Border Counties Railway
Encyclopedia
The Border Counties Railway was a railway line in Northumberland
, England
, with a small section in Roxburghshire
, in the Borders
region of Scotland
. The railway was incorporated in 1854; and was absorbed by the North British Railway
(NBR) on 13 August 1860. It linked the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
, near Hexham
, with the Border Union Railway
at Riccarton Junction
.
in 1919 to avoid confusion with Chollerton, the next station on the line. Bellingham was renamed Bellingham (North Tyne) by the London and North Eastern Railway
in 1923-4 to avoid confusion with Bellingham
in Kent.
ways on 15 October 1956. Freight services continued until 1 September 1958 and from Bellingham to Newcastle until 9 November 1963 using the Wansbeck Railway
via Morpeth. Part of the line is now beneath the surface of Kielder Water
.
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, with a small section in Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
, in the Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
region of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The railway was incorporated in 1854; and was absorbed by the North British Railway
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
(NBR) on 13 August 1860. It linked the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
The Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, occasionally referred to as the Tyne Valley Line, is a railway line in northern England. The line was built in the 1830s, and links the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in Tyne and Wear with in Cumbria. Formal opening took place on 18 June 1838.The line follows the...
, near Hexham
Hexham railway station
Hexham railway station serves the town of Hexham in Northumberland, England. It is located on the Tyne Valley Line which runs from Newcastle upon Tyne to Carlisle, and is managed by Northern Rail who provide most passenger train services.-History:...
, with the Border Union Railway
Border Union Railway
The Border Union Railway was a railway line in south of Scotland. It was authorised on 21 July 1859 and advertised as the Waverley Route by the promoters - the North British Railway...
at Riccarton Junction
Riccarton Junction railway station
Riccarton Junction, in the county of Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders, was a railway village and station. In its heyday it had 118 residents and its own school, post office and grocery store...
.
History
The first section of the route was opened between Hexham and Chollerford on 5 April 1858. The line opened, following absorption by the NBR, on 24 June 1862 for goods traffic, and 1 July 1862 for passenger traffic. The railway was built as a single track even over bridges, with the exception of a stretch of double line across the Hexham Viaduct.Stations renamed
Two stations on the line were renamed: Chollerford was renamed Humshaugh by the North British RailwayNorth British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
in 1919 to avoid confusion with Chollerton, the next station on the line. Bellingham was renamed Bellingham (North Tyne) by the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
in 1923-4 to avoid confusion with Bellingham
Bellingham railway station
Bellingham railway station is in the London Borough of Lewisham in south London. It is in Travelcard Zone 3, and the station and all trains are operated by Southeastern...
in Kent.
Connections to other lines
- Border Union RailwayBorder Union RailwayThe Border Union Railway was a railway line in south of Scotland. It was authorised on 21 July 1859 and advertised as the Waverley Route by the promoters - the North British Railway...
at Riccarton JunctionRiccarton Junction railway stationRiccarton Junction, in the county of Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders, was a railway village and station. In its heyday it had 118 residents and its own school, post office and grocery store... - Plashetts Colliery Waggonway at PlashettsPlashetts railway stationPlashetts railway station is a closed stone built railway station that served the mining hamlet of Plashetts, in Northumberland, England, which is now beneath the surface of Kielder Water.-History:...
- Wansbeck RailwayWansbeck RailwayThe Wansbeck Railway was a single track railway line in Northumberland, England, that ran from to on the Border Counties Railway via the stations of Woodburn, Knowesgate, Scotsgap, Middleton, Angerton and Meldon.-History:...
at ReedsmouthReedsmouth railway stationReedsmouth is a closed railway station in Northumberland, England. It was a junction station where the Wansbeck Railway joined the Border Counties Railway .- Services :- References :*... - Newcastle and Carlisle RailwayNewcastle and Carlisle RailwayThe Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, occasionally referred to as the Tyne Valley Line, is a railway line in northern England. The line was built in the 1830s, and links the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in Tyne and Wear with in Cumbria. Formal opening took place on 18 June 1838.The line follows the...
at HexhamHexham railway stationHexham railway station serves the town of Hexham in Northumberland, England. It is located on the Tyne Valley Line which runs from Newcastle upon Tyne to Carlisle, and is managed by Northern Rail who provide most passenger train services.-History:...
Current operations
The line was closed to passengers by British RailBritish Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways on 15 October 1956. Freight services continued until 1 September 1958 and from Bellingham to Newcastle until 9 November 1963 using the Wansbeck Railway
Wansbeck Railway
The Wansbeck Railway was a single track railway line in Northumberland, England, that ran from to on the Border Counties Railway via the stations of Woodburn, Knowesgate, Scotsgap, Middleton, Angerton and Meldon.-History:...
via Morpeth. Part of the line is now beneath the surface of Kielder Water
Kielder Water
Kielder Water is a large artificial reservoir in Northumberland in North East England. It is the largest artificial lake in the United Kingdom by capacity and it is surrounded by Kielder Forest, the largest human-made woodland in Europe. It was planned in the late 1960s to satisfy an expected rise...
.