Location type

Name and dates

Note: text in square brackets is added for clarity and was not part of the location's name.

Description

This was a temporary terminus for the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, the company's second terminus in Newcasle replacing Newcastle [Shot Tower] (opened 1839). It was opened in 1847 at the east end of the Forth Banks Viaduct which had been officially opened in 1846. The terminus, with temporary wooden buildings, was built at the west end of the Newcastle Central site, roughly the location of the later parcels sidings and west side carriage sidings, (the layout here has modified several times and particularly expanded with the opening of the King Edward Bridge). It was bounded to the north by Neville Street and to the west by Forth Banks. It was not exactly by the road, but a little to the east. The north part of Forth Banks is now known as Central Parkway.

The station was discussed at the shareholders meeting in 1845 'the only works, that will then remain to be executed, will be the erection of the permanent station in the town of Newcastle, and the extension of the line to it from the present temporary station, west of the infirmary.' The station was not far from the originally proposed terminus in Thornton Street. In order to reach the station the railway acquired land from the Newcastle Infirmary (see entry for more details).

Amendments to the company's Act in 1849 included provision for very complicated land swapping, leasing or sales between the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway and the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway in the area 'in and near to a place called the Spital' for Newcastle Central which was now under construction. Spital was the area more or less to the east of the Forth.

Newcastle Central opened in 1850, approached from the east. The approach from the west for the Carlisle line took a little longer and opened in 1851, Newcastle [Forth] closing at the same time.

Forth Banks Goods was further south and approached from a junction at the west end of the Forth Banks Viaduct.

The Forth was a popular public space, high ground with a view of the Tyne which saw many uses over the years. It was just to the west of the town walls, an area between the Gunner Tower and the Cattle Market, north east of the Newcastle Infirmary. It was obliterated during the construction of Newcastle Central.

Local

North East Lore - The Forth, Newcastle

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