Blackhall Mill, wagonway

Narrow gauge, rope hauled wagonway built by the Consett Iron Company circa 1872 to take coal from Carr Pit in Milkwell Burn Wood to the cokeworks at Westwood Colliery. A section of the wagonway was investigated during the course of a watching brief in 1991. The track was found to have been laid on a ridge of sand and gravel. The ridge was 7 metres across at the base and 3 metres across at the top and was 2 metres high. It crossed the River Derwent on a wooden trestle bridge (in County Durham - NZ 1133 5681). The stone abutments are still in situ. The wagonway crossed the Milkwell Burn on a skew type bridge (HER 5194) which still survives.