Alnwick branch line
Encyclopedia
The Alnwick branch line was a railway line in Northumberland
, northern England
. It ran from Alnmouth railway station
, on the East Coast Main Line
, to the town of Alnwick
, a distance of 2.75 miles (4.5 km).
It opened in 1850 to both freight and passenger
traffic; passenger operations included direct Newcastle
to Alnwick services, as well as regular shuttle
runs between Alnmouth and Alnwick. As late as 1966, some of the Alnmouth to Alnwick shuttles were operated by steam locomotive
s, making this one of the very last British Rail
routes with steam-hauled passenger services.
, it was closed in January 1968 on cost grounds. The old embankment after the line had crossed the A1 road now forms the rear boundary of some of the gardens on the Royal Oak Gardens residential development.
due to the A1 dual carrageway being built across the original trackbed after closure.. Rolling stock is stored at Longhoughton
goods yard . Planning permission for the first phase of the project (From Lloyds Field to just short of Greenriggs Bridge) was granted by Northumberland Council on 1 July 2010 and work is due to start in early 2012.
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, northern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It ran from Alnmouth railway station
Alnmouth railway station
Alnmouth for Alnwick is a station on the East Coast Main Line about one mile from Alnmouth in Hipsburn, Northumberland, northern England. It is 10–15 minutes by road to the town of Alnwick.-History:...
, on the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
, to the town of Alnwick
Alnwick
Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. The town's population was just over 8000 at the time of the 2001 census and Alnwick's district population was 31,029....
, a distance of 2.75 miles (4.5 km).
It opened in 1850 to both freight and passenger
Passenger
A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination....
traffic; passenger operations included direct Newcastle
Newcastle Central station
Newcastle railway station , is the mainline station of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England and is a principal stop on the East Coast Main Line. It opened in 1850 and is a Grade I listed building...
to Alnwick services, as well as regular shuttle
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
runs between Alnmouth and Alnwick. As late as 1966, some of the Alnmouth to Alnwick shuttles were operated by steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s, making this one of the very last British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
routes with steam-hauled passenger services.
Closure
Although the line survived the Beeching cutsBeeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
, it was closed in January 1968 on cost grounds. The old embankment after the line had crossed the A1 road now forms the rear boundary of some of the gardens on the Royal Oak Gardens residential development.
Planned revival
The Aln Valley Railway Trust plans to reopen the line from Alnmouth to Alnwick and restore passenger services. The new station at Alnwick would be on a different site from the original Alnwick stationAlnwick railway station
Alnwick railway station was the terminus of the Alnwick branch line, which diverged from the East Coast Main Line at Alnmouth in Northumberland, Northern England. The branch opened on 1 October 1850 and closed in January 1968, leaving the former junction at Alnmouth as the nearest station to Alnwick...
due to the A1 dual carrageway being built across the original trackbed after closure.. Rolling stock is stored at Longhoughton
Longhoughton, Northumberland
Longhoughton is a small rural village in Northumberland, England. It lies near the coast, about northeast of Alnwick, in the similarly named parish of Longhoughton....
goods yard . Planning permission for the first phase of the project (From Lloyds Field to just short of Greenriggs Bridge) was granted by Northumberland Council on 1 July 2010 and work is due to start in early 2012.
Coordinates
| Point | Coordinates |
|---|---|
| Western end - Alnwick railway station Alnwick railway station Alnwick railway station was the terminus of the Alnwick branch line, which diverged from the East Coast Main Line at Alnmouth in Northumberland, Northern England. The branch opened on 1 October 1850 and closed in January 1968, leaving the former junction at Alnmouth as the nearest station to Alnwick... |
55°24′36"N 1°41′56"W |
| Approx. mid-point | 55°24′02"N 1°40′17"W |
| Under Construction - Lionheart railway station | 55°24′08"N 1°41′11"W |
| Eastern end - Alnmouth railway station Alnmouth railway station Alnmouth for Alnwick is a station on the East Coast Main Line about one mile from Alnmouth in Hipsburn, Northumberland, northern England. It is 10–15 minutes by road to the town of Alnwick.-History:... |
55°23′47"N 1°38′28"W |