Pack of three Stella Coal Company Stockton & Darlington Railway style chaldron wagons, as still running circa 1950! Wagons numbered 84, 33 and 50.
In 1882 the Stella Coal Company owned the Addison, Townley "Emma" Pit and and Townley Stargate collieries in Blaydon/Ryton. By 1902 Blaydon Main, Clara Vale and Greenside pits had been added. Addison, Emma, Greenside and Stargate were still producing coal at nationalisation.
Chaldron wagons were among the first types of railway wagons used in Britain, a very basic wagon designed for conveying coal and mostly owned by the colliery owners. Although replaced in regular railway service around the end of the 19th century chaldron wagons were still used around collieries and coal loading docks into the 1950s.