Northumbrian Railways

Waggonways

By the end of the 17th Century there was a large network of wooden railed horse worked waggonways in Northumberland for moving coal from the collieries to the navigable rivers.

With the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars the cost of operating horses rose dramatically. This stimulated attemps to harness steam power in the movement of coal and ultimately led to the development of the modern railway.

Those Northumbrian Waggonways which were important in early railway developments are outlined here.

For a full list of waggonways with maps visit the Waggonways in North East England website.