IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Penshaw, HOUGHTON LE SPRING, DH4 7NG

Victorian terrace beside what used to be the main east line until 1872. Located just north of Penshaw village.

This was in the 19th century the route of a wagonway to Low Lambton Staithes. Now used for access to the farm and by walkers.

The Leamside Line is the mothballed railway which runs parallel to the East Coast Main Line between Ferryhill and Newcastle. The trackbed and ballast has been preserved against possible re-opening although the track has been removed (some of it stolen as on this section).

View of the north east corner of Penshaw village.

The Leamside Line which can be seen to the left is the mothballed railway which runs parallel to the East Coast Main Line between Ferryhill and Newcastle. The trackbed and ballast has been preserved against possible re-opening although the track has been removed (some of it stolen as on this section). To the right is the line of the old branch line to Sunderland.

A path follows the line of the old railway which linked Penshaw on the Leamside Line with Sunderland. This view is just to the north of the junction.

The Leamside Line is the mothballed railway which runs parallel to the East Coast Main Line between Ferryhill and Newcastle. The trackbed and ballast has been preserved against possible re-opening although the track has been removed (some of it stolen as on this section).

Victorian farm at Penshaw.

This railway line, (the Leamside Line) running from Wardley in the North to join the main London - Scotland line south of Durham, was finally closed in the early 1990s but has largely been left 'as was'. In 2003 an enterprising criminal took up about 2 miles of track with the intention of selling it (he was caught, but by then the track was gone). The results of his actions are seen in this picture. Further info: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3044669.stm

Opened in 1841 by the Durham Junction Railway on the line from Washington to Rainton Meadows, local services initially ran to Gateshead. From 1844, the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway via Leamside connected to this line just south of Fencehouses, and so it became part of the East Coast Main Line from London to Newcastle (until 1872 when the current main line via Durham was opened). View north towards Washington and Newcastle. The station initially had two parallel platforms north east of station road. The station, which was also known as "Pensher" at this time (and "Painshaw" on OS maps) was relocated to 200m behind the camera position in 1881. The track through here was in situ until 2012. No trace of either station apparently remains. For more information, see http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/p/penshaw_first/index.shtml