Bowes Railway

Bowes Railway
Pontop & Jarrow Railway
The Bowes Railway at Springwell Village, City of Sunderland
LocaleTyne and Wear
TerminusDipton Colliery to Jarrow Staith (preserved Springwell - Wrekenton)
Coordinates54°55′25″N 1°33′29″W / 54.9236°N 1.5580°W / 54.9236; -1.5580
Commercial operations
Built byRobert Stephenson, designed by George Stephenson
Original gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Stations2 (Springwell & Blackhams Hill)
Length1+12 miles (2.4 km)
Preserved gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Commercial history
Opened1826/1855
Closed1974
Preserved era1975-

The Bowes Railway, built by George Stephenson in 1826, is the world's only operational preserved standard gauge cable railway system. It was built to transport coal from pits in Durham to boats on the River Tyne. The site is a scheduled monument.[1] The railway is open every week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (Easter til October) as well as on a number of event days throughout the year.

  1. ^ "Tyne and Wear HER(1005): Bowes Railway - Wardley to Lamesley - Details". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.