Local area 

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This line runs through the far north of England. The area is not highly populated west of greater Newcastle except for towns at Hexham and Haltwhisle until Carlisle is reached.

Chronology 

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Description of route 

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This line ran 61 miles from Newcastle to Carlisle.

Canal Yard

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This was the western extermity of the line. Here the line was met at an end on junction by the Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock Company. This line was bought by the North British Railway who extended it via the Border Union Railway to Edinburgh as the Waverley Route. The line was also extended to Silloth. The NBR was to open a station, Carlisle Canal, here from 22/6/1854 to 1/7/1864.

Rome Street Junction

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This was a junction between 5 lines. To the north the original line to Canal Yard and the Goods Traffic Committees Line ran to a south facing junction. Immediately to the south was a north facing junction between a spur from the Maryport and Carlisle Railway at Forks Junction, a Goods Traffic Committes Line to Bog Junction and the original line to Bog Junction.

Today there is no junction here as all 5 spurs to this location have closed.

Bog Junction

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This junction allowed Maryport and Carlisle Railway trains, which had joined the Goods Traffic Committees Line to run onto the eastbound lines to Newcastle. The original alignment from here through to Canal Yard is closed.

This was a terminus at the end of a short branch from an east facing junction. The station and its approach line were replaced by Carlisle Citadel which opened at more or less the some location but on a different alignment.

Carlisle South Junction

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A spur for access to Carlisle Citadel station runs from London Road Junction to the north facing Carlisle South Junction, just south of the station, to meet the former Citadel Station Committee Lines. This spur replaced an earlier short branch to Carlisle Crown Street which existed on a similar site to the later Carlisle Citadel station.

London Road Junction

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London Road Junction looking east. Class 40 freight runs east from Bog Junction.

There are two junction at London Road. The first line here was the Carlisle Canal to Newcastle line which ran past here on an east-west alignment. Slightly to the west of London Road signalbox a spur ran north from an east facing junction to Carlisle South Junction at Carlisle Citadel station. Slightly to the east a spur ran south from an east facing junction to Upperby on the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway. Cowans Sheldon, the crane makers, were based just to the north of the running lines.

Petteril Bridge Junction

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This is a west facing junction between the Newcastle line and the Settle and Carlisle Line.

The approach to London Road, viewed from the east.

This was the first passenger terminus in Carlisle. After closure to passengers the station continued in use for goods (and had a locomotive shed), passenger trains running to Carlisle Crown Street and later Carlisle Citadel station. Sidings still exist here.

This station is closed.

This station is located on a tight curve. To the east of the station is the large Wetheral viaduct. To the east of the viaduct Corby Gates signalbox remains open.

This station is closed.

This station is closed.

This station is closed. A Signalbox remains open here.

Milton Signalbox, to the east of the station.

This station is open. The station was renamed Brampton Junction when the Brampton Town line opened. The name has returned to its original. The station was also the junction for the goods-only line to the Alston Branch. The left photograph shows the station, the views towards Carlisle. Behind the camera is the closed signal-box. Further East is the signal-box shown in the middle left photograph.

This station is closed.

This station is closed. A signalbox remains open here.

This station is closed.

This station is closed.

Looking east at Haltwhistle.

This station is open. This was the junction for the Alston Branch. This left from a west facing junction just to the east of the station. There were sidings to the west of the station. The large signalbox remains here. To the east is Melkridge Disposal Point.

This station is open.

This station is open. A signalbox remains open here.

Border Counties Junction

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Border Counties signalbox controlled both the east facing junction between the line and the Border Counties Railway (which crossed the River Tyne as it ran north away from the junction) and the Allendale Branch which also ran from an east facing junction and ran south. The branch lines are both closed but a footpath approaches the site on the north side of the line. From this path the remains of the bridge over the Tyne can be seen.

This station is open. At the east end of the station there is a very fine signalbox which rests on a gantry over the line. Also at this end of the station is the former Hexham shed and some disused sidings approached from the east.

This station is open.

This station is open.

This station is open.

This station is open. The signalbox here remains open. There are some disused sidings to the east of the station.

To the east of the station was the west facing junction junction for the Scotswood, Newburn and Wylam Railway which ran east along the north bank of the Tyne to Scotswood. This line is closed.

This station is open. The station has staggered platforms on either side of a level crossing. This station still has a very fine gantry signalbox over the running lines.

This station is closed.

This station is open. There was a locomotive shed at Blaydon. A few sidings remain open to the east of the station. To the east of the station was a west facing junction for the line over the Tyne to Scotswood and Newcastle. Slightly further east was Blaydon Goods.

Line to Gateshead

Blaydon Goods

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The goods yard was on a short branch which left from an east facing junction. There was a west facing junction just to the east for the line south to Blackhill and a west facing junction between the Gateshead line and the line over the Tyne to Scotswood and Newcastle. Just to the east the line was crossed by the Scotswood to Blackhill line. Slightly further east was an east facing junction for the line to Scotswood. Slightly further east yet was an east facing junction for the line south to Blackhill.

Derwenthaugh Goods

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This goods depot is closed.

Swalwell Junction

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This was an east facing junction for Swalwell (Garesfield) Colliery line which ran south from here. A crossover remains here.

West Dunston Straiths

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These straiths were approached an east facing junction.

This is a new station.

At approximately this location the original line continued east along the River Tyne's bank through Dunston Straiths to the Redhaugh terminus. A later line from here (Whickholm Junction) extended to Norwood Junction, Gateshead and Low Fell Junction.

Dunston Junction

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This was a west facing junction. The original route continued east from here, a later spur ran south to Norwood Junction.

This was the original eastern terminus of the line.
There was a connection to the Tanfield Branch.

Line to Newcastle

This station is on the closed line from Blaydon to Newcastle. To the west of the station was an east facing junction where the main line continued south to cross the River Tyne to Blaydon and the Scotswood, Newburn and Wylam Railway continued west along the north bank of the Tyne to Prudhoe.

This station is on the closed line from Blaydon to Newcastle.

Today a stub of the line from Newcastle to Blaydon remains open with sidings Forth Banks Engineers Siding, and Castle Sidings.

This was the eastern terminus in Newcastle until extension into Newcastle Central at Newcastle West Junction. Newcastle (Forth Bank) replaced an earlier terminus at Shot Tower.

Newcastle West Junction

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This junction is immediately to the west of Newcastle Central station and is where the line from Carlisle via Blaydon and Scotswood terminated.