In March 1905, the 7-mile section from South Gosforth to Ponteland was opened to goods traffic, with passenger services commencing in June 1905.

[1] A 1¼-mile extension of the branch line to the garden city of Darras Hall in Northumberland, known as the Little Callerton Railway, was authorised in 1909.

[5] The Little Callerton Railway sub-branch line had operated passenger services between Ponteland and Darras Hall for just sixteen years at the time of closure.

[6] In May 1981, an 8.2-kilometre (5.1 mi) section of the former Ponteland Railway was reopened between South Gosforth and Bank Foot, as part of the Tyne and Wear Metro network.

The line was further extended in November 1991, following the opening of a 3.3-kilometre (2.1 mi) section between Bank Foot and Newcastle Airport,[8][9] with an intermediate station at Callerton Parkway.