Washington Station

... looking north-east:  The Leamside Line continues to Pelaw Junction via Usworth Station, 1½ miles away.

THEN
An excursion train to West Durham, hauled by K1 Class Locomotive 62059, calling at Washington Station.
[ The 'Tyne Dock to Consett' line can be seen on the right of this photograph. ]

 

NOW 1
Note the shadow in the distance - that's approximately where the former Leamside Line crossed Washington Station Road.
[ Photo: J.G. 5th April 2017 - taken from the path, bottom-right, in the aerial picture below. ]

 

NOW 2
Aerial View of the former Washington Station
The fenced path, bottom-right, is a few metres north of the demolished long footbridge.
[ North-East at the top.   Google Earth: 4th Feb 2015 ]

 

Between THEN & NOW
The Bridge over Washington Station Road - not too long ago!
[ Note the long footbridge in the distance.  Photographer: unknown. ]

 

THEN
Washington Station:  looking south-west towards Washington Junction, Victoria Viaduct, Penshaw Station & London.
[ The 'Now 1' photograph was taken from the path that replaced the long footbridge. ]

 

 

Usworth Station

... looking north:  The Leamside Line passes Usworth Colliery (left, ½m) and Follingsby (Wardley No.1) Colliery (right, 2m).

THEN
Note level crossing on the 'New Washington / Sunderland' road.  There's a hint of an Usworth Colliery pit heap in the distance.
[ Photo: H.G.W. Household ]

 

NOW
The level crossing has gone but the 'Concord - Sunderland' minor road is just visible.
[ Photo: J.G. 28th Feb 2017 ]

 

NOW 2
Aerial View of the former Usworth Station, centre-right to bottom-right.
[ Google Earth: 4th Feb 2015 ]

 

THEN
Who remembers joining the crowds at Usworth Station for 'The Big Meeting' at Durham or the 'Top Club Trip' to South Shields?
[ The Top Club provided members' children with 'half a crown' each to spend.  Wow!   The house gable ends in this picture can also be seen in the top picture. ]

 

 

Penshaw Station

... looking north-east:  The Leamside Line continues to Washington Station, via Penshaw Junction & Victoria Viaduct.

THEN
The platforms were accessed via steps under the Penshaw Station Road, Railway Bridge - just beyond the station buildings.
[ Photographer: John Mann, 22nd September 1924 ]

 

NOW 1
The view looking north-east towards the former Penshaw Station, which was close to those distant walkers.
[ Photo: J.G. 20th April 2017 - Bridge over the A182 Washington Highway. ]

 

NOW 2
The view looking south-west - the site where Penshaw Station once stood.
[ Photo: J.G. 20th April 2017 - Bridge over Penshaw Station Road. ]

 

NOW 3
Aerial view of the former Penshaw Station
Note the bridges where the Leamside Line crossed the Washington Highway & Penshaw Station Road
[ Google Earth: 4th Feb 2015 ]

 

 

THEN
The view from Wapping Bridge, near 'Lambton Lion Park'.   A3 No.60042 leaving the 4-track section from Penshaw Station.
[ Photographer: unknown - 18th June 1961. ]

 

NOW 4
The view looking north towards the former Penshaw Station, exactly 1 mile away.   Note the curve to the right (north-east).
[ Photo: J.G. 20th April 2017 - Wapping Bridge, Bournmoor. ]

 

View From Penshaw Hill

... looking North.

THEN
Cox Green Station, Road down to River Wear, Washington Chemical Works, Empty Fields & Washington 'F' Pit Heap
[ The River Wear, hidden in the trees, runs horizontally, mid-picture. ]

 

NOW
Please use the road leading from the former Cox Green Station, down to Cox Green Village & River Wear, as your marker.
[ Photo: J.G. 7th March 2017 ]

•   •   ◊   •   •

"WHAT'S IN A NAME?
That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
( Juliet )

NOW
Temporary, 'Old but Refurbished' & Very Old:  Road Signs at former Cox Green Station.
The Old Sign reads Coxgreen, not the modern name of Cox Green.
Maps; River Wear (1737) describes it as Cock's Green.
[ Photo: J.G. 7th March 2017 ]

 

NOW & THEN
Pensher View (Terrace in Usworth),  New Painshaw & Painshaw Station (Maps: Washington, 1888-1913),  New Penshaw (Current Name).
[ Photographed and supplied by Keith Cockerill, 3rd March 2017 ]

 

Cox Green Footbridge  (Installed 1958)

... looking North across the River Wear.

THEN
(Industrial)

L/R: Valerie Cook, Ann Thompson & Ann's baby sister, Janice.   Victoria Viaduct is upstream to the left.
Blast Row is above the bridge and the Chemical Works spoil heap is above the white house.

 

NOW
(Idyllic)

[ Photo: J.G. 3rd September 2017 ]

 

THEN
(Industrial)

A Sunderland Historian's view of the River Wear and the Village of Cox Green in 1891.
This contrasts starkly with the view expressed in the much earlier song.
Without the copperas and the Chemical Works waste,
Cox Green is once again 'a bonny place'.

[ Book extract from Keith Cockerill.  Photo supplied by Sunderland Antiquarian Society to Sunderland Echo. ]

---

I had hoped to take 'NOW' pictures of the smaller 'THEN' scenes, but the trees were high, wide and all over the place!   I'm not complaining, though; I love trees.

 

Royal William Public House

... in Coxgreen Village.

THEN
The Royal William was situated on the south bank of the River Wear, at the western end of Coxgreen Village.
[ Photo supplied by Keith Cockerill ]

 

NOW
A Private Residence
[ Photographer: Keith Cockerill ]

 

Between THEN & NOW
The private residence on the left is the former Royal William public house at Coxgreen.
The young ladies are a couple of minutes walk from the Oddfellows Arms.
The Earl of Durham is on the right.   Note the paddle steamer.
Alice Well is just behind the lady with the pushchair.
[ Photo posted by Christine Scott ]