Northumbrian Railways

Rothbury Branch

13 miles single track branch from Scotsgap to Rothbury with intermediate stations at Longwitton, Ewesley, Fontburn, and Brinkburn.

• 1863 Northumberland Central Railway Act authorises the building of a line from the Wansbeck Railway, near Hartburn, to Ford with a branch to Coldstream (Cornhill) on the Berwick and Kelso Railway.
• 1867 Northumberland Central Railway Act authorises abandonment of the line beyond Rothbury.
• 19/10/1870 Line opens.
• 07/1872 Northumberland Central Railway Company amalgamated with North British Railway.
• 03/07/1875 3 die and 25 are injured in a major accident south of Longwitton. Click here to download a copy of the accident report (courtesy of Mike Smith)
• 13/09/1952 Passenger service withdrawn.
• 09/11/1963 Line closed.

Photographs of the Rothbury Branch in 2006

                 

                 

                 

Click for full size images.

Further Reading

The Rothbury Branch - S C Jenkins

The North British Railway in Northumberland - G W M Sewel

See Bibliography for full details.