Black Fell steam hauler driver Mr Pallister Senior
At the controls in 1920 ( © Bowes Railway Archive and D Charlton collection)
The original Black Fell Engine was built around 1841 by Thomas Murray of Chester-le-Street. It had a 36 inches (90 cm) by 60 inches (150 cm) vertical cylinder which was provided with steam by seven boilers. When the incline was converted to double track in 1854 a second cylinder was placed at right angles to the first, the connecting rods coming on to the same crank pin. The drum was divided to accommodate a second rope which came off the drum through the rear of the engine house, and was fed around a large vertical wheel approximately 20 yards (18 m) away, then back underground to emerge on the far side of the kip. This allowed two sets to be run at the same time - the rope attached to the ascending full set being wound in, while the rope on the descending empty set unwound.
The Murray engine was replaced in 1913 by a new one from Robey and Company Ltd of Lincoln. This had 18 inches (45 cm) by 36 inches (90 cm) horizontal cylinders with two 8 feet (7.2 m) diameter drums. A new engine house was built immediately behind the old one to accommodate this.
As at Blackham's Hill, a replacement engine was installed in 1950, the Black Fell engine being a 500 horsepower three-phase electric hauler from British Thompson-Houston Company Ltd of Rugby. The new motor was situated behind the drums, these being replaced in 1961. The winding machinery was again provided by Robey & Co Ltd.
The driver's cabin is at floor level, with a horizontal indicator in front of the cabin window to show the position of the sets on the incline, and two mirrors to allow the driver to observe the ropes.
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This page last updated 18th March 2006 |