Taking the route between Norton West and East junctions know to locals as 'The Back Line'

In post war days a magnesite train carried processed limestone from the quarries at Thrislington and Coxhoe to the Steetley magnesite works on the coast at Hartlepool. There were one or two such trains every day including Sundays and all Bank Holidays except Xmas Day (plus the return empties workings).

This is an interesting picture as in the 1950s the magnesite was carried in three-ton capacity containers shackled to to Conflats, as seen immediately behind the Q6 in this picture. The containers were filled and emptied by gravity unlike the more modern covered hopper wagons in the remainder of the train which used an efficient forced air discharge and carried an impressive 23 ton payload. During the 60s the use of containers was discontinued and the trains were made up entirely of Covhop vehicles so this is the short period when both types of vehicle were used.

Up to the early 1960s the motive power was invariably a West Hartlepool Q6 but by the mid 60s WDs and K1s were increasingly seen on these trains (also from 51C).

Photo by and copyright of David P Williams