Hexham and Allendale Railway

The Newcastle and Carlisle Railway was built to connect the east and west coasts of northern England, but in its construction, priority was given to opening the section between Hexham and Blaydon.

This was to give early access to the River Tyne for lead ore extracted in the area, considered to be the most lucrative potential traffic for the line.

As early as 1841 the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway considered a connection to Alston and Nenthead, high in the hills south of and above Haltwhistle.

The independently promoted Border Counties Railway ran north from Hexham, connecting mineral deposits to the main line as well as harbouring strategic plans to reach further, which it later achieved.

The company was owned by Wentworth Blackett Beaumont and on 31 August 1864 he chaired a meeting in Allendale to promote a locally financed railway to Hexham, on the N&CR.

[2] The company's manager was Thomas J. Bewicke, and he arranged a survey; although a steep and continuous gradient of 1 in 40 was required there were no major engineering difficulties and no landowner opposition, and the North Eastern Railway was amenable to a junction being made with its main line.

The junction at Border Counties was also a temporary arrangement, unsuitable for passenger operation, and the North Eastern Railway had undertaken to improve Hexham station but had not yet done so.

[4] On 2 February 1869 the Board of Trade Inspecting Officer visited the line to approve it for passenger operation, but he declined to do so because of deficiencies in the signalling; he also criticised the arrangements at the North Eastern Railway's Hexham station.

[8] Receipts for the half year to 30 June 1868 were: In 1876 the company sold its line to the North Eastern Railway, and its shareholders received about 60% of their investment, effective on 13 July 1876.

The line was single, worked on the one engine in steam principle, intermediate sidings being served by ground frame connections released by the train staff.

Station list: The line climbed steeply to a summit at Langley, 800 feet above sea level, and then descended to Staward, then falling gently to the terminus.