Newcastle & Carlisle Railway

Obtaining its first Act of Parliament in 1829 the Newcastle & Carlisle was one of the very first railways, the first public railway in Cumbria and the first cross-country route linking the Irish and North Seas.

The scheme had its roots back in the canal era when several fruitless proposals had been put forward to link Carlisle with Newcastle from the 1790s onwards. Originally intended for the use of horse traction, steam locomotives were in use from the opening of the first section from Blaydon to Hexham in March 1835. The western end, from Carlisle to Blenkinsop, near Greenhead, was opened on 19th July 1836, with completion of the line throughout from 18th July 1838. An interesting feature or the N&CR was its adoption of right-hand running which lasted until merger with the North Eastern Railway in 1862.

The branch to Brampton long predated the Newcastle & Carlisle Railway having originally been part of the early waggonways which have become known as “Lord Carlisle’s Railways”, at one time providing a home for Stephenson’s “Rocket” before it was preserved in the Science Museum. This network of lines had a complex history, and at one time extended right through to Lambley on the Alston Branch.

The Alston Branch was first mooted in 1841 to go as far as the lead mining centre of Nenthead but the last few miles were not included in the final scheme which was completed in stages during 1851/52. Steeply graded, and with many bridges and viaducts, the line handled quantities of lead, lime and coal. Closure proposals came from the late 1950s onwards, but the branch continued to link remote Alston with the outside world until 1st May 1976, the final rites only being permitted after the construction of a new road. The southern section of the branch has since been reopened as the narrow-gauge South Tynedale Railway.

Openings and Closures

LineOpenedClosed
Hexham to Blaydon9 March 1835Open
Hexham to Haydon Bridge28 June 1836Open
Carlisle to Blenkinsopp Coll (Greenhead)19 July 1836Open
Blaydon to Redheugh (Newcastle)1 March 1837Open
Blenkinsopp Colliery to Haydon Bridge18 June 1838Open

Stations (west and south of Haltwhistle only)

StationOpenedClosed
Carlisle London Road19 July 18361 January 1863
Scotby19 July 18362 November 1959
Wetheral19 July 18362 January 1967
reopened5 October 1981Open
Heads Nook19 July 18362 January 1967
How Mill19 July 18365 January 1959
Brampton Junction19 July 1836Open
Brampton Town19 July 183629 October 1923
Naworth19 July 18365 May 1952
Low Row19 July 18365 January 1959
Gilsland19 July 18362 January 1967
Greenhead19 July 18362 January 1967
Haltwhistle18 June 1838Open
Featherstone Park19 July 18513 May 1976
CoanwoodJuly 18513 May 1976
Lambley17 November 18523 May 1976
Alston17 November 18523 May 1976