Backworth Wagonway
Backworth Waggonway opened in 1818 and ran from Backworth A Pit NZ3071 to Whitehill Point NZ3566 on the River Tyne. The wagonway was extended to Backworth B Pit NZ2972 and West Cramlington Colliery NZ2675.
Backworth Wagonway was the first wagonway to run along this route and many other Colliery owners initially connected their pits to it. However, as the amount of traffic increased on the Backworth wagonway, the other companies began to build their own wagonways parallel to this one.
Backworth Wagonway was the first wagonway to run along this route and many other Colliery owners initially connected their pits to it. However, as the amount of traffic increased on the Backworth wagonway, the other companies began to build their own wagonways parallel to this one.
History
The mineral properties of Backworth and the surrounding area are owned chiefly by the Duke of Northumberland. Coal has been mined in this part of Northumberland since early times and during the early 1700s the area around Backworth was extensively mined. There was no mining in Backworth itself because of the 90 fathom fault which threw the seams down some 120 fathoms at this point. If it was known that coal was there at this time it was not mined because it could be won much easier and cheaper to the south as the measures outcropped just to the south of this fault.
The mineral properties of Backworth and the surrounding area are owned chiefly by the Duke of Northumberland. Coal has been mined in this part of Northumberland since early times and during the early 1700s the area around Backworth was extensively mined. There was no mining in Backworth itself because of the 90 fathom fault which threw the seams down some 120 fathoms at this point. If it was known that coal was there at this time it was not mined because it could be won much easier and cheaper to the south as the measures outcropped just to the south of this fault.
1807 Map showing the earliest wooden wagonways
Thus by 1765 a wooden waggonway had been built by Gibson, Bell and Brown to serve the royalties of Flatworth, Shiremoor and Murton to the south of the Backworth royalty. This wagonway ran from Whitehill point on the Tyne via High Flatworth to Murton Row on the northern edge of the Flatworth royalty. At Murton Row the line divided, the western branch running a short distance to serve pits in the Shiremoor royalty south of the allotment. The eastern branch ran a short distance to serve pits in the Murton Royalty around Shiremoor House. By 1810 this branch had been extended further north to pits in the Murton Royalty around the village of New York. This system lasted as such until the early years of the 19th century with the positions of the feeding branches changing as pits were worked out and new ones sunk.
By 1810 these royalties were leased by a group of partners:- Maude, Lamb, Taylor, Plumer and Buddle. The latter was John Buddle probably the most notable mining engineer of his day and the developments which followed were largely due to him.
At this time the old colliery was virtually worked out and Buddle must have had his sights on what lay beyond the 90 fathom dike. In the short term the partners began a new sinking east of Allotment farm which was to become the Algernon pit. Coal drawing began in June 1810. At the same time conversion and upgrading of the old wagonway began with Buddle writing to the Butterley Iron Works in Derbyshire on the 17th May 1810 asking them to quote for cast iron rails, 'the same as those supplied to Benwell Colliery'. These were to be 3ft long weighing 29lbs with 7lb pedestals. Two days later replying to the Butterly Company's offer of £12 per ton and pedestals at £14 Buddle wrote that part of the wagonway was to replace a wooden one now in use and also would it be aggreable to extend the order from 300 to 600 yds more. This last addition would be to extend the line to the new sinking.
This new pit did not last very long as it closed in April 1814. To the casual observer it would seem a great deal of expenditure to lay a cast iron wagonway and sink a new pit at an old colliery especially one which would only be open for four years, but the partners had long term plans. In 1812 they had negotiated with the Duke of Northumberland the lase of the nearby Backworth royalty, where boring had been done to prove the extent of the coal measures north of the 90 fathom fault.
The first sinking at this royalty was the 'A' pit, where ground was broken in August 1813. Coal production commenced in September 1818 and the new wagonway was extended the 1.5 miles to reach the new venture. The first shipment of coal left Whitehill point on board the 'Nailer' on the 10th September of the same year.
The extension of the 1810 cast iron railway was along one of the Shiremoor pit branches serving the Hope Pit. It left the Hope branch at the site of the later Allotment engine and ran north, north west to reach the 'A' Pit. In 1821 sinking of the 'B' Pit commenced about 800 yds to the north of the 'A' Pit and in December of that year the first stationary haulage or 'standing' engine was built at the Allomtment to draw wagons up the slight incline from the colliery, thereby eliminating the use of horses on that part of the line where the gradient was against the load. During 1823 another engine was brought into use at Murton Row and the remaining section to the staithes was converted to rope haulage soon afterwards. Another engine was installed at Percy Main sometime between 1824 and 1827.
At this time the old colliery was virtually worked out and Buddle must have had his sights on what lay beyond the 90 fathom dike. In the short term the partners began a new sinking east of Allotment farm which was to become the Algernon pit. Coal drawing began in June 1810. At the same time conversion and upgrading of the old wagonway began with Buddle writing to the Butterley Iron Works in Derbyshire on the 17th May 1810 asking them to quote for cast iron rails, 'the same as those supplied to Benwell Colliery'. These were to be 3ft long weighing 29lbs with 7lb pedestals. Two days later replying to the Butterly Company's offer of £12 per ton and pedestals at £14 Buddle wrote that part of the wagonway was to replace a wooden one now in use and also would it be aggreable to extend the order from 300 to 600 yds more. This last addition would be to extend the line to the new sinking.
This new pit did not last very long as it closed in April 1814. To the casual observer it would seem a great deal of expenditure to lay a cast iron wagonway and sink a new pit at an old colliery especially one which would only be open for four years, but the partners had long term plans. In 1812 they had negotiated with the Duke of Northumberland the lase of the nearby Backworth royalty, where boring had been done to prove the extent of the coal measures north of the 90 fathom fault.
The first sinking at this royalty was the 'A' pit, where ground was broken in August 1813. Coal production commenced in September 1818 and the new wagonway was extended the 1.5 miles to reach the new venture. The first shipment of coal left Whitehill point on board the 'Nailer' on the 10th September of the same year.
The extension of the 1810 cast iron railway was along one of the Shiremoor pit branches serving the Hope Pit. It left the Hope branch at the site of the later Allotment engine and ran north, north west to reach the 'A' Pit. In 1821 sinking of the 'B' Pit commenced about 800 yds to the north of the 'A' Pit and in December of that year the first stationary haulage or 'standing' engine was built at the Allomtment to draw wagons up the slight incline from the colliery, thereby eliminating the use of horses on that part of the line where the gradient was against the load. During 1823 another engine was brought into use at Murton Row and the remaining section to the staithes was converted to rope haulage soon afterwards. Another engine was installed at Percy Main sometime between 1824 and 1827.