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


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 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.


Size: 4790px × 3182px
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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