South Durham and Lancashire Union Railway

The South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway, also known as the Stainmore Railway, is a closed railway line, which formerly linked the Stockton & Darlington Railway near Bishop Auckland with the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway (the West Coast Main Line) at Tebay, via Barnard Castle, Stainmore Summit & Kirkby Stephen.

A very small section of the line around Kirkby Stephen East station in being restored by the Stainmore Railway Company.

Route

Stations along the route were:

* Evenwood
* Cockfield Fell
* Barnard Castle
* Lartington
* Bowes
* Barras
* Kirkby Stephen East
* Smardale
* Ravenstonedale
* Gaisgill

Junctions were made at Barnard Castle, with lines to Darlington and Middleton-in-Teesdale, and at Kirkby Stephen with the Eden Valley Railway to Penrith.

Viaducts

The line was also noted for its viaducts. These were (from the east):

* Gaunless - 161 feet high (River Gaunless)
* Langley - 76 feet (Langley Beck}
* Forthburn - 43 feet (Forthburn Beck}
* Percy Beck - 66 feet (Percy Beck}
* Tees - 132 feet (River Tees}
* Deepdale - 161 feet (Deepdale Beck}
* Mousegill - 106 feet (Mousegill Beck)
* Belah - 196 feet (River Belah)
* Aitygill (or Redgategill) - 94 feet (Aitygill Beck)
* Merrygill - 78 feet (Hartley Beck)
* Podgill - 84 feet (Ladthwaite Beck)
* Smardalegill - 90 feet (Scandal Beck)

External links

* [http://www.stainmorerailway.co.uk/ Stainmore Railway site]
* [http://www.nvt.org.uk/ The Northern Viaduct Trust]
* [http://www.visitcumbria.com/pen/stainmore-railway.htm Webpage about the railway's viaducts]
* [http://www.visitcumbria.com/pen/stainmore-railway2.htm History of the line]

References

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