Introduction

This 1840 line was built to connect the Seghill Colliery to Percy Main on the north bank of the River Tyne. Part of the line is now open to freight, part closed and part a preserved railway. It became the Blyth and Tyne Railway, a passenger, goods and minerals carrying network and was extended several times. There are plans to re-open the goods only portion of line to passengers, with the name 'Northumberland Line'. 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 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