North Northumberland's Minor Railways Volume Three

North Northumberland's Minor Railways Volume Three

Sandstone, Whinstone & Gravel Lines

This book, like the two previous volumes in the series, covers minor railways in the Berwick-upon-Tweed and Alnwick districts. These lines include a variety of industrial and small private lines, of a variety of track gauges and with a variety of forms of motive power: locomotives, fixed engines, horses and even manpower. Excluded are lines belonging to the main line companies and those which were operated as sidings from these lines. Nevertheless a few liberties have been taken. For example this volume includes the story of the narrow gauge railway linking the Blaxter Quarry in Redesdale with Knowesgate station even though, soon after leaving the quarry, it departs from the Alnwick District.
The lines covered in this book were constructed for obtaining hard stone for a variety of purposes, including stone for buildings, bridges and roads. Descriptions of various quarry lines associated with the limestone industry will appear in the final volume of the series.

This book aims to place these small railways into their social, geographical and historical context. Whilst researching for the book it has been considered a top priority that original sources be consulted, and that visits be made to as many of the sites as is practicable or possible. Anecdotal evidence, and evidence from secondary sources, such as newspaper reports, has been used on various occasions. However, memories, particularly of events that happened nearly a century ago, may have become clouded, and every effort has been made to find written or photographic material which corroborates the evidence of the spoken word.
Softcover, 160 pages, 132 illustrations.