HEXHAM TO RICCARTON JUNCTION
Part 1
Railway lines come and go. Not all off course, but those that do somehow have a charm and peaceful atmosphere about them. The reason of why they were built in the first place was often on misplaced ideas of getting vast minerals from the ground. Vast minerals that were unfortunately not there. The areas the lines covered were not through towns, but villages, hence poor passenger traffic. Passenger traffic that still had to be catered for. A single carriage train, maybe two carriages on Market Day or Saturday.
Let’s take a journey along such a line; The Border Counties Railway Hexham to Riccarton Junction. Not that you can do these days but let’s take a trip up the line anyway. The line was owned by the North British Railway (NBR) as a way to get to Newcastle. We’ll choose the year 1934 for the journey. Really it doesn’t make much difference the year, the journey rarely altered. One of the main differences in timeframes was the locomotives in charge up the line. Pre 1948 North British Railway locos were in charge, after 1948 London & North Eastern Railway locomotives ruled the route.
We arrive at Hexham Station. A typical double track through North Eastern Railway Station of a goods yard and coal yard. There is a siding for NBR passenger trains as they wait for their journey. A three carriage train is there; a Class D30 ‘Scott’ locomotive number 499 ‘Wandering Willie’ ready for the journey. 499 is a regular on the route, the driver and fireman know it well. We board the train and settle in a compartment. There is plenty of room as there are only a few passengers on board.
We depart on time, just after five; eight minute after five in the afternoon to be precise. It is not long before we see the River Tyne nearby on our right. Hexham West End is on higher ground on the left. At Waters’ Meet we see the Rivers North Tyne and South Tyne meet. It is just before there we cross the river; a single track bridge. We are now on North British Railway metals. Almost immediately we pass Acomb Goods Yard. There is no station here, just a stone built goods building. In fact all the buildings along the line are built of Northumbrian stone. Though it is seventy years since the line closed the goods yard building is still in use as a private goods store.
It is a steady climb. The River North Tyne stays close on our left, hills to our right. Soon we arrive at Wall Station. Two people leave the train. They have a steep hill to walk out of the station to the village. Today the station is a private dwelling (as others are also). The owners have an old British Railway carriage smartly painted in BR maroon.
Onwards the train climbs and reaches Humshaugh Station. The station is actually in the small village of Chollerford; Humshaugh village is a mile further away. It is at this station we see the old Roman Military Road from Newcastle to Carlisle. The station building is now a private house, the platform and trackbed in pretty condition. Though the outside of the station house is noticeably of NBR design the inside is unrecognisable as a station building.
Passing old lime kilns and crossing a two arch bridge, Chollerton Station is reached. No more than a Halt there is very little to see. The station serves the local farming community, but has little traffic or passengers. Today Chollerton station looks like an overgrown garden centre.
Another station is reached very quickly. Barrasford has a few more people living there as a few work at the local quarry. Passing the quarry we see a narrow gauge railway working serving three quarries in the area. Today Barrasford Quarry is very busy. With no railway everything is transported by road.
Just past the quarry a new station, Gunnerton has opened. It is no more than a Halt like Chollerton. Passengers have a half mile walk to the village. Today the station did not remain open long, closing at the beginning of WW2. There are no remains of the station.
The journey to the next station is a little longer. The arrival to Wark Station is ‘in the middle of nowhere’. I say middle; that is true. Two miles from Wark, two miles from Birtley Village and two miles from Chipchase Castle. Two platform passing station with a goods siding. A large station house completes the scene. On leaving the station any passengers could call into the Chipchase Arms Inn. Today the station house is a private one and is pleasantly looked after, still looking as a station house, albeit minus the track. The Chipchase Arms survived a few years after the railway closed. Patronage from Wark and Birtley keeping it open, but the ‘don’t drink and drive’ law forced its closure.
All the while of the journey the River North Tyne was never far away, but after Wark the line headed towards the River Rede. Here we find Reedsmouth Junction. Yes, Reedsmouth Junction and not Redesmouth Junction as one would expect. Reedsmouth Junction is a goods yard with a line that bears left to Riccarton Junction and Scotland. The line to the right goes to Morpeth,
David
