Paper Manufactory.

Oil Manufactory, (Linseed and Rape).

Firebrick Manufactory.

After the building of Chopwell Way, the next waggonway was Carr Hill Way to Felling Staith. The plan of 1728 implies a date in the 1670s although the line shown extending to Carr Hill in eastern Gateshead is unlikely to be that of Robert Brandling built around 1676. His waggonway is probably the most westerly of a fan of abandoned waggonways that ran from a line of old pits and is shown on a plan of the 1830s running to Felling Staith. Felling Wagonway (as shown on 1st edition Ordnance Survey map) ran to Felling Drops, (SMR 3540), from Felling Colliery and the North Eastern Railway. This line was opened in 1810 by the Blacketts to serve Felling Colliery. It was laid with iron rails by Anthony Errington, on the line of part of the old Carr Hill Way.

Felling Drops at the northern end of the Felling Way, (SMR 3541). In use probably from 1670s.

Copperas Works.

Tyne Main Colliery (East), sent coal to the Tyne Main Staiths via the Tyne Main Wagonway (HER 3533) {1}. Tyne Main Colliery, also called Friar's Goose Colliery had not been extensively worked until the 1740s when the Liddell partnership installed two Newcomen engines (see HER 1012) at Friar's Goose on the riverside, which overcame the minewater problems in this area. One of the busiest wagonways was that of Friar's Goose Colliery which, in 1746, was about a quarter of a mile in length and was made possible by the effort to drain Gateshead Park. In the 1850s, the owners were Losh and Co, and later George Elliott & Co. There were two associated pits, Engine Pit and William Pit. Towards the end of 19th century the colliery closed and then re-activated a number of times. Tyne Main Colliery had closed by 1895 {2}.

The main product was caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) for use in the textile industry and the banks of the Tyne provided an ideal location in terms of water resources, availability of coal and access for the import and export of goods. Large chemical works, including the Friar's Goose Chemical Works and Allhusen's Works, dominated the local landscape for well over a century and were significant employers within the local community. The mechanism of the textiles' trade at the beginning of the industrial revolution, caused an acute requirement for alkaline chemicals, namely sodium hydroxide and potassium carbonate. Bleach, soap and alum all required alkali and were, therefore, competitors with the glass trade for the natural supplies of caustic soad and potash. In order to satisfy the escalating demand for these products, chemists began to look to common salt, found in brine and rock deposits, as a possible raw material for making caustic soda. These attempts at the industrial preparation of soda from salt became known as the alkali trade. One only satisfactory process emerged in 1791. This was due to a chemist, Nicholas Leblanc, whose process was to dominate the chemical industry of the world for over a hundred years. Importantly, use of the Leblanc process also dominated the chemical works in the Friar's Goose area of Gateshead for many years. In 1827 Friar's Goose Chemical Works was established by Anthony Clapham, a well known soap manufacturer. Of some significance is the fact that Clapham had been harassed out of a number of works in the North-East after repeated complaints of pollution caused by his factories. Soap making was conducted at the site until 1829 and by 1831 the works had been altered to become a caustic works operating the Leblanc process, mainly producing bicarbonate of soda and Epsom Salts. Following the misguided belief that chimneys were successful in eliminating, or alleviating pollution incidents, 1833 saw the completion of the Clapham's Chimney. The chimney was 263 feet high and was the highest chimney on Tyneside at that time. The Friar's Goose Chemical Works was the scene of several reported accidents, among them a fire in 1865 which destroyed the sulphuric acid chambers, and an explosion in 1891 when seven men were killed. However, the chimney survived all these incidents. In 1891 Friar's Goose Chemical Works were taken over by the United Alkali Company (which eventually became ICI) where production concentrated on caustic soda. Many of the workers in the chemical industry came from Ireland, driven out by the potato famine, they formed a cheap labour force. Working conditions in the factories were appalling, acid burns were commonplace and the workforce had to wrap layer upon layer of flannel over their faces to try to filter the poisonous fumes. Phosgene, a nerve gas was produced at the works for use in World War I in December 1915. By the end of the War the north-east chemical industry was concentrated on Teeside. In 1926 the United Alkali Company became part of ICI. The Gateshead works were run down. By 1942 they had closed. The spoil area from the Friar's Goose Works was incorporated in East Gateshead Riverside Park which developed in 1966 {2}.

The Derwent Bridge. Crossed the Derwent between Burnopfield and Rowlands Gill, on the border between Tyne and Wear and Durham. The bridge was built in 1727 as a waggonway bridge carrying a re-alignment of the Clavering's waggonway to staiths at Derwenthaugh. The waggonway crossing is first shown on a plan of 1750 apparently comprising a single-arched 'bridge' on abutments of stone with substantial approach batteries, carrying a single track across the river. The upper part of the present bridge is a 19th century rebuild, perhaps associated with the conversion of the waggonway route into a turnpike down Busty Bank. However, the lower parts of the bridge abutment on the eastern side are of earlier masonry - oblong ashlars - and are probably part of the 1727 construction.

A yard is shown on Wood’s Plan of Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead (1827) with the annotation Robson and Gray. Over the mid-nineteenth century, the yard was run by the partners Gaddy and Lamb. It was a small company and did not survive the general conversion of the river to iron ship construction over the 1860s and 70s. However, map evidence shows that the yard remained in use (owners not presently established) over the rest of the nineteenth and well into the twentieth century.

Map Evidence
Wood’s Plan of Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead (1827)
A shipyard is shown on the Gateshead bank of the Tyne with the names Robson and Gray. No structures are shown in the yard which is demarcated with a hatched line. An ‘L’ shaped structure lies immediately to the west of the yard.

First Edition Six Inches to One Mile Ordnance Survey 1855, Sheets 89,98
The yard now contains two slipways which run almost parallel with the course of the river and launch downstream. There is a saw pit at the north western edge of the yard. Few buildings apparent. A well-known advertisement illustrates the yard around this time.

Second Edition Six Inches to One Mile Ordnance Survey 1855, Sheets ??
Little obvious change to the yard.

Third Edition Twenty Five Inches to One Mile Ordnance Survey1912, Sheet XCV.13
Little obvious change to the yard.

Fourth Edition Six Inches to One Mile Ordnance Survey 1924, Sheet??
Little obvious change to the yard {2}.