Northumberland railways

[jsimpson]

Hi all, I was looking for some background information on the railways in Northumberland. I've followed the main line on google earth and seen it branch off in places such as the one that runs past Ashington to where the Lynemouth industrial site used to be. Is this line still used and is it worth going to have a walk along?

 

[DarloRich]

Hi all, I was looking for some background information on the railways in Northumberland. I've followed the main line on google earth and seen it branch off in places such as the one that runs past Ashington to where the Lynemouth industrial site used to be. Is this line still used and is it worth going to have a walk along?

well the line to the smelter is OOU as the smelter has closed but i wouldn't suggest waling along it as trains could run at any time.

the rest of the Blyth and Tyne route is still in use

 

[androdas]

The B&T is yards from my house. The short line to the smelter not being used however tyere is 4 tpd i think taking coal to/from the power station, which Rio Tinto are hanging onto as the only profitable part of the site.

The branch to cambois is also in use with coal trains to the yorkshire power stations from Blyth docks and a train from the Rio Tinto ship unloading facility up to their remaining smelter near fort william a few times a week.

 

[transmanche]

The Northumbrian Railways website is pretty interesting for the line histories and some old pictures.

 

[Stats]

The short line to the smelter not being used however tyere is 4 tpd i think taking coal to/from the power station, which Rio Tinto are hanging onto as the only profitable part of the site.

I thought they had sold/were selling the power station to RWE.

 

[androdas]

I thought they had sold/were selling the power station to RWE.

Aparrently it was at an advanced stage of the sale, but its all gone quiet and the power station staff have been told they will be Rio Tinto employees for the time being.