Brampton Railway
Encyclopedia
The Brampton railway was a ten mile long track branch railway line on the borders of Cumberland
and Northumberland
, England
, that ran from to on the Alston Line
via three intermediate stations, Brampton Junction
, and . The line also connected via spurs to eight collieries.
. The wagonway was expanded in both 1798, and 1799, and the lines replaced with cast iron in 1808. A horse drawn passenger service was introduced in 1836 linking to the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
line at Brampton Junction but ceased operations in 1881. Between 1836 and 1840 Stephenson's Rocket
worked on the line . In 1852 the line was extended from Haltonleagate to join the Haltwhistle-Alston line at Lambley
. The North Eastern Railway
took the line over in 1913. Passenger services were withdrawn in stages between 1917 and 1920, and after consolidation the London and North Eastern Railway
closed the line for freight in 1923. The line was leased to the owners of the collieries it served. In 1947 the mines and railway passed to the National Coal Board
but 1953 the line closed for good.
The line has been known by a number of other names during its existence including Lord Carlisle's Railway, the Tindale Fell Railway, the Midgeholme Railway, and the Hartleyburn and Brampton Railway.
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
and Northumberland
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...
, 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...
, that ran from to on the Alston Line
Alston Line
The Alston Line was a standard gauge branch line railway that operated in the counties of Northumberland and Cumbria in England. Starting at its junction with the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway line at Haltwhistle, the line ran to the town of Alston...
via three intermediate stations, Brampton Junction
Brampton (Cumbria) railway station
Brampton railway station is on the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway in northern England, serving the town of Brampton. The station is located about a mile southeast of the town, near the village of Milton. Staff were removed from the station in 1967, with the main buildings demolished in stages...
, and . The line also connected via spurs to eight collieries.
History
The Brampton railway began in 1775 as a wooden wagonway from Tindale Fell Colliery to Brampton Coal Staithe constructed by the Earl of CarlisleEarl of Carlisle
Earl of Carlisle is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1322 when the soldier Andrew Harclay, 1st Baron Harclay was made Earl of Carlisle. He had already been summoned to Parliament as Lord Harclay in 1321...
. The wagonway was expanded in both 1798, and 1799, and the lines replaced with cast iron in 1808. A horse drawn passenger service was introduced in 1836 linking to the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
The Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, occasionally referred to as the Tyne Valley Line, is a railway line in northern England. The line was built in the 1830s, and links the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in Tyne and Wear with in Cumbria. Formal opening took place on 18 June 1838.The line follows the...
line at Brampton Junction but ceased operations in 1881. Between 1836 and 1840 Stephenson's Rocket
Stephenson's Rocket
Stephenson's Rocket was an early steam locomotive of 0-2-2 wheel arrangement, built in Newcastle Upon Tyne at the Forth Street Works of Robert Stephenson and Company in 1829.- Design innovations :...
worked on the line . In 1852 the line was extended from Haltonleagate to join the Haltwhistle-Alston line at Lambley
Lambley, Northumberland
Lambley, formerly Harper Town,is a village in Northumberland, England about southwest of Haltwhistle. The place name Lambley refers to the "pasture of lambs"....
. The North Eastern Railway
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
took the line over in 1913. Passenger services were withdrawn in stages between 1917 and 1920, and after consolidation the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
closed the line for freight in 1923. The line was leased to the owners of the collieries it served. In 1947 the mines and railway passed to the National Coal Board
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
but 1953 the line closed for good.
The line has been known by a number of other names during its existence including Lord Carlisle's Railway, the Tindale Fell Railway, the Midgeholme Railway, and the Hartleyburn and Brampton Railway.