Leamside Line

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Walk dog along line to fencehouses regularly. Was talk about re opening a few years ago but rails were ripped up about 18 months ago.

Probably never happen now
 
Greavsie said:
Walk dog along line to fencehouses regularly. Was talk about re opening a few years ago but rails were ripped up about 18 months ago.

Probably never happen now
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I think it got knocked on head due to objections from residents along the line.
 
Greavsie said:
Was talk about re opening a few years ago but rails were ripped up about 18 months ago.

Probably never happen now
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It's still possible it will reopen for heavy rail, Port of Tyne is expanding operations and the East Coast Mainline is close to capacity between Newcastle and Darlington so it's quite a strategic route.

The track was lifted as if they do reopen it the track bed would need renewed anyway - lifting the rails has actually reduced the cost of reopening the line.
 
A station/"football platform" at Fulwell? I've never heard of that before. Anyone have any info on this? Had a quick squint at Google, but nowt is turning up.
 
blue sabre said:
It's still possible it will reopen for heavy rail, Port of Tyne is expanding operations and the East Coast Mainline is close to capacity between Newcastle and Darlington so it's quite a strategic route.

The track was lifted as if they do reopen it the track bed would need renewed anyway - lifting the rails has actually reduced the cost of reopening the line.
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Very true, Network Rail still see a future for the route,
errant said:
was about to say there's a great flickr album around somewhere with loads of photos... :)

not sure its the same one, i'd seen one with load of old pelaw junction photos circa the late 70s...
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Aye there's a Flickr group called 'The Leamside Line - Gone But Not Forgotten' which has about 500 pictures of the line, either in it's glory days, or it's abandoned days. Can't believe there were Intercity 125's going over it as recently as 1991!
 
Pete B said:
it should have been part of the Metro extension from the start; it would link quite nicely with the Park and Ride at the A1/A690 interchange
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No it shouldn't. It should be a heavy rail link, putting Metro down the Durham Coast line to Sunderland has really restricted the potential of that line. Metro on the Leamside would rally stifle any chance of improving rail access in the region.
 
Canny pics.The first two after the notice are where i played and grew up.First pic,leamside line goes off to the right.Straight ahead is Sunderland,and left at that junctio is S shields.On the horizon is Monkton coke works.When the signal box on the right was being built,me and a friend were playing amongst the bricks and steel,and i sliced the top of my finger off in an accident.Stuck it back on though,and still have the scar today.Second pic,the old CWS buildings on the right.I've been on the roof of the nearest one.And two or three of my sisters worked in those factories.And the field to the right,where the lorry front is sticking out,had underground air raid shelters.We rummaged around them when they were derelict, circa 1965.
 
blue sabre said:
No it shouldn't. It should be a heavy rail link, putting Metro down the Durham Coast line to Sunderland has really restricted the potential of that line. Metro on the Leamside would rally stifle any chance of improving rail access in the region.
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I'll rephrase that a bit.
Metro has really hindered the service into Sunderland station, the power supply is no compatible with mainline rolling stock and there are special operating instructions in place regarding train spacing which in turn coupled with the regular stopping pattern and relatively slow speed reduces the capacity of the line.
Better use for the Leamside would be to relay it, rebuild the stations, use it for heavy rail passenger service and as a freight diversion to increase capacity on the East Coast Mainline. Relay the link between South Hylton and Penshaw, and you can also run a direct train from Sunderland to Durham and beyond.
 
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