128-596: The Wansbeck Railway was a single-track railway line in Northumberland , England, that ran from Morpeth to Reedsmouth , where it made a junction with the Border Counties Railway . Conceived as part of a through trunk route for the North British Railway , it never achieved its potential. It opened in stages from 1862 to 1865. The population was sparse and mineral traffic kept the line going. In 1870,
256-457: A diverse physical geography. It is low and flat near the North Sea coast and increasingly mountainous towards the northwest. Being in the far north of England, above 55° latitude , and having many areas of high land, Northumberland is one of the coldest areas of the country. But as the county lies on the east coast, it has relatively low rainfall, with the highest amounts falling on the high land in
384-520: A key role in the Industrial Revolution from the 18th century on. Many coal mines operated in Northumberland until the widespread closures in the 1970s and 1980s. Collieries operated at Ashington , Bedlington, Blyth , Choppington, Netherton, Ellington , and Pegswood . The region's coalfields fuelled industrial expansion in other areas of Britain, and the need to transport the coal from
512-440: A low level Tyne crossing at Redheugh Hall. At only 20 feet above high water, it was designed to reach the riverside quays on the north bank, and to reach a Newcastle terminal at Spital (immediately north-west of the present-day Central station) an incline at 1 in 22 was envisaged, rope worked by stationary engine. The GNER planned to approach through Low Fell, that is on an alignment similar to the present main line from Durham, but at
640-635: A lower level to reach the N&;CR Redheugh bridge. As the scheme was developed, a connection with the Brandling Junction Railway, at a high level in Gateshead, altered the plan so as to cross the Tyne at a similarly high level; this was much better for a trunk line network, but adverse for the N&CR's wish to reach the riverside quays. In time the emphasis shifted from an N&CR bridge being made available to
768-515: A northward extension of Waterloo Street northwest of Central station; the location is at a high level and would have required a steep gradient (of about 1 in 50), worked by stationary engine and rope haulage. There were considerable difficulties in the parliamentary process, particularly over levels, bridge clearances and construction, and resilience to flooding, but the Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Carlisle Railway Act 1829 ( 10 Geo. 4 . c. lxxii)
896-647: A number of bank failures had weakened confidence in the money market. Accordingly, the directors decided to withdraw the bill for the time being. The opportunity was taken to recast the route at the Carlisle end, chiefly to accommodate the Earl of Carlisle's demands. The originally designed line between Carlisle and Gilsland had followed the Irthing Valley, but the new scheme took it south of that route on to high ground, requiring more challenging engineering features. At this period
1024-605: A passenger coach on the same basis was declined.) The railway opened for passengers with considerable ceremony on 9 March 1835. With 600 tickets issued, the two recently acquired locomotives, Comet and Rapid each hauled a trainload of three carriages, consisting of gentlemen's carriages mounted on trucks and wagons fitted with seats. The regular passenger service began on 10 March; there were four trains each way between Blaydon and Hexham every weekday, one each way on Sundays. Newcastle passengers were conveyed to and from Blaydon by omnibus, or by steam boat from Newcastle quay when
1152-438: A railway as a possible alternative to a canal. He planned to use his earlier canal route for a railway, substituting rope-worked inclined planes for the flights of locks, and found that a railway would be considerably cheaper than the equivalent canal: £252,000 against £888,000. Horse traction was still incorporated into Chapman's railway plans. There were evidently doubts cast on the practicality of Chapman's railway scheme, for
1280-688: A railway. It became the Brandling Junction Railway , which was authorised by the Brandling Junction Railway Company Act 1836 ( 6 & 7 Will. 4 . c. lvii) on 7 June, to run to a high-level terminus at Gateshead, and in the east to riverside quays at South Shields and Monkwearmouth. As part of the ending of the independent life of the Blaydon, Gateshead and Hebburn Railway, the Brandling Junction Railway took over certain powers in Gateshead and on toward Hebburn. On 4 July 1836
1408-929: A repair shop for carriages. These early railway steam locomotives had no brakes, although some tenders were fitted with them, and there were no weatherboards, the driver and firemen wearing moleskin suits for protection. The N&CR experimented with sanding equipment to improve friction in 1838. The boilers ran at a pressure of 50 pounds per square inch (340 kPa) and the tenders carried eighteen sacks of coke, made at Derwenthaugh, Mineral trains ran at an average speed of 10 miles per hour (16 km/h), but locomotives such as "Wellington" hauling eight passenger carriages, reached 39.5 miles per hour (63.6 km/h) and in service. In 1837 "Eden" ran at 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) from Milton to Carlisle. The carriages were divided into three compartments, those for first class passengers painted yellow picked out in black and seated 18 passengers. The second class carriages were open to
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#17328549422131536-603: A rich prehistory with many instances of rock art , hillforts such as Yeavering Bell , and stone circles such as the Goatstones and Duddo Five Stones . Most of the area was occupied by the Brythonic - Celtic Votadini people, with another large tribe, the Brigantes , to the south. During the Roman occupation of Britain , most of the present county lay north of Hadrian's Wall . It
1664-468: A scheme for a horse-operated plateway (in which the rails are L-shaped, with plain wagon wheels running on the flat part of the rail) between Newcastle and Hexham. This came to nothing, but collieries in the Newcastle area were increasingly turning to ideas of railways and locomotives, and when William Chapman returned to consider linking Newcastle upon Tyne and Carlisle in 1824, it was appropriate to consider
1792-707: A shire into the unified Kingdom of England by the House of Wessex. However, the West Saxon governmental structures were not extended beyond Tees, leaving the Earldom of Bamburgh and the Community of St. Cuthbert as contested buffer states with the emerging Kingdom of Scotland. After the battle of Nechtansmere , Northumbrian influence north of the Tweed began to decline as the Picts gradually reclaimed
1920-733: A site formerly owned by Shultons, who originated Old Spice and were bought by P&G in 1990. McQuay UK makes air conditioning systems on the Bassington Industrial Estate at the A1068/A1172 junction in Cramlington , and Avery Dennison UK make labels on the Nelson Industrial Estate off of the A192. Schweppes' Abbey Well mineral water is made by Coca-Cola in the east of Morpeth . The National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec)
2048-418: A station at Morpeth, and people in towns not connected to a railway realised they were at a disadvantage against those who were: materials brought in cost more, as did the transport of local manufactures to market. The people of Rothbury felt that disadvantage particularly. The locality had long been prominent in the production of lime, used to improve acidic soil for agricultural purposes, and much in demand in
2176-523: A summit between Knowesgate and Woodburn, then descending at the same ruling gradient. Locations on the line after the spur direct to Morpeth station was opened were: Northumberland Northumberland ( / n ɔːr ˈ θ ʌ m b ər l ə n d / nor- THUM -bər-lənd ) is a ceremonial county in North East England , bordering Scotland . It is bordered by the Scottish Borders to
2304-425: A temporary "Newcastle" terminus opened fully on 21 October 1839. The station was on the western edge of the built-up area, at the west end of what became Railway Street. From then the passenger trains were formed of Redheugh and Newcastle portions, running in one train west of Blaydon, and joined or separated there. Some sources refer to this station as "Railway Street" or "Shot Tower", but these were merely landmarks;
2432-603: A thinly populated area, although cattle and some minerals were buoyant. In the first decades of the twentieth century heavy military traffic arose because of camps in the area as well as artillery ranges. Following World War I the main line railways of Great Britain were "grouped" under the Railways Act 1921 , and in 1923 the North British Railway was a constituent of the new London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). The railways were nationalised by Government in 1948, and
2560-402: A two-tier council system for the county and its six districts , both responsible for different aspects of local government . These districts were Blyth Valley , Wansbeck , Castle Morpeth , Tynedale , Alnwick and Berwick-upon-Tweed . Elections for the unitary authority council first took place on 1 May 2008. The most recent elections, in 2021, had the following results: Northumberland
2688-546: A whole. In the 2001 UK Census , 81% of the population reported their religion as Christianity, 0.8% as "other religion", and 12% as having no religion. Being primarily rural with significant areas of upland, the population density of Northumberland is only 62 persons per square kilometre, giving it the lowest population density in England . Northumberland's industry is dominated by some multinational corporations: Coca-Cola , MSD, GE and Drager all have significant facilities in
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#17328549422132816-879: Is Hexham -based Egger (UK) Limited . Pharmaceutical , health care and emerging biotechnology companies form a very significant part of the county's economy. Many of these companies are part of the approximately 11,000-worker Northeast of England Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC) and include Aesica Pharmaceuticals, Arcinova, MSD , Piramal Healthcare , Procter & Gamble , Shire Plc (formerly SCM Pharma), Shasun Pharma Solutions, Specials Laboratory, and Thermo Fisher Scientific . The cluster also includes Cambridge Bioresearch, GlaxoSmithKline, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotech, Leica Bio, Data Trial, High Force Research, Non-Linear Dynamics, and Immuno Diagnostic Systems (IDS). The towns of Alnwick, Cramlington, Morpeth, Prudhoe all have significant pharmaceutical factories and laboratories. Newcastle University and Northumbria University are
2944-541: Is at Blyth. NOTE: New parishes have been added since 2001. These are missing from the list, see List of civil parishes in Northumberland . Although not on this list, the population of Cramlington is estimated at 39,000. Some settlements that are part historic county of Northumberland now fall under the county of Tyne and Wear : A precursor of modern football is still seen in the region at some annual Shrove Tuesday games at Alnwick . In 1280 at Ulgham near Morpeth Northumberland, records show that Henry of Ellington
3072-656: Is divided into four parliamentary constituencies: Berwick-upon-Tweed, Blyth Valley, Wansbeck and Hexham. The 2019 general election produced the following total votes, with changes since previous election: On 23 June 2016 Northumberland took part in the UK-wide referendum on the UK's membership of the EU. In Northumberland a majority voted to leave the European Union. The only one of the four parliamentary constituencies in Northumberland to vote Remain
3200-533: Is in the south of the county, surrounding Cramlington and other communities along the county border, to afford a protection from the Tyneside conurbation. The belt continues west along the border, past Darras Hall , and on to Hexham, stopping before Haydon Bridge . Its border there is shared with the North Pennines AONB. There are also some separated belt areas, for example to the east of Morpeth. The green belt
3328-720: Is recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as norð hẏmbra land , meaning "the land north of the Humber ". The name of the kingdom of Northumbria derives from the Old English Norþan-hymbre meaning "the people or province north of the Humber", as opposed to Southumbria , south of the Humber Estuary . The land has long been an English frontier zone, and it is now bordered to the north by Scotland . Northumberland has
3456-540: Is the administrative centre. The remainder of the county is rural, and the largest towns are Berwick-upon-Tweed (12,043) in the far north and Hexham (13,097) in the west. For local government purposes the county is a unitary authority area. The county historically included the parts of Tyne and Wear north of the River Tyne . The west of Northumberland contains part of the Cheviot Hills and North Pennines , while to
3584-566: Is the fourth oldest in the country and is now Alnmouth Village Club; it is a 9 hole links course. Newcastle and Carlisle Railway The Newcastle & Carlisle Railway (N&CR) (formally, the Newcastle upon Tyne and Carlisle Railway ) was an English railway company formed in 1825 that built a line from Newcastle upon Tyne on Britain's east coast, to Carlisle , on the west coast. The railway began operating mineral trains in 1834 between Blaydon and Hexham , and passengers were carried for
3712-670: The Blyth , Coquet , Aln , Wansbeck and Tweed , the last of which forms part of the Scottish border. The county contains Northumberland National Park and two national landscapes : the Northumberland Coast and part of the North Pennines . Much of the county's history has been defined by its position on a border. In the Roman era most of the county lay north of Hadrian's Wall , and the region
3840-554: The Brampton Railway , having been altered to join the N&CR at Milton (later Brampton Junction), and opened formally on 15 July 1836. His traffic had used horse traction, the horses riding in dandy carts downhill. The western destination at the canal basin was reduced to secondary importance, and was now described as the Canal Branch, to be opened later. Blenkinsopp Colliery was located a short distance east of Greenhead and that
3968-475: The Great North of England Railway obtained its authorising act of Parliament, the Great North of England Railway Act 1836 ( 6 & 7 Will. 4 . c. cv), to build from Gateshead to Darlington; its clear intention was to extend to York, and by alliance with other contemplated lines, to form a trunk line northwards as well. The Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Carlisle Railway Act 1835 ( 5 & 6 Will. 4 . c. xxxi) authorised
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4096-598: The North Pennines AONB is also in the county. There is a variety of nature reserves in Northumberland including Holy Island National Nature Reserve and Farne Islands National Nature Reserve. Moreover, 50% of England's red squirrel population lives in the Kielder Water and Forest Park. Natural England recognises the following natural regions, or national character areas , that lie wholly or partially within Northumberland: The Cheviot Hills , in
4224-585: The Restoration in 1660, the county was a centre for Roman Catholicism in England, as well as a focus of Jacobite support. Northumberland was long a wild county, where outlaws and Border Reivers hid from the law. However, the frequent cross-border skirmishes and accompanying local lawlessness largely subsided after the Union of the Crowns of Scotland and England under King James I and VI in 1603. Northumberland played
4352-607: The Rothbury Branch opened, from a junction on the Wansbeck Railway at Scotsgap . The passenger train service was discontinued in 1952 and the line closed completely in 1966. The Newcastle and Berwick Railway opened in 1847. Conceived by George Hudson , the so-called Railway King , it was to form part of a through railway connection from Edinburgh to London. It later became part of the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway . It had
4480-629: The Treaty of York (1237). The earls of Northumberland once wielded significant power in English affairs because, as powerful and militaristic Marcher Lords , they had the task of protecting England from Scottish retaliation for English invasions. Northumberland has a history of revolt and rebellion against the government, as seen in the Rising of the North (1569–1570) against Elizabeth I . These revolts were usually led by
4608-550: The 1797 session, but met opposition there and was withdrawn. After 1815 ideas of a canal were revived, and a much shorter canal from Bowness to Carlisle, the Carlisle Canal , was promoted. It received parliamentary authorisation as the Carlisle Canal Act 1819 ( 59 Geo. 3 . c. xiii), and it opened in 1823; Bowness was retitled Port Carlisle; the canal was large enough to carry small ships. In 1805 William Thomas developed
4736-575: The B&;T station for the North Eastern. The earlier line direct to the B&TR was removed at the same time. The first proposed railway from Morpeth to the area had been intended to reach Rothbury. Now that was revived, as the Northumberland Central Railway , oblivious apparently to the difficult finances of the Wansbeck Railway. In fact it proposed a 50 mile line northwards from Scotsgap;
4864-576: The Blyth and Tyne single line beyond the junction; the passenger train then left Morpeth, also propelling, and ran to the junction, to reverse there and run to the Wansbeck line. It would then be followed by the goods train. The Inspecting Officer stated that "a junction curve is about to be formed between the Wansbeck Valley and North-Eastern lines, which will enable the trains from the former to run direct into
4992-596: The Border Counties line, there getting access to the intended rich coalfields of Plashetts . At Morpeth, the new line would link with the Blyth and Tyne Railway , giving direct access to wharves on the North Sea , and over that line to Newcastle. The line would be 26 miles (42 km) long. Moreover, the Border Counties Railway had the clear intention of linking with the Border Union Railway . The BUR
5120-675: The English. The monastery at Lindisfarne was the centre of production of the Lindisfarne Gospels (around 700). It became the home of St Cuthbert (c. 634–687, abbot from c. 665), who is buried in Durham Cathedral . The Kingdom of Northumbria fragmented into a series of successor states following the Viking invasion. In the south, Viking settlers established the Kingdom of York between the Humber and Tees. However, Viking influence petered out at
5248-483: The GNER, to the GNER planning and building a bridge, and making it available to the N&CR. The N&CR had altered its original intention of building along the north bank to Newcastle. The Redheugh line along the south bank was almost complete, with the issue of the bridge to serve the north bank quays uncertain. Now it seemed that other interests were deflecting it from serving Newcastle properly, and after much deliberation
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5376-515: The Morpeth station of the latter line". This was done in 1872. Hoole describes the Blyth and Tyne station at Morpeth as being separate from the North Eastern railway station, but they were immediately adjacent. When the new curve was built, the Wansbeck Railway and the North Eastern Railway each built part of it, installing the necessary signalling at their own end. "The NBR trains then deserted
5504-497: The N&CR, to build that line. The Blaydon, Gateshead and Hebburn Railway (BG&HR) obtained parliamentary authority in the Blaydon, Gateshead and Hebburn Railway Company Act 1834 ( 4 & 5 Will. 4 . c. xxvi) on 22 May to build a line from Blaydon to Gateshead, the act also allowing the N&CR to build the line subject to conditions. The route was expected to require two rope-worked inclined planes, to climb from near Redheugh to
5632-590: The NBR and the Blyth and Tyne were permitted to subscribe up to £100,000 between them to the Wansbeck Railway. In fact the NBR subscribed £50,000; this was five-eighths of the Wansbeck's capital. The authorising Act of the Wansbeck Railway permitted two connecting lines at Morpeth: to the North Eastern Railway station, or by-passing it to join the Blyth and Tyne line south-east of the NER station. The controlling interest of
5760-417: The NBR and the lack of enthusiasm from the North Eastern Railway decided the Wansbeck Railway directors to make only the Blyth and Tyne connection. The Blyth and Tyne line ran eastwards from the NER station, so that the Wansbeck passenger and goods trains had to reverse to reach the Morpeth station. The line was opened as far as Scotsgap on 23 July 1862; trains were worked by the North British Railway, although
5888-580: The Newcastle directors timid in issuing calls, exacerbating the cash flow problem. The situation became so difficult that a further act of Parliament was sought, authorising additional loans; this was enacted as the Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Carlisle Railway Act 1832 ( 2 & 3 Will. 4 . c. xcii) on 23 June. In late 1832 the problem was only overcome by obtaining a loan at 5% from the Public Works Loan Board . This involved conditions, including
6016-495: The Public Works Loan Board that the line would be completed to Newcastle, and with the authorised period for constructing the line soon to run out, a start was made. Yet again there was controversy over the route, a gently climbing route to the town centre was now favoured, although there were several alternative locations for the terminal, the climbing route had no parliamentary authority for land acquisition. In addition,
6144-599: The Tees, with the river serving as the northern boundary of the Danelaw. Between the Tyne and Tees rivers, the Community of St. Cuthbert emerged as the successors to the Bishops of Lindisfarne; north of the Tyne, the earls of Bamburgh, who traced their lineage back to the Kings of Northumbria, continued to exercise authority and governance over this northern expanse. York was eventually integrated as
6272-411: The Town Moor. The 'Pitmen's Derby' or Northumberland Plate was held from 1833 and moved to Gosforth in 1882. Modern day horse racing still takes place at Newcastle Racecourse. Golf is a Scottish import to many countries, but it is said to have been played in this region by St Cuthbert on the dunes of the Northumberland coast. The oldest club in Northumberland was at Alnmouth , founded in 1869, it
6400-436: The Tyne by boat and marched in procession through Newcastle to a breakfast at the Assembly Rooms. A procession of thirteen trains, led by "Rapid" acting as pilot, left for the return journey to Carlisle at 12:30 pm. While the trains were travelling between Ryton and Brampton rain fell and soaked most of the 3,500 passengers who were travelling in uncovered wagons. The last train arrived in Carlisle after 6:00 pm and there
6528-464: The Vindolanda Trust experts, led by Andrew Birley . Being similar in style and function to the full-hand modern boxing gloves, those found at Vindolanda look like leather bands dating back to 120 AD. It is suggested that, based on their difference from gladiator gloves, the gloves were not used in mortal combat, but rather in a sport for promoting fighting skills. The gloves are currently displayed at Vindolanda's museum. Present-day Northumberland formed
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#17328549422136656-408: The Wansbeck line became part of the Scottish Region of British Railways. The already limited traffic had been further reduced by motor lorries and buses since the 1930s and closure to passengers became inevitable; it took place in September 1952. A very limited goods service continued, but the line was closed completely in October 1966. The line climbed from Morpeth on a ruling gradient at 1 in 62 to
6784-437: The alternative, and the lead producers at Hexham had been stockpiling their product there in anticipation of the opening of the line. On 14 August 1834 an ad hoc arrangement was agreed with Joseph Ritson, the contractor for construction of that part of the line, to carry the lead over the unfinished line, using his temporary track and construction wagons, and horse haulage. This was started on 25 August 1834. (A request to operate
6912-406: The anticipated riches of the Plashetts coal field now being shown to be disappointing, the Wansbeck Railway was suddenly of doubtful commercial value. Selling out to the North British Railway seemed to be the only option. The North British Railway (Wansbeck and Finances) Act of 21 July 1863 empowered the amalgamation. The NBR was already a majority shareholder, so there was no urgency in carrying out
7040-419: The board decided on 25 April 1837 to keep to the original Scotswood crossing of the Tyne and to build the Newcastle arm of its line. Extensions were opened at the eastern end of the line in June 1836, from Blaydon to Derwenthaugh (near the present-day Metro Centre) on 11 June for goods only (apart from Blaydon race week) and from Hexham to Haydon Bridge on 28 June 1836. A short section east from Derwenthaugh to
7168-411: The board of the N&CR decided to adopt the same arrangement and subsequently placed orders for two locomotives, of which one was to be built by R & W Hawthorn Ltd. and the other by Robert Stephenson & Co. The first of these, an 0-4-0 locomotive named Comet was delivered in 1835, closely followed by 0-6-0 Rapid . The company circularised landowners as this was specifically forbidden in
7296-416: The building of the Redheugh line, and also a Tyne bridge there (instead of Derwenthaugh) to serve the north shore quays, although the Scotswood bridge was retained in the authorised works. Share capital was increased by £90,000 and a further Public Works Loan Board loan of £60,000 was included in the act. The BG&HR protested against the N&CR adoption of the work by the N&CR, and by negotiation, it
7424-404: The capital was to be £270,000. The over-ambition of the scheme became obvious and it was cut back to a branch from Scotsgap to Rothbury. It opened on 1 November 1870. In fact Rothbury was a more important population centre than anywhere on the Reedsmouth line, and in the mid 1870s Rothbury came to be regarded as the main line, and Reedsmouth on the branch. The line was simply a rural branch line in
7552-424: The carriages being lower than those on other railways and provided with footboards. The station at Milton had a stable, the branch line to Brampton being worked by a horse and a "dandy" coach. There were locomotive depots at Carlisle, Blaydon and Greenhead, the depot at Carlisle having space for eight locomotives, and there was room for four at Greenhead. There was a shed for two locomotives at Redheugh, as well as
7680-402: The cessation of paying dividends until trading income was being received and the giving of personal guarantees by the directors. (The dividends continued to be paid in the form of debentures, redeemable later, agilely side-stepping the Public Works Loan Board condition.) The controversy over the route at the eastern end continued and on 10 September 1833, the board decided to alter it to follow
7808-404: The city became a part of the Tyne and Wear metropolitan county in 1974. The county council has been governed from Morpeth since 1981. In 2009 the county council became a unitary authority when the county's districts were abolished and the county council took on their functions. The unitary authority of Northumberland Council was established in April 2009 . Previously, the county had
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#17328549422137936-528: The coast of Northumberland are the Farne Islands , another dolerite outcrop, famous for their bird life. The Northumberland Coalfield extends across the southeast corner of the county, from the River Tyne as far north as Shilbottle . There were smaller-scale workings for coal within the Tyne Limestone Formation as far north as Scremerston . The term 'sea coal' likely originated from chunks of coal, found washed up on beaches, that wave action had broken from coastal outcroppings. Northumberland's green belt
8064-453: The collieries to the Tyne led to the development of the first railways. Shipbuilding and armaments manufacture were other important industries before the deindustrialisation of the 1980s. Northumberland remains largely rural, and is the least densely populated county in England. In recent years, the county has had considerable growth in tourism. Visitors are attracted both to its scenic beauty and to its historical sites. Northumberland has
8192-440: The company's act of Parliament; the response was generally favourable or acquiescent, and the company undertook to use coke instead of coal to minimise any smoke nuisance. The first section of line to be completed was from Hexham to Blaydon; this was to enable the lead produced at Hexham to be brought to a navigable section of the Tyne, as it was considered a lucrative traffic. Rail carriage was going to be considerably cheaper than
8320-426: The construction of a tunnel at Cowran badly delayed the works. So difficult did the ground prove that the tunnel was abandoned and a deep cutting substituted, at considerable additional expense. Eventually the western end was opened from Greenhead to the Carlisle station at London Road on 19 July 1836. The Earl of Carlisle's mineral traffic had already been running for a short time (since 13 July), his modernised line,
8448-585: The core of the Anglian kingdom of Bernicia from about 547. It was united with Deira (south of the River Tees ) to form the kingdom of Northumbria in the 7th century. The boundaries of Northumbria under King Edwin (reigned 616–633) stretched from the Humber in the south to the Forth in the north. Northumberland is often called the "cradle of Christianity" in England because Christianity flourished on Lindisfarne —a tidal island north of Bamburgh , also called Holy Island—after King Oswald of Northumbria (r. 634–642) invited monks from Iona to come to convert
8576-402: The county, pre Second World War and immediate post war greats were George Camsell and Hughie Gallacher , these were described in the "Clown Prince of Football" by Len Shackleton . The author played for Newcastle United and Northumberland County Cricket Club . Shackleton's book was controversial when it was first published because chapter 9, named "The Average Director's Knowledge of Football",
8704-433: The dam. The track arrangements at Morpeth are described above; Wansbeck trains using Morpeth station (passenger and goods) required to reverse at Wansbeck Junction . There was a collision there on 15 September 1871, and the Inspecting Officer's report indicates the arrangement. A passenger train was to depart the Wansbeck line and be followed by a goods train. The goods train departed first, propelling its train, and stood on
8832-475: The deep water quays. At a gradient of 1 in 23, the incline was rope-worked by stationary steam engine. On 18 June 1844 the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway opened its line from the south, completing a railway connection from London to Tyneside. It constructed a fine terminal at Greene's Field, Gateshead; the terminal became known as Greenesfield. Newcastle and Carlisle Railway trains were diverted from Redheugh to Greenesfield, making connections there with
8960-419: The earls of Northumberland, the Percy family. Shakespeare makes one of the Percys, the dashing Harry Hotspur (1364–1403), the hero of his Henry IV, Part 1 . The Percys were often aided in conflict by other powerful Northern families, such as the Nevilles and the Patchetts. The latter were stripped of all power and titles by the victorious Parliamentarians after the English Civil War of 1642–1651. After
9088-422: The east the land becomes flatter before reaching the coast. The Cheviot (815 m (2,674 ft)), after which the range of hills is named, is the county's highest point. The county contains the source of the River North Tyne and much of the South Tyne; near Hexham they combine to form the Tyne, which exits into Tyne and Wear shortly downstream. The other major rivers in Northumberland are, from south to north,
9216-449: The eastern end was to cross the Tyne at Scotswood, then follow the north bank of the river closely and at a low level, to a termination at the Close, in Newcastle. There was to be a branch from Elswick Dean to a terminal at Thornton Street. Close, a mononymous road, still exists on the bank of the Tyne between Queen Elizabeth Bridge and High Level Bridge. Thornton Street street also still exists:
9344-440: The end of 1832 when Giles failed to forecast costs of completion of the line consistently, or to explain the inconsistency, or to attend board meetings. On 28 May 1833 Giles was removed to the position of consulting engineer, and his assistant John Blackmore took over the supervision of the construction. The directors interfered to a considerable extent with the progress of the construction, and not always to beneficial effect. When
9472-421: The end require so much and frequent repairs as to render their advantage dubious; exclusive of their being unfitted to receive and discharge the carriages that are wanted to be taken forward, and sent off aside in such places of the line as do not coincide with their stages or feeding places. Plans for the line were submitted for a parliamentary bill in the 1826 session, but before any hearing determined opposition
9600-492: The first time the following year. The rest of the line opened in stages, completing a through route between Carlisle and Gateshead, south of the River Tyne in 1837. The directors repeatedly changed their intentions for the route at the eastern end of the line, but finally a line was opened from Scotswood to a Newcastle terminal in 1839. That line was extended twice, reaching the new Newcastle Central Station in 1851. A branch line
9728-426: The fourth attempt in 1910. Today top quality professional football remains in Northumberland. Since the 2017 – 18 season, Newcastle United is a Premier League team. St James' Park in Newcastle is a first class football venue, often used for international games at all levels. Blyth Spartans A.F.C. have had success and public attention through Football Association Cup runs. There are many notable footballers from
9856-477: The general area of Morpeth. In 1855, a railway linking Morpeth and Rothbury was proposed. It was to cost £95,000 but, although the idea was favourably received, the scheme failed to generate action and it was dropped. By 1858, the Border Counties Railway had opened the first section of its line, and having a local railway close by encouraged further thoughts of railway development in the area, but not to Rothbury. This line would run west from Morpeth to Reedsmouth on
9984-518: The high ground of Gateshead, and then again to descend to the Tyne at Hebburn. Having brought about the inception of the BG&;HR, the N&CR directors now considered whether to activate the option of building that line themselves, and on 21 August 1834 they decided to do so. This required a further act of Parliament, the Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Carlisle Railway Act 1835 ( 5 & 6 Will. 4 . c. xxxi) which they secured on 17 June 1835; it authorised
10112-509: The important commercial centre at Newcastle. The Wansbeck Valley committee changed the name to The Wansbeck Railway and submitted a bill for its 28-mile (45 km) line to the 1859 Parliamentary session. It was relatively uncontroversial, and obtained the Royal Assent on 8 August 1859; the capital was set at £120,000. Working arrangement with the established railways were authorised by the Act, and
10240-431: The intention was to open the railway as a toll road, in which any carrier might operate vehicles on the line on payment of a toll. Moreover, there was still a significant risk of implacable opposition from the proprietors of country houses, and the company voluntarily inserted a clause into the parliamentary bill restricting haulage to horse traction, and forbidding stationary steam engines near such houses. The main line at
10368-605: The land previously invaded by the Anglian kingdom. In 1018, its northern part, the region between the Tweed and the Forth (including Lothian , which includes present-day Edinburgh ), was ceded to the Kingdom of Scotland. The Earldom of Northumberland was briefly held by the Scottish royal family by marriage, between 1139–1157 and 1215–1217. Scotland relinquished all claims to the region as part of
10496-594: The leading academic institutions nearby. The local industry includes commercial or academic activity in pre-clinical research and development, clinical research and development, pilot-scale manufacturing, full-scale active pharmaceutical ingredient/intermediate manufacturing, formulation, packaging, and distribution. Having no large population centres, the county's mainstream media outlets are served from nearby Tyne and Wear , including radio stations and television channels (such as BBC Look North , BBC Radio Newcastle , ITV Tyne Tees and Hits Radio North East ), along with
10624-509: The line in 1840 were from Stocksfield to Hexham, and from Rose Hill to Milton; on the double track sections the N&CR practised right-hand running. Most stations did not have elevated platforms. The track was standard gauge , at first using fish-belly rails of 42 lbs per yard, although by 1837 heavier parallel rails at 47–50 lbs per yard were being installed. The rails were laid on stone blocks, and small coal, cinders and loam were used for ballast. The stations were without platforms,
10752-413: The line to shipping quays was a prime consideration, and a north-bank railway could not reach this location without extreme engineering difficulty. On 14 October 1829 a shareholder circularised the proprietors urging this view, and after all the parliamentary argument over the route, the first shareholder's meeting on 16 October 1829 considered the matter yet again. The revised route at the Carlisle end of
10880-479: The line was being planned in 1825, it was decided to arrange it as a toll road, on which any independent carrier might run his vehicles on payment of the toll; and horse traction was intended. By May 1834 this was beginning to look antiquated as other railways, in particular the Stockton & Darlington Railway , had successfully taken the haulage of trains to itself and introduced steam locomotives. On 13 June, therefore,
11008-558: The line was now uncontroversial, although it involved prodigious engineering works, including several viaducts and large bridges, and a tunnel. It was not until 25 March 1830 that work started: the foundation stone of the Eden Viaduct was laid by Henry Howard . In fact, the central section of the route was considered to be the best to bring in some early revenue, and that is where the emphasis was placed. There were serious difficulties in getting subscribers to pay their calls, and this made
11136-447: The majority of daily newspapers covering the area ( The Journal , Evening Chronicle ). It is worth remembering however that although Northumberland, like many administrative areas in England, has been shorn of its geographical regional centre, that centre—Newcastle upon Tyne—remains an essential element within the entity we know as Northumberland. Newcastle's newspapers are as widely read in its Northumbrian hinterland as any of those of
11264-485: The merger, but it was accomplished sometime about March or April 1864. The connection with the Border Counties Railway at Reedsmouth had been planned to allow through running from Riccarton towards Morpeth, but that was now inappropriate, and the intended junction faced south instead. It is not clear whether Parliamentary sanction for this was obtained. The line was opened as far as Knowesgate in October 1863. Reedsmouth station
11392-524: The mouth of the River Team near Dunston was opened for goods traffic in September 1836. The line from Derwenthaugh to Redheugh, the Gateshead terminus, was fully opened on 1 March 1837. The N&CR operated a ferry to cross the Tyne to Newcastle, at 66 The Close, where they had a ferry pier. It had been intended to open the western end of the line at the same time as the first opening at Hexham, but trouble with
11520-576: The negotiations that followed that the N&CR would take over and extend the BG&HR from the Derwent through to Gateshead. The BG&HR had built less than two miles of its intended ten mile route and it made no more railway construction. Giles encountered friction with the directors, especially the Newcastle group, which included members with considerable engineering expertise, who did not hesitate to give contradictory instructions directly to contractors without informing Giles. The difficulty increased at
11648-590: The north side of the River Tyne at Scotswood and running on the north bank to Newcastle. Chapman reported again in June 1825; he disparaged the locomotives available at the time: They are objectionable in various ways. In the first place, gentlemen through whose estates or near whose residences they pass, object to their appearance and the noise and smoke rising from them. Whilst new, and on level planes, they possess advantages in expedition; but by their quick motion and that degree of shaking which cannot be avoided, they in
11776-505: The north, the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, and Cumbria to the west. The town of Blyth is the largest settlement. Northumberland is the northernmost county in England. The county has an area of 5,013 km (1,936 sq mi) and a population of 320,274, making it the least-densely populated county in England. The south-east contains the largest towns: Blyth (37,339), Cramlington (27,683), Ashington (27,670), and Morpeth (14,304), which
11904-521: The northwest of the county, consist mainly of resistant Devonian granite and andesite lava . A second area of igneous rock underlies the Whin Sill (on which Hadrian's Wall runs), an intrusion of Carboniferous dolerite . Both ridges support a rather bare moorland landscape. Either side of the Whin Sill the county lies on Carboniferous Limestone , giving some areas of karst landscape . Lying off
12032-401: The potential for maritime traffic. A number of canal schemes had been put forward, but a route to navigable water was not simple, and led to plans for a canal to cross to the eastern seaboard: a Tyne - Solway Canal. William Chapman surveyed a scheme for the canal, and published details of a route in 1795. The scheme was controversial, but gained enough support to be presented to Parliament in
12160-482: The promoters brought in Josias Jessop to give an opinion. He reported on 4 March 1825, stating that it would be appropriate to increase the construction estimate by £40,000 (later rounded to £300,000); the railway was still considerably cheaper than the canal alternative. Jessop also recommended a variation in the line of route. A provisional committee met on 26 March 1825 and unanimously recommended proceeding with
12288-406: The railway option, and about £20,000 in share subscriptions were taken that evening. A prospectus and public invitation to subscribe was published on 28 March The first meeting of the provisional Newcastle upon Tyne and Carlisle Rail-Road Company met on 9 April 1825; James Losh was elected chairman. A route was published on 12 November 1825. It ran from Carlisle to Newcastle quay, crossing over to
12416-546: The region. Tourism is a major source of employment and income in Northumberland. In the early 2000s the county annually received 1.1 million British visitors and 50,000 foreign tourists, who spent a total of £162 million. Coal mining in the county goes back to Tudor times . Coal mines continue to operate today; many of them are open-cast mines. Planning approval was given in January 2014 for an open-cast mine at Halton Lea Gate near Lambley . A major employer in Northumberland
12544-474: The riverside quays still needed to be served, and a 1 in 8 1 ⁄ 2 descending rope-worked incline was proposed. Nonetheless the work progressed, with land being acquired in the still-rural area west of Newcastle. A demonstration run over the incomplete permanent way was arranged on 21 May 1839 to comply with the Public Works Loan Board requirement to open a railway to Newcastle, and goods traffic seems to have run from then onwards. The line from Blaydon to
12672-491: The sides and seated 22–24 passengers. On busy days passengers were carried in goods trucks fitted with seats. When the Redheugh terminus was opened, passengers could get access to central Newcastle by a N&CR ferry. The Brandling Junction Railway was under construction, rising by a steep incline (at 1 in 22) to cross Gateshead on viaduct and descend again to the Tyne on the east side of the town; it opened on 15 January 1839. At
12800-451: The south bank, to a terminus at Redheugh, at Askew's Quay, a little east of the location of the present King Edward VII bridge. By now the Stanhope and Tyne Railway was under construction; it was to run to Tyne Dock, some way downstream, and would get direct access to convey minerals to sea-going vessels, and the N&CR directors saw this as serious competition. A presence on the north shore
12928-532: The station was simply the "Newcastle" station of the N&CR. The intention was still to extend into the centre of Newcastle, but indecision continued over the location, a tunnelled route to the Spital being put forward, as well as a terminus near the Infirmary (west of Forth Banks). Considerable ground preparation works were undertaken over a large area at the Infirmary site, although the intended passenger terminal there
13056-524: The stub of route was not physically connected to the NBR. On 17 July 1862 the North British Company had obtained running powers to Newcastle over the line of the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway from Hexham, as part of a trade-off with the North Eastern Railway. This was a better route to Newcastle than over the Wansbeck line, and now the NBR lost interest in the Wansbeck Railway company. Running entirely through sparsely populated rural areas, and with
13184-669: The success and history of their respective clubs. They both became permanent fixtures in Alf Ramsey's 1966 England World Cup winning team. Malcolm Macdonald was a successful Newcastle player of the 1970s. Great national players who played at Northumberland clubs in the 1980s and 1990s include Peter Beardsley , Paul Gascoigne , Chris Waddle and Alan Shearer . Shearer remains the highest scoring player in Premier League history with 260 goals in 441 appearances. Early races were held at Newcastle's Killingworth Moor from 1632 before moving to
13312-496: The tide was favourable. One landowner, Charles Bacon Grey, was not satisfied with the adoption of locomotives, and he obtained an injunction preventing the company from operating them. At the time the company had a bill in Parliament to authorise them, but in the meantime their use was unlawful, and they were obliged to cease operation, which they did from 28 March. Public support for the new railway had been immense, and Grey's action
13440-563: The time there was almost no building east of the present-day Gateshead Highway (A167) and an incline to the bank of the Tyne ran south to north through the site now occupied by the Sage . The Tanfield wagonway was connected into the N&CR Redheugh line near Dunston and minerals from that line then ascended the Brandling Junction incline, running over only a few hundred yards of the N&CR line. The directors had given personal guarantees to
13568-507: The west. About a quarter of the county forms the Northumberland National Park , an area of outstanding landscape that has largely been protected from development and agriculture. The park stretches south from the Scottish border and includes Hadrian's Wall . Most of the park is over 240 metres (790 feet) above sea level. The Northumberland Coast is also a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). A small part of
13696-926: The wider county: the Northumberland Gazette , Morpeth Herald , Berwick Advertiser , Hexham Courant and the News Post Leader . Lionheart Radio , a community radio station based in Alnwick , has recently been awarded a five-year community broadcasting licence by Ofcom . Ashington has the former Alcan Lynemouth Aluminium Smelter , next to the Lynemouth Power Station . Hammerite and Cuprinol are made in Prudhoe by ICI Paints . A Procter & Gamble factory in Seaton Delaval makes Hugo Boss aftershave and Clairol and Nice 'n Easy hair dye at
13824-421: Was Hexham . At the 2001 UK Census Northumberland registered a population of 307,190, estimated to be 309,237 in 2003, The 2011 UK Census gave a population of 316,028. In 2001 there were 130,780 households, 10% of the population were retired, and one-third rented their homes. Northumberland has an ethnic minority population at 0.985% of the population, far lower compared to the average of 9.1% for England as
13952-526: Was "a disorderly stampede for refreshments". The Newcastle passengers now needed to return from Newcastle: by 6:30 pm some had returned to their seats to wait in the uncovered wagons while the rain continued; the first train did not leave until nearly 10 pm, when a thunderstorm broke. On the return journey a collision between two trains at Milton held up the trains further, and the last train did not arrive back in Redheugh until 6 am. The opening dates may be summarised thus: The single-track sections on
14080-650: Was absorbed by the larger North Eastern Railway in 1862. Today the Tyne Valley line follows much of the former N&CR route between the two cities, but the Alston branch has closed. Carlisle was an important commercial centre, but as late as the eighteenth century transport was limited. It is situated on the River Eden at the head of the Solway Firth , but both those waterways suffered from shoaling and sandbanks, frustrating
14208-562: Was agreed that the BG&HR would build the line from Gateshead to the River Derwent (near Derwenthaugh) and the N&CR would build to the west. The BG&HR hesitated, and in May 1835 had just begun work as the Brandling brothers announced plans to build a railway from Gateshead to South Shields and Monkwearmouth . The Brandling Junction Railway was formed on 5 September, and it was agreed in
14336-441: Was built to reach lead mines around Alston, opening from Haltwhistle in 1852. For many years the line ran trains on the right-hand track on double line sections. In 1837 a station master on the line, Thomas Edmondson , introduced pre-printed numbered pasteboard tickets dated by a press, a huge advance on the former system of individual hand-written tickets; in time his system achieved near-universal adoption worldwide. The N&CR
14464-517: Was contested between England and Scotland into the Early Modern era, leading to the construction of many castles, peel towers and bastle houses , and the early modern fortifications at Berwick-upon-Tweed . Northumberland is also associated with Celtic Christianity , particularly the tidal island of Lindisfarne . During the Industrial Revolution the area had significant coal mining, shipbuilding, and armaments industries. The name of Northumberland
14592-637: Was controlled by Rome only for the brief period of its extension of power north to the Antonine Wall . The Roman road Dere Street crosses the county from Corbridge over high moorland west of the Cheviot Hills to Melrose, Scottish Borders ( Latin : Trimontium ). As evidence of its border position through medieval times, Northumberland has more castles than any other county in England, including prominent ones at Alnwick , Bamburgh , Dunstanburgh , Newcastle , and Warkworth . Nearly 2000-year-old Roman boxing gloves were uncovered at Vindolanda in 2017 by
14720-454: Was dominated by the railways of George Hudson, who had shown himself to be ruthless in his dealings, and who had already tried to take over the NBR. The NBR had no running rights south of Berwick. If the NBR could get access to Newcastle over friendly railways — the Border Union, the Border Counties, the Wansbeck Valley, and the Blyth and Tyne — it would have much greater autonomy, and access to
14848-602: Was expected to be the least remunerative section of the route. For the time being goods were conveyed between Gateshead and Carlisle, being carted by road over the gap. The section was finally constructed, and on 15 June 1838 a train carried the directors in a trial run over the line between Newcastle and Carlisle. The anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo , 18 June, was chosen as the official opening day. Five trains left Carlisle from 6 am to arrive in Redheugh between 9:30 am and just after 10 am. The official passengers crossed
14976-458: Was experienced from two landed proprietors on the route, as well as from George Howard, 6th Earl of Carlisle , who had extensive colliery interests near Brampton, and did not wish his near-monopoly to be disrupted. Moreover, George Stephenson , surveying an alternative route on the north side of the Tyne from Hexham eastwards, found serious errors in Chapman's route in the submitted plans; in addition,
15104-452: Was first drawn up in the 1950s. The historic county town was Alnwick ; assizes were mainly held in Newcastle , with the county gaol in Morpeth . Newcastle became a city in 1400, with county corporate status, with both areas having joint assizes. From the county council 's formation in 1889 until 1981 Newcastle was the county town , being briefly the county town of two counties when
15232-399: Was given a rail connection concurrently. The Canal Branch saw its first traffic of grain on 25 February 1837, and it was formally opened on 9 March 1837. Its purpose was transshipment to and from the canal itself, and the terminal was for goods only; This left the gap in the middle of the route, between Haydon Bridge and Blenkinsopp (near Greenhead). It had been left until last because it
15360-482: Was killed playing football when David Le Keu's knife went into Henry's belly and killed him. Organised football teams as we know today did not appear until the 1870s. Newcastle United Football Club was formed in 1892 by uniting Newcastle West End FC with Newcastle East End. Newcastle United were first division champions three times in the early 20th century, reaching the FA Cup Final three times before winning it at
15488-420: Was not built. The Redheugh incline, climbing from the N&CR at the bank of the Tyne, to Gateshead, had been opened by the Brandling Junction Railway on 15 January 1839. At first this simply gave access to Tyne quays east of Gateshead High Street, but the Brandling Junction line was completing its network, in 1839 reaching Sunderland, so that the Redheugh incline became an important artery for mineral traffic to
15616-452: Was opened for the Border Counties line in November 1864, but the Wansbeck line reached it on 1 May 1865: the Wansbeck Railway was now complete. The line had been built as single track, although land had been taken for double track. There were three passenger trains each way on the line, with separate goods trains. The sparse population did not encourage a more intensive train service. The line
15744-535: Was passed on 22 May 1829, with authorised capital of £300,000. At the eastern end, the line was to be on the north bank of the Tyne near Scotswood bridge, with the Thornton Street branch in addition. In fact the supporters of the alternative route on the south of the Tyne, to Gateshead, continued their fight; the advantage of it was the comparative ease of reaching the section of the Tyne further east where sea-going ships could berth; mineral traffic from points on
15872-581: Was produced as a blank page. Notable players after the Second World War included Joe Harvey , Jackie Milburn , Brian Clough and Newcastle's Bobby Moncur who led his team to win the Inter City Fairs Cup in 1969. Two of Jackie Milburn's nephews from Ashington , Bobby Charlton and Jackie Charlton are perhaps the two most significant players for England . Bobby joined Manchester United and Jackie Leeds United both contributing much to
16000-439: Was sponsored by the North British Railway and, when it opened, its line became known as The Waverley Route . The Border Counties Railway was to link with that route at a place that became known as Riccarton. Richard Hodgson, Chairman of the North British Railway , was a member of the provisional committee, which clearly shows the intention: the NBR was a link in a chain of railways between Edinburgh and London, via Berwick, but it
16128-509: Was still required—there were many quays opposite Redheugh, as well as the commercial district at a higher level—but now the Scotswood crossing of the Tyne was brought into question, and the Board decided to substitute a crossing nearer the city, at Derwenthaugh. In addition, it was now urgently desired to extend to deeper water east of Gateshead and a separate company was founded with the encouragement of
16256-508: Was unpopular. He withdrew his opposition and services resumed from 6 May 1835. The required act of Parliament authorising locomotive operation was passed on 17 June 1835. Robert William Brandling (usually known simply as William Brandling) was a wealthy coal owner, and he had obtained parliamentary powers in a personal capacity in the Gateshead and Monks Wearmouth Railway Act 1835 ( 5 & 6 Will. 4 . c. lxxxiii) on 7 June to acquire land for
16384-407: Was worked by train staff and ticket; the block posts intermediately were Scotsgap and Woodburn. The system was converted to electric train token in 1890 - 1891. Catcleugh Reservoir was constructed in the 1890s, and traffic for construction materials was carried on the Wansbeck line. A siding for the purpose was installed at Broomhill, near Woodburn, and there was a narrow gauge tramway from there to
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