North Sunderland Railway
The North Sunderland Railway was a small privately run railway that linked Seahouses in Northumblerland with the main coast line that runs from London to Edinburgh at Chathill, four miles west of Seahouses. As Seahouses began to grow as an important fishing harbour in the second half of the nineteenth century following the extension to the harbour in 1870, there was a need to improve transportation of fish from Seahouses to the main east coast line.
The roads between Seahouses and Chathill were not the best in the county at that time, so it was not surprise that local fishermen wanted an improved link between the harbour and Chathill. They had tried several times to covince the North East Railway Company that there was a need for branch line but always failed. In the end they formed their own railway company and in 1891 following a public meeting, The North Sunderland Railway was formed. Queen Victoria approved the venture a year later following a private Pariliamentary bill and the North Sunderland Railway officially opened six years later. Initiailly the railiway transported goods only, but it was not long before passengers could change at Chathill and arrive in Seahouses.
Just one locomotion was in service on the line initially, a steam locomotive named ‘Bamburgh’ pictured above but this was retired in 1934 when ‘Lady Armstrong’, a diesel train was built as a replacement, although the ‘Bamburgh’ was regulary called into service as the ‘Lady Armstrong’ was not the most reliable.
The line continued to operate after the second world war, but closed seven years later on 27th October 1951 as a result of financial viability. Today the station is the main pay and display car park in Seahouses and all that remains of the station is some of the single platform brickwork that makes up part of a wall, and the trackbed cutting at the west side of the carpark which is now a footpath.
This entry was posted on Monday September 29th, 2008 at 8:39 AM and is filed under Places to Visit. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response.
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3 Responses to North Sunderland Railway
David robinson Says:
August 31st, 2009 at 7:19 PM
I bought the 7mm scale Seahouses model railway from Kevin Cartwright. Kevin did much research on Seahouses and the North Sunderland Railway and loaned his research dossier on Seahouses and the North Sunderland Railway to a woman from the local council. This dossier was part of the model railway but she would not return it and thus far she still has it. I would like this dossier returned to accompany the layout. If anyone knows the identity of the woman from the council who has failed to return this dossier or the whereabouts of the dossier please contact David Robinson on derob@btinternet.com. I WOULD LIKE IT RETURNED!
Simon bolton Says:
January 13th, 2010 at 10:02 AM
Hi David, I've just read your post on the NSR page. Did you get your dossier back?
I am currently building a rake of the exNER coaches from the 7mm Connnoisseur kits and am thinking about scratch-building "Bamburgh."
Do you have any information you might think useful and of course, after your previous experience, are willing to share!
Many thanks
Simon
John errington Says:
October 30th, 2011 at 9:44 AM
Hi,
I was born and bred in Seahouses. In 1961, I walked the entire length of the NSR from Seahouses to Chathill, looking for signs, memorabilia, anything which still remained. I got the last one! - a wooden sign on a gate which announces "Percy Hunt Wicket. Members cross line at own risk." I've still got it!