Tanfield Railway

Address: The Engine Shed, Marley Hill, Sunniside, Newcastle upon Tyne NE16 5ET

Andrews House Station: Refreshments, gift shop, picnic area, engine shed

The Tanfield Railway claims to be the oldest existing railway in the world, it started in 1725 as a horse drawn wooden waggonway used to transport coal to ships on the River Tyne.  A forerunner of the 19th century steam railways it has two exceptional engineering features still standing on the railway today. The first is Causey Arch which was the first railway bridge and the other is the 100 feet high Causey embankment.

In 1881 the horses were replaced by steam locomotives with two stationary steam winding engines working the steep gravity, rope sections of the line. After the First World War the railway was in decline as the smaller coal mines shut down. Tanfield Lea and East Tanfield pits remained open but in 1964 East Tanfield was closed. The National Coal Board decided the small amount of traffic remaining could be conveyed by road so the railway was surplus to requirements. 

The engine shed at Marley Hill was shut by the National Coal Board. Following this it was occupied by the North of England Open Air Museum at Beamish, who used it for storing and restoring its railway exhibits. Later the exhibits were removed to the Open Air Museum. Built in 1854 the engine shed now houses one of the finest collections of industrial steam engines in the country.

A train service commenced in 1981 with the line being extended in sections on the original trackbed. The terminus at East Tanfield was reached in 1992.

Two steam locomotives are operational 'Renishaw Ironworks No.6' 0-60ST and 'Sir Cecil A Cochrane' 0-4-0ST. The railway uses 0-6-0 or 0-4-0 industrial tank engines which combined with the vintage looking coaches give the impression of a 1900s light railway.

Website: www.strps.org.uk    YouTubevideo    location map

Alston Station: Refreshments, gifts, souvenirs, transport exhibition

Permission to build a 13 mile branch line from Haltwhistle to Alston was granted in 1846. The whole route was not completed until 1852 because of the heavy engineering required. It became an important industrial area with mines producing 10,000 tonnes of lead a year at their peak. Coal and limestone were also excavated in large quantities, all of these were transported by the railway.

The line was fortunate to escape the Beeching axe, only to succumb to closure in May 1976. Just before this, the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society was formed with the object of purchasing the complete line. Unfortunately the funds demanded by British Rail could not be raised so all the track was lifted.

In the meantime Northumberland and Cumbria County Councils purchased the trackbed from BR. In 1977,  the Society  decided to build a narrow gauge railway along the original track. An agreement was made with the Council resulting in the first passenger trains running on 30 July 1983. At first there was one mile of track, an extension to Gilderdale took place in 1986, another increase in line length to Kirkhaugh was completed in 1999. There are ambitious plans to double the railway track by reaching Slaggyford in future.

At present there are three steam locomotives in working order No.6 'Thomas Edmondson' 0-4-0ST,  No.10 'Naklo' 0-6-0T and No.14 'Helen Kathryn' 0-4-0T. All the passenger coaches have been built by the railway.

Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway

Dalegarth Station: Refreshments, visitor centre

This was originally a 3ft gauge line opened in 1876 to serve a group of iron mines in Eskdale, passengers were also carried. Plagued by financial problems from the beginning it carried on until 1913 when the last mine was shut causing the railway to be completely abandoned.

Narrow Gauge Railways Company leased the line in 1915, re-gauging it to 15 inch to be used by the miniature locomotives built by Basset-Lowke. One month after taking possession trains began to running over a completed one mile section of track to Muncaster Mill. In 1925 the railway was taken over by Sir Aubrey Brocklebank who decided to expand the quarry at Beckfoot and the crushing plant at Murthwaite to provide extra revenue. 

At the end of September 1939 passenger traffic ceased for the duration of the war. A service started again in 1946. The Brocklebank family decided to sell the quarry and railway. They were acquired by Keswick Granite Company. In 1953 the quarry was closed down but they kept the loss making railway going as a means of reducing the company's liability for corporation tax. When this tax concession was withdrawn in 1957, the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway (RER) was put up for sale.

A preservation society was formed to try to purchase the railway, unfortunately they were unable to raise the money required until a Birmingham stockbroker, Colin Gilbert made a large contribution. With adequate funding the RER was able to make many improvements including replacing carriages, a new locomotive and renovating some of the stations. The railway was a pioneer in the use of radio as a form of train control.

All repairs are carried out at the RER workshop, indeed it is so well equipped they built the locomotive 'Northern Rock' . There are four steam engines 'River Irk' 0-8-2, 'River Esk' 2-8-2, 'River Mite 2-8-2 and 'Northern Rock' 2-6-2. 

Despite the diminutive size of the locomotives and carriages this is a proper railway running through spectacular Cambrian scenery. Young or old, everyone will enjoy a trip on the Ratty, as the line is affectionately known.

Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway

Address: Haverthwaite Station, Nr. Ulverston, Cumbria LA12 8AL
Telephone: 015395 31594
Line Length: 3½ miles  Gauge: 4ft 8½ inches
Route: Haverthwaite to Lakeside 
Journey Time: 18 minutes
Service: 27 March - 31 October
Tickets: Adult £5.90, Child £2.95, Family £16.00 (2 adults and 3 children) return fare
Parking: Haverthwaite Station LA12 8AL
Website: www.lakesiderailway.co.uk    YouTubevideo    location map

Haverthwaite Station: Refreshments, gift shop, goods yard

Lakeside Station: Shops, boat trips on Lake Windermere

William Wordsworth and others objected strongly to the the railways coming to the Lake District. They did not get their way as to start with the line from Oxenholme to Windermere was built, to be followed by two more.

The Furness Railway Company opened the Lakeside and Plumpton Branch Railway on 1 June 1869. From the beginning tourists were the major source of income. Business was at its peak during the inter-war years when there were numerous special excursions to the Lake District.

After World War II the traffic became very seasonal with few passengers in the winter months. Dr Beeching recommended the line for closure, so after nearly one hundred years of continuous use passenger trains stopped in 1965, although a goods service continued until 1967.

In 1973, a 3½ mile stretch of track was opened as a preserved line by the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway  (LHR). It was intended to reinstate the complete branch but road widening meant this was not possible.  

The railway was from the outset designed to link up with the steam boats on Lake Windermere. Today is no different, with many people coming via Ambleside or Bowness on the boat to have a trip on the LHR. Lakeside station is next to Lake Windermere, where the boats regularly call, combined boat and railway tickets are available.

On the LHR there are the following steam locomotives No.42073 LMS 2-6-4T, LMS No. 42085 LMS 2-6-4T, No. 2333 Barclay 'David' 0-4-0ST, No.1245 Barclay 0-6-0T, No.3698 Austerity 0-6-0ST, No.2682 W.G. Bagnall 'Princess'.

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