Most of the network closed in the middle years of the twentieth century, although the route from Gateshead to Monkwearmouth is still in use; a heritage railway operates on a section of the former Tanfield Waggonway.

It was opened in 1712 by Sir John Clavering and Thomas Brumell from collieries they owned at Lintz and Buck's Nook, and George Pitt of Strathfieldsaye was encouraged to develop what became the great Tanfield coalfield, using the waggonway.

This made the waggonway unusable, and frustration among coal owners generally led to the formation of a powerful group known informally as the Grand Allies: Hon.

[8]Practically the whole of the coals from the Tanfield and South Moor districts came down to the River Tyne at Dunston, and the Grand Allies built special facilities there for the purpose.

[9] By the early years of the nineteenth century the Main Way of the waggonway south of Rowland's Gill fell into disuse, but it had extended its Thornley branch from Winlaton Mill eastwards to Spen (Garesfeld).

In 1834 and 1835 R. W. Brandling and John Brandling secured leases of the coal in a large area about four miles southward from South Shields and seven miles inland from the coast, and in May 1835 they proposed a railway serving this area, and connecting Gateshead with South Shields and Monkwearmouth, obtaining authorising in the Gateshead and Monks Wearmouth Railway Act 1835 (5 & 6 Will.

They obtained a report from Robert Stephenson and Isambard Kingdom Brunel stating that the Brandling plan was "in every respect preferable" to the BG&HR scheme.

The site was formed by the removal of an old ballast hill during the construction of an embankment over the Dene Burn; the line continued north and then west to the bank of the Tyne at Archer's Quay.

[10] The Monkwearmouth Station (described in many sources as "Sunderland", but located north of the River Wear) stood in Broad Street (now part of Roker Avenue).

On 9 September 1839 the Newton Garths branch, a curve from south to east near Brockley Whins, was brought into use and coal from the Stanhope and Tyne line passed over it for shipment at the Wearmouth Dock.

We are glad to find that the Directors are about to show their sense of the public patronage, by having an omnibus to run between the depot, at the high part of South Shields, and the Market-place and the Steam Ferry Landing.

[12]The Railway Times described the route: The Junction of the Brandling with the Carlisle line is formed on the Quay, at the south side of the river Tyne, about a mile west of Gateshead; and from thence it proceeds by an incline, rising one foot in twenty-three, first along a heavy embankment, and then through a deep cutting, in some parts forty-five feet in depth, to the top of the hill in Green’s Field, where a standing engine, of sixty horse power, built by Messrs. Hawthorn, of Newcastle, has been erected for the purpose of working the incline.Leaving Redheugh station [in fact passing above it at high level] the line passes through the town of Gateshead, along a magnificent viaduct, built of stone, which is upwards of half a mile in length, and crosses the principal street by a beautiful span, with two smaller arches enclosing the footpath...

A self-acting incline is at present in operation [down to the Tyne] here, and coals, which are brought along the Newcastle and Carlisle line, are regularly shipped at staiths erected for the purpose by the Brandling Company...

The railway passes under a neat stone bridge at Felling Hall gate, and soon after enters a cutting, from which it emerges at Hedworth Dean, which it crosses by an embankment thirty feet high.

It then crosses the Dean by an embankment, which is in some parts forty-five feet in depth, and continues past Temple town to the Railway leading from the St. Hilda Pit to the river.

The Brandling Junction Railway later (on 9 March 1840) opened a station of that name west of the Pontop Crossing; at first it was only an exchange platform for connectional purposes.

[5][15] Tomlinson says "Having closed the Biddick or Harton Branch soon after it had been opened, the Brandling Company brought their traffic between South Shields and Sunderland round by Brockley Whins.

"[16] The "Biddick or Harton Branch" is the original direct line from South Shields as far as the convergence at Cleadon Lane (or Tile Shed Junction).

There were four recognised stations at Tanfield Lea, Bowes Bridge, Fugar Bar and Redheugh (N&CR), and "an unofficial stopping place by the Whickham Turnpike at Lobley Hill".

As these plans took shape, the question of the crossing of the Tyne was a major issue, and on 14 November 1837, the GNoER gave notice of its intention to build a bridge from Redheugh, near the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway terminal (opened 1 March 1837), to Knox's Field on the north bank.

The Brandling Junction Railway was planned to approach at a much higher level and was now too important to leave out of the consideration, so that it appeared that two bridges might be necessary at different heights.

It formed the last of the series of inclines, which, representing a difference of level of 800 feet in 6+1⁄2 miles, "made the Tanfield branch one of the most interesting lines of the North Eastern Railway system".

As well as improper accounting, the directors had raised money for capital works on their personal bonds, subsequently vesting these in themselves and mortgaging to themselves the remainder of the shares unissued.

They also completed the extension of their line from the west end of South Shields to the centre of the town, a distance of 7⁄8 mile, opening a new passenger and goods station at Heron's Hill on 17 December 1842.

On 18 June 1844 the public opening of the line took place; a special train conveying the Hon H. T. Liddell MP, and eight other gentlemen, left Euston Square at 5.30 a.m. and arrived at Gateshead at 2.24 p.m., considered an extraordinary time.

[4] The Newcastle and Darlington Company duly took possession of the Brandling Junction line on 1 September 1844 and on this date, they closed the old Oakwellgate station in Gateshead for passenger traffic.

On 20 February 1849, a question was raised at the half-yearly meeting of the York, Newcastle and Berwick Company by Mr. Robert Prance, of the London Stock Exchange regarding shares acquired by Hudson.

The High Level Bridge had opened, spanning the River Tyne from Gateshead to Newcastle, on 15 August 1849[note 3] so that the East Coast Main Line was now in place and reasonably direct, running via Washington.

Iron ore became a particularly difficult commodity, and it was imported in large volumes to serve existing steelworks, which brought much traffic to the railway, albeit against the gradient.

[18] The original core route from Gateshead to Monkwearmouth remains open, and part of it is followed by the Nexus metro service operated by Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive.