Northumbrian Railways

Alston Branch

13.5 mile single track line from Haltwhistle (Newcastle & Carlisle Railway) to Alston, with 4 intermediate stations at Featherstone Park, Coanwood (originally called Shafthill), Lambley and Slaggyford.

• 1846 Newcastle & Carlisle Railway are authorised to build a branch to Nenthead on 26 August.
• 1849 Second Act authorises the N&CR to abandon the line beyond Alston
• 1851 Haltwhistle to Shafthill opens for freight in March and on 19 July for passengers.
• 1852 Alston to Lambley opens for freight on 5 January. Line opened throughout on 17 November with the completion of the Lambley viaduct.
• 1955 Goods service withdrawn from Coanwood and intermediate stations become unstaffed halts.
• 1959 Alston engine shed closed, 27 September.
• 1960 Goods service withdrawn from Lambley and Slaggyford.
• 1963 Goods service withdrawn from Featherstone Park.
• 1965 Goods service withdrawn from Alston on 6 September.
• 1966 "One engine in steam" working introduced and signal boxes closed in October.
• 1976 Last train ran on 1 May, line closed on 3 May.
• 1983 South Tynedale Railway (2 foot gauge) re-opens a section of the line from Alston to Gilderdale.
• 1999 Line extended to Kirkhaugh (2.5 miles).

Stations

Station	Distance	Pass.	Goods	Cattle	End Dock	Crane	Coal Drops	Weigh Bridge	Water	Engine Shed	Turn Table
Haltwhistle	0ml 0ch	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	3 ton	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	42ft
Featherstone	3ml 07ch	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	2 ton	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Coanwood	4ml 18ch	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	1 ton	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Lambley	4ml 67ch	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Slaggyford	8ml 49ch	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Alston	13ml 14ch	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	4 ton	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	42ft

Motive Power 1923 - 1976

• G5 Class 0-4-4T
• G6 Class 0-4-4T
• F8 Class 0-6-2T
• J21 Class 0-6-0
• J25 Class 0-6-0
• J39 Class 0-6-0
• N8 Class 0-6-2T
• Ivatt Class 4MT 2-6-0
• BR Standard Class 3MT 2-6-0
• BR Standard Class 4MT 2-6-0
• Metro-Cammell Class 101 DMU
• Waggon und Maschinenbau 4-wheel Railbus

Featherstone Park

 

 

 

 

Featherstone Park looking towards Haltwhistle in the early 1970s. The signal box stood on the left on the near side of the road. (Unknown)

 

 

 

 

 

Featherstone Park looking towards Alston in the early 1970s. The goods yard was to the left of the track beyond the level crossing. (Unknown)

 

 

 

 

 

Photographed near Featherwood Class J21 0-6-0 No 5100 and Class G5 0-4-4T No 7277 double-head the midday train to Alston. The J21 spent most of it's day shunting at Haltwhistle and to allow the midday crew change over was worked to Alston in this unusual manner. (N Stead)

 

 

 

 

 

Featherstone Park station house in 2005. (Les Hull)

Coanwood

 

 

 

 

Coanwood photographed from a train looking towards Alston. (Unknown)

 

 

 

 

A later photograph by which time the passing loop has been lifted and the signal box demolished. The track in the foreground is the line to Alston, the other gave access to the small goods yard. (Unknown)

 

 

 

 

By 1974 all that remained was the small wooden shelter on the platform. The stationmaster's house can be seen in the background. (Unknown)

 

 

 

 

Looking towards Alston in 1974. The larger wooden platform building stood just beyond the platform bench. (Unknown)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the platform still survives in this photograph from 2005. (Les Hull)

Lambley

 

 

 

 

The same view on a winter's day in the 1950s with a Class G5 0-4-4T heading an Alston train. (Unknown)

 

 

 

 

Langley looking towards Haltwhistle in 1974. (Unknown)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lambley station in 2005. (Les Hull)

Slaggyford

 

 

 

 

Slaggyford station looking north from the level crossing. (Unknown)

Alston

 

 

 

 

A panoramic view of Alston early 1900s. (Unknown)

 

 

 

 

A 1950's photograph of Class G5 0-4-4T No 67315, signal box and the branch snowplough. (J W Armstrong)

 

 

 

 

 

J39 0-6-0 No 64816 & G5 0-4-4T No 67315 arrive at Alston from Haltwhistle on 29 July 1952. (Unknown)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class G5 No67315 stands at the platform while Class J39 No 64812 is in the engine shed. Note the improvised buffer stops utilised after the turntable was taken out of use. (N E Stead)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class J39 0-6-0 No 64812 arriving with a Sunday excursion from Newcastle. BR Standard Class 2-6-0 No 77014 in the engine shed. (N E Stead)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another photograph of No 64812 on the same day. (N E Stead)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alston station building viewed from the road side. (Unknown)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Engine shed, inspection pit, workshop and water crane can be seen in this view. (P B Booth)

 

 

 

 

The goods shed viewed from the south. The lean-to office was added in 1907. The weigh bridge and it's wooden hut can be seen to the right. (Unknown)

 

 

 

 

 

Alston's coal drops, originally there were 16 cells of 12.25 tons capacity, one of which was later converted into a store. (P B Booth)

 

 

 

 

 

Alston after removal of overall roof, engine shed, and workshop in the early 1960s. (Unknown)

 

 

 

 

 

Alston Station in May 2006 now a major tourist attraction under the stewardship of the South Tynedale Railway. (Brian Norman)

Further Reading

The Alston Branch - S C Jenkins

Rural Branch Lines of Northumberland - C R Warn

Border Country Branch Line Album - Neil Caplan.

North-Eastern Branch Line Termini - Ken Hoole

The Railways of Northumberland and Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1828 - 1998 - J A Wells

The Newcastle & Carlisle Railway - G Little

See Bibliography for full details.