Brandon Colliery Station (remains).10 May 1965
View NE, towards Durham; ex-NER Bishop Auckland - Durham line. The station looks rather decrepit in 1965; it was closed to passengers on 4/5/64, to goods on 10/8/64; the line closed finally on 5/8/68.
Not quite Deerness Valley but interesting none the less.
A Blast from the past. I recall the station and as a family we walked across that bridge on one of our weekend walks and visited someone my father or uncle knew in around 1960. The station was the building on the lower left with the chimney. Do not recall the other side bits and maybe if we had we might have found an -ESCALATOR -Ha Ha.
ReplyDeleteFrom the track at the rear of Broompark it was only a quick walk to Brandon. Down across the rail bridge and then to the beck bridge then up to the top and across the road to Brandon.
Brandon should very much be classed as in the Deerness. If not, then Broompark is also out. And Bearpark and New Brancepeth out.
The terrain of the Deerness valley is very different in parts. It steps up and down everywhere but most villages built above on the North or South side of the valley for the ease of building on flat ground.
Who was the person that decided to build Ushaw Moor right on the north side all the way to the Beck.??. Crazy, but very unique.
Ushaw Moor is probably the only town/ Village to have been built right IN the Deerness Valley and it is this that makes it stand out as a tourist attraction.
Unique is a strong word Ron I sense you maybe don't know the layout of Esh Winning or Waterhouses as the deerness virtually runs through the village in both cases along with hamsteels I would suggest they were truly in the valley ; though tourist attractions they may just fall short regards Frank Clarke
ReplyDeleteI suppose your right there frank. Leaving there at 12 years old i dont have a great memory of the other places such as Esh Winning. In fact i am interested to know where the valley starts and finishes. Also i am thinking i am also wrong about Broompark because as soon as you walked behind the Loves hotel from the main street it was a downhill walk all the way - just not as steep as Ushaw from what i remember.
ReplyDeleteMy Aunty lived in Garden street and you could see Brandon from upstairs looking across the valley. I cant remember just how far back it was from the road.