Introduction

The 1840 Seghill Railway was the core of the Blyth and Tyne Railway's network of lines. Part of the system is now part of the Newcastle Metro, portions are open to freight, others closed and a section is a preserved railway. For photographs see the line sections below. There are plans to re-open the goods only portion of line to passengers, with the name 'Northumberland Line'. North Blyth is open to bauxite traffic to the Lochaber Aluminium Works, Fort William which runs round south of Bedlington and travels north via Hepscott. This branch, so long associated with coal export, has a coal import facility at Battleship Wharf. A line north to Lynemouth Power Station is open to coal traffic. Newcastle to Tynemouth via Jesmond is part of the Tyne and Wear Metro. A portion of the original Seghill line, having closed to freight, became a test track for the Tyne and Wear Metro. Following its closure in 1983 it is now a railway museum, the Stephenson Steam Railway. Stephenson Steam Railway Development of the system 1840 Seghill Railway 1846 Blyth Extension (Seghill Railway) 1850 Bedlington Private Railway 1852 Act passed for the Blyth and Tyne Railway, combining the lines 1857 Morpeth Branch (Blyth and Tyne Railway) 1859 Warkworth Extension (Blyth and Tyne Railway) 1860 Shields Branch (Blyth and Tyne Railway) 1864 Newcastle Branch (Blyth and Tyne Railway) 1867 North Blyth Branch (Blyth and Tyne Railway) 1872 Newbiggin Branch (Blyth and Tyne Railway) At its northern end it connected with mineral lines, the Ashington Collieries Railway. In 1862 the North British Railway's Wansbeck Railway connected with it at Morpeth, take over of the B&T could have given the NBR its own line into Newcastle. To counter this the North Eastern Railway took over the B&T in 1874. Under the NER the network was further enhanced at North Blyth, Blyth, Monkseaton, Newcastle and a branch to Callerton and beyond. A number of mechanical signal boxes remain open on the network: Newsham, Bedlington South, Bedlington North, Marchey's House, North Seaton (gate box) Ashington Junction, Winning Crossing Junction, Freemans and a control cabin at Lynemouth Power Station.