North Eastern Railway, Tynemouth Branch

After two unsuccessful proposals caused by opposition from rivermen and coach owners, an Act of Parliament in June 1836 gave consent for a railway line between Newcastle (Pilgrim Street) and North Shields. Built by Robert Nicholson it cost £160,000 and included Ouseburn Viaduct, a 103 yard tunnel near Pilgrim Street, an 80 feetembankment at Pandon Dene and a three quarters of a mile cutting at Heaton. The opening ceremony was on 22 June 1839. The journey from the temporary Carliol Square Terminus was in open coaches pulled by the first two engines of the Newcastle and North Tyneside Railway - "Wellington" and "Hotspur". In 1846 the YN & BR absorbed the N & NTR and in 1854 became the North Eastern Railway. The Newcastle to North Shields line included Howdon Station and Willington Viaduct, (HER refs. 1175 and 1190). The line reached North Shields and Tynemouth in 1847. In 1847 as part of the Newcastle & Berwick Railway it was extended to the terminus at Oxford Road, Tynemouth (HER ref. 2046). In 1904 this line became the first in the country to operate electric trains.