North East Wagonways
Heritage
The Northumberland wagonways network is of great historical significance in terms of both the borough’s rich coal mining tradition and the country’s industrial heritage and dates as far back as the late 17th century.
Coal lay at the heart of the industrialisation of Great Britain in the Victorian era and the wagonways were built to transport coal from the collieries down to the River Tyne. From there, the coal was shipped all over the world.
Wagonways were originally made of wooden rails, on which ran horsedrawn carts carrying coal. Until the second half of the Eighteenth century, horses and gravity were the sole means of propelling wagons along the wooden rails. Then came the steam engine followed by the steam Locomotive.
The Waggonways gave George Stephenson and the other railway pioneers their earliest experience of railway development. Stephenson’s early trials with the locomotive on the Killingworth Waggonway led to the development of the standard railway line gauge 4 Foot 8 1/2 inches being used all over the world!
Biodiversity
As linear features, the Waggonways are invaluable to our Wildlife, as they allow free movement of birds and animals between our green spaces.
Map of the wagonways
Click on the following link to find a map of all the disused wagonways: http://sites.google.com/site/waggonways/
The Northumberland wagonways network is of great historical significance in terms of both the borough’s rich coal mining tradition and the country’s industrial heritage and dates as far back as the late 17th century.
Coal lay at the heart of the industrialisation of Great Britain in the Victorian era and the wagonways were built to transport coal from the collieries down to the River Tyne. From there, the coal was shipped all over the world.
Wagonways were originally made of wooden rails, on which ran horsedrawn carts carrying coal. Until the second half of the Eighteenth century, horses and gravity were the sole means of propelling wagons along the wooden rails. Then came the steam engine followed by the steam Locomotive.
The Waggonways gave George Stephenson and the other railway pioneers their earliest experience of railway development. Stephenson’s early trials with the locomotive on the Killingworth Waggonway led to the development of the standard railway line gauge 4 Foot 8 1/2 inches being used all over the world!
Biodiversity
As linear features, the Waggonways are invaluable to our Wildlife, as they allow free movement of birds and animals between our green spaces.
Map of the wagonways
Click on the following link to find a map of all the disused wagonways: http://sites.google.com/site/waggonways/