The top of the self acting or gravity incline of the Bowes rope hauled railway at Springwell, north east England, UK

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The line from Springwell Colliery ran down to the river Tyne at Jarrow staithes. Loaded coal trucks descending the incline pulled up empties, the speed being controlled by a brakesman applying a brake to the cable return wheel at the head of the incline. This shot shows the end of the raised track at the head of the descent called a "kip". The purpose of the kip was to release the tension on the haulage rope on empty trucks coming up the gradient and to provide a gravity propelled shunt into the yard. The line used a combination of locomotives and rope haulage, the locos being employed on the less steeply graded sections at the start and end of the route.

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Size: 3264px × 4912px
Location: Bowes Railway, SSpringwell Road, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE9 7QJ, England, UK
Photo credit: © Washington Imaging / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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