Shildon to Newport Line for Train Sim World The Shildon to Newport Line was a prelude to an intended main line electrification project on the North Eastern Railway, of which Sir Vincent Raven (1859-1934) was an enthusiastic advocate, the coal line between Shildon and Newport near Newcastle was electrified. The project was far-sighted compared with other contemporary electrification schemes in utilizing the 1500 V DC overhead system, which was to become the standard in much of Europe before World War II. The electrification project was approved by the NER Board of Directors in 1913 and work began in 1914. The completed work was opened in two stages on 1 July 1915 and 10 January 1916. Ten center-cab electric locomotives of 1100 horsepower were built at Darlington Works to Sir Vincent Raven's design and numbered from 3 to 12. Notwithstanding that the scheme was extremely successful, the First World War put pay to using the experience gained for the main line electrification that had been intended, and during the 1930s traffic had declined so much that it was no longer economical to maintain the overhead electric equipment, and the line reverted to steam haulage on 7 January 1935. The Shildon to Newport Line would've been a great route for Christmas during the winter because it was during those years were the electric locomotives back then where they knew there was a time were the world never got dark or cold for the engines that were facing to be victims from the cutter's torch, because no matter how cold the winter at the towns of both Shildon and Newport, No matter how deep the snow covered the old rails, The Electric Engines will be warm again and their Christmas Spirits will grow. Locomotives BR Class ES1The BR Class ES1 (Electric Shunting 1) was a class of two electric locomotives commissioned by North Eastern Railway the in 1902. They were of steeplecab design. Both locomotives passed to the Londonand North Eastern Railway in 1923 and then to British Railways in 1948, but both were withdrawn before TOPS. The Locomotive even had it's spotlight moment in the online book series The Extended Railway Series as Dubbyn Moar A.K.A. Maude. It shoud be used as a passenger locomotive for the route after all Maude carries passengers in the books so why can't the real Class ES1 carry passenger trains too. BR Class EF1 The Class EF1 (Electric Freight 1) was a class of electric locomotives built by the North Eastern Railway from 1914. They were built to haul freight trains from the mines at Shildon to the docks at Newport. In common with other LNER electric locomotives, no classification was given to these locomotives until 4 October 1945, when nos. 3-12 were all classified EB1 (Electric Banking 1) although only no. 11 was actually modified for banking. It was expected that all the locomotives would be similarly modified, but this did not happen, and the remaining locos were classified as EF1 (Electric Freight 1). Electric traction on the Shildon line was discontinued in 1935 but the locomotives were retained for possible future use. Number 11 (later BR 26510) was rebuilt in 1941 for use as a banker on the Woodhead route and given the classification EB1 (Electric Banking 1). Horsepower was increased from 1,100 to 1,256 and the twin pantographs were replaced by a single central one. In October 1945, all ten locomotives were classified as Class EB1. Although only one had been rebuilt, it was expected that rebuilding of the others would follow. Nos. 3-12 were renumbered as Nos. 6490-9 in the LNER's 1946 renumbering scheme. After nationalisation in 1948 they were renumbered again as 26502-11. In 1949, the plan to convert the remaining nine locomotives as banking engines was dropped and they were reclassified as Class EF1 (Electric Freight 1). The EF1s were withdrawn in 1950–51. In 1949 the EB1, number 26510, was moved to Ilford Depot (Eastern Region) for use as a shunter. Number 26510 was transferred to departmental stock (as no. 100) in 1959 and withdrawn in 1964. None of the locomotives are preserved. The Locomotive even had it's spotlight moment in the online book series The Extended Railway Series as Poll-Ny-Chrink A.K.A. Polly. BR Class EE1 Class EE1 (Electric Express 1) was an electric locomotive commissioned by the North Eastern Railway in 1922. Ownership passed to the London and North Eastern Railway in 1923 and to British Railways in 1948. It was an electric locomotive in the pre-TOPS period. In the 1910s the North Eastern Railway made plans to electrify its York to Newcastle main line and this locomotive was built for hauling passenger trains. It had an electrically-heated boiler to generate steam for train heating. The wheels were arranged as in a 4-6-4 steam locomotive and the driving wheels were 6 ft 8 in (2.032 m) diameter. Each of the three driving axles was powered by a pair of traction motors. Electric locomotives of this design were common in continental Europe and the United States, but this was the only example on a British railway. After grouping in 1923 the London and North Eastern Railway dropped the electrification project so (apart from some trials on the Shildon to Newport Line) the locomotive was never used. It survived into British Railways ownership but was withdrawn in August 1950, and scrapped on 15 December 1950. In common with other LNER electric locomotives, no classification was given to this locomotive until 4 October 1945, when no. 13 was classified EE1 (Electric Express 1). In May 1946, no. 13 was renumbered to 6999; and under British Railways, it became no. 26600 in 1948. The Locomotive even had it's spotlight moment in the online book series The Extended Railway Series as Loey Machan A.K.A. Loey. Even though this unique locomotive never saw service, Dovetail Games can still try make this locomotives dream come ture and be a star attraction to pull both goods and passenger trains on the Shildon to Newport Line. The locomotive can even have it's own shed on the route at Shildon with the BR Class ES1.
Well if this does appear in TSW there'll be nothing else for it but to save up for a new system... You don't need to eat every day right? Raven had great electrification ambitions for the NER including York to Newcastle- number 13 was built as an express locomotive. Sadly, for several million reasons, WW1 intervened and the Newport line remained an isolated experiment with 13 achieving no more than run a few trials along it. In the '30s it became apparent that the overhead equipment would need replacing and it just wasn't worth the expense. The line has the dubious distinction of being the only railway to make the transition from electric to steam traction. I recommend the LNER encyclopaedia website to anyone who wants to read more about this... or anything else LNER of course. I'd love to see this in TSW or TS- perhaps with a wider electrified network giving an idea of what might have been. Maybe it would be launched at Locomotion (NRM Shildon) like the Weardale and Teesdale was.
