By 1697, the Wharton family’s Rainton Waggonway carried coal from their Rainton Ducks Colliery across Dubmire and Hall Moors and over Sedgeletch from where the line took up an old waggonway route used by Sir John Duck through Newbottle, Penshaw and down Waggon Hill to the south bank of the River Wear. Branches were added to the waggonway from Newbottle Colliery for the Earl of Scarborough’s coal in 1723 and another from Smith’s Colliery in Morton but the route that these branch lines took has not been established. In 1730, the colliery passed by marriage to the Tempest family. Over the middle years of the 18th century, the course of the main way around Dubmires was altered because of wayleave problems and for a time the line became circuitous. By the late 1760s, the line had reverted to its former course. Branch lines were added to deep collieries. Wharton Main or Penshaw Colliery lay close to the River Wear and was sunk to the Hutton Seam at 84 fathoms. It is shown on Casson’s map of the Coalfield of 1801.

Richard Wharton, the owner of Rainton Ducks Colliery, died in 1696. His widow, Jane, ran the colliery for the next 30 years. In 1697, she secured a new route for a waggonway from Rainton across Dubmire and Hall Moors and over Sedgeletch from where the line took up an old waggonway route used by Sir John Duck through Newbottle, Penshaw and down Waggon Hill to the south bank of the River Wear. Branches were added to the waggonway from Newbottle Colliery for the Earl of Scarborough’s coal in 1723 and another from Smith’s Colliery in Morton but the route that these branch lines took has not been established. In 1730, following Jane Wharton’s death, the colliery passed by marriage to the Tempest family. Over the middle years of the 18th century, the course of the main way around Dubmires was altered because of wayleave problems and for a time the line became circuitous. By the late 1760s, the line had reverted to its former course. Branch lines were added to deep collieries. Eden Main Colliery, to the east of Shiney Row and west of Philadelphia, was sunk 60 fathoms to the Hutton Seam in the 1790s.

Richard Wharton, the owner of Rainton Ducks Colliery, died in 1696. His widow, Jane, ran the colliery for the next 30 years. In 1697, she secured a new route for a waggonway from Rainton across Dubmire and Hall Moors and over Sedgeletch from where the line took up an old waggonway route used by Sir John Duck through Newbottle, Penshaw and down Waggon Hill to the south bank of the River Wear. In 1730, following Jane Wharton’s death, the colliery was passed by marriage to the Tempest family. The route researched by Alan Williams incorporates several other waggonways/railways such as 3081 and 3130.
In 2019 a 20m section of the waggonway was excavated north of Coaley Lane. The waggonway was aligned north-west/south-east. Trench 1 measured 128m by 15.5m. The remains of the waggonway consisted of an orange-brown clayey sand bedding deposit measuring 1.7m wide and 0.3m deep. Irregular shaped sleeper impressions measuring 1.98m long by 0.35m wide and up to 0.2m deep were cut into the bedding deposit c. 0.08m to 0.45m apart along most of the 20m excavated area. The remains of a ballast deposit were also identified around some of the sleeper impressions. The profile of parallel rail impressions were also identified, 1.22m apart. A narrow linear ditch 1.14m wide, 0.15m deep and over 107.85m in length was identified 2.5m. This contained coal, coal dust, clinker and a clay pipe. A second ditch was identified 4.1-4.5m south-west and north-east of the trackway. This had a grey-brown sandy clay fill containing industrial residue and measured 92.21m> x 1.04m-1.76m wide and up to 0.35m deep. A small gully was also identified in addition to a short stretch of a culvert with a sandstone lining and cover which measured 3.60m long by 1.17m wide and 0.30m deep. Trench 2 measured 73m x 14m. No evidence of the waggonway track were preserved in this trench. Within the trench two parallel linear trackside drainage ditches 4.5m-5.5m apart were identified, these measured 73.82m> x 1.78m wide and 73.42m< x 1.33m wide. Both has a grey-brown and black-brown sandy silty clay fill. Finds included three pieces of 19th century whiteware pottery and three post-medieval clay tobacco pipe stem fragments. In addition, part of a waterlogged wood sleeper measuring 868mm long x c.76-89mm wide x c.28-32mm thick, brick and tile fragments as well as industrial residue including ironworking, slag and clinker were also recovered.

A long waggonway, running between the Earl of Scarborough’s pits within Lumley Colliery and staiths on the southern bank of the River Wear at Penshaw by 1704. Various branches were added to the waggonway over the succeeding century. In 1784, the lease to Lumley Colliery was bought by Lord Lambton. In the 1790s, a short branch line was constructed from his colliery at Penshaw. It is shown on Casson’s Map of the Coalfield of 1801.

By the 1760s, the Flatts Waggonway (HER 17094) ran on a curving route through Harraton and to Fatfield avoiding land within the Peareth Estate. A new staith had also been built at Fatfield owned by the Hedworths.

Humble’s Waggonway, running from coal pits on Birtley Common to a staith at Fatfield, was established in 1741. By 1754, it was being used by Thomas Donnison to carry coal from South Birtley Colliery. A branch to Black Fell was established before 1787 (it is shown on Gibson’s map of 1787).

This waggonway is shown and named on Gibson’s 1787 map of the Coalfield. It ran from Harraton to the north bank of the River Wear at Chartershaugh.

A waggonway one mile long running from Peareth’s Main colliery to a staith at Chartershaugh on the north bank of the River Wear. It is shown on Gibson’s Map of the Coalfield of 1787 but dates of opening and closure are not certain.

A waggonway to easily accessible coal seams at Flatts, north- west of Chester-le-Street on land owned by Thomas Allan was in use by about 1690. The line also ran across land owned by John Hedworth in Harraton and reached the north bank of the River Wear at Fatfield. The waggonway is shown on a map of 1746.

A short waggonway running to a colliery a little way to the west of Cox Green at Worm Hill on the north bank of the River Wear. It was certainly in use by 1787, shown on Gibson’s Map of the Coalfield of that year.