Durham Coast Line

Durham Coast Line
Looking south-east along the line towards Horden, as it leaves Seaham.
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Network Rail
Locale	County Durham Tyne and Wear Tees Valley
Termini	Newcastle Middlesbrough
Stations	11
Service
Type	Heavy rail
System	National Rail
Operator(s)	Grand Central London North Eastern Railway Northern Trains Tyne and Wear Metro
Rolling stock	Class 156 Class 158 Class 180 Class 800 Azuma Class 599 Metrocar
History
Opened	1833–1905
Technical
Line length	39.5 miles (63.6 km)[1]
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Electrification	1,500 V DC (between Pelaw Junction & Sunderland South Junction)
Route map (Click to expand)

The Durham Coast Line is an approximately 39.5-mile (63.6 km) railway line running between Newcastle and Middlesbrough in North East England. Heavy rail passenger services, predominantly operated Northern Trains, and some freight services operate over the whole length of the line; it provides an important diversionary route at times when the East Coast Main Line is closed. Light rail services of the Tyne and Wear Metro's Green Line also operate over the same tracks between a junction just south of Sunderland station and Pelaw Junction (just east of Pelaw Metro station).

The line developed from several small competing independent railway companies during the first half of the 19th century which ultimately came under the control of the North Eastern Railway. It was under their direction that these lines were gradually linked together to eventually create the Durham Coast Line in 1905.^[2]