Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns Ltd built No 9 0-6-0ST, works number 7097, in Newcastle in 1943. The locomotive was delivered new to the War Department at Melbourne Military Railway in Derbyshire in November 1943 for storage. She was numbered WD75061 and first worked at Kirkby in Ashfield opencast mine in early 1946.
She arrived at Backworth (also known as Eccles Colliery) later that year and spent around 6 years working there before being in storage at Killingworth Shed. After returning to Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns Ltd for repair in 1955 she worked at Widdrington opencast mine and Newtongrange in Midlothian before returning to Backworth in June 1961. She was employed at various collieries in Northumberland and was numbered No 9 at Backworth, remaining there until withdrawal in 1976 from service.
She was bought by the Strathspey Railway in 1976, the year after the railway started operating and worked briefly (we think possibly as few as 8 times in steam) in 2008. She was withdrawn and stored until 2019 when her restoration began in June of that year.
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No 9 at Eccles Colliery. Photo credit R. Lambeth.
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At Backworth Colliery August 1975. Photo credit Gerv Wright.
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Crossing the former Blyth and Tyne Railway at Earsdon Junction late 1960's. Photo credit Richard Hodgkiss.
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| Eccles Colliery, Backworth NCB No 9 at Church Road Level Crossing |
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| Eccles
Colliery No. 9 heads out of Weetslade Washery on August 12, 1969. | | |
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No 9 at Fenwick Colliery in 1973. |
The follwing photos were taken by the late Alan Hoggett in 1976 at Backworth. His son Kevin took some super 8mm film at the same time which I have edited and can be viewed in the video section. The photographs do them both justice!
The following photographs of No 9 were taken in 1972-ish by the late Geoff Marsh, brother of Philip Marsh who kindly sent them to me. Also included is NCB No 43 (0-6-0ST - built 1954 by
Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn Ltd., Works No.7802) and 1 other 0-6-0ST which is unidentifiable.
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