| Riverside Branch | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Status | Disused |
| Locale | Tyne and Wear |
| Termini | |
| Service | |
| Type | Heavy rail |
| History | |
| Commenced | 1 May 1879 |
| Closed to passengers | 23 July 1973 |
| Closed to freight | 31 March 1988 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 6+1⁄2 miles (10.5 km) |
| Number of tracks | Double track |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Electrification | Third rail (600 V DC) (1904–1967) |
The Riverside Branch was a 6+1⁄2-mile (10.5 km) double-track branch line, which ran between Riverside Junction in Heaton and Percy Main West Junction in Percy Main.
The line opened in May 1879, later being electrified in 1904, as part of the Tyneside Electrics network. It closed to passengers in stages between April 1954 and July 1973, with freight services continuing in to the late 1980s.
It now forms part of Cycle Route 72 (Hadrian's Cycleway) on the National Cycle Network.