east

The bridge from the south east

You can of course walk back, but there is convenient bus from the town centre, or, should you wish, you can catch the train from the station on the north side.

Sony NEX 6 Probably Pentax 28mm f3,5 K

Edit 4-3-17  Got my geography wrong, north and south reversed!

Tanfield Railway September Gala

I was working on Saturday so I could only get on the Sunday, when the sun did not shine!

Several of the locos sported a sprig of  heather on their smokebox doors, something to do with a referendum perhaps?

The star of the show was the Lambton tank No. 29, brought in from the North York Moors Railway

Seen with an appropriate Lambton Worm headboard!

Leaving Andrews House station

And here's one that I took earlier, about 45 years earlier, at the Philadelphia NCB works.

Interestingly, No. 29 appears to have its chime whistle at this time. The film was probably developed in my parents' bathroom; looks like reticulation has occurred due to temperature variation in processing. Digital is so easy!

Sony NEX 6 with manual focus lenses, not sure what I used for the B&W, possibly EXA 500.

North Yorkshire

With the prospect of fine weather south of Tyneside we drove down to Grosmont in the North Yorkshire Moors and had a ride on the North York Moors Railway. 

Two ex LNER steam loco designs, a B1 4-6-0 passes the loco shed while A4 pacific Sir Nigel Gresley stands beneath the coaling tower.

Driving back up the coast we called in to Staithes, a small ex fishing village with a sandy beach. It's rare, in my experience, to see the North Sea looking so attractive, but that's how it was on Sunday.

Sony NEX 6

Wallington, Northumberland

We try to get to the National Trust property at Wallington once a year, primarily to see the fabulous walled garden. Click on any photo to enlarge.

A NT gardener told us that the pink flowers are lobelia, but they don't look like lobelia to me

He might have been referring to these small pink flowers?

Fuchsia in the greenhouse

Butterfly on Buddleia - infinite patience required for this shot!

The water lily lake, seen on the walk to the garden.

See also Wallington Hall and Gardens

Sony NEX 6 Manual focus lenses