Victoria viaduct



You can walk over it. If you follow the lines on the Southside

You can’t like , I tried last week , it’s fenced off and got a big concrete block in front of it.

With reference to the trains , early 90’s they used to go over most weekends whilst they upgraded the mainline.

1985 Milk cup final , the train down took us two hours to get over the viaduct from Newcastle central station , but that’s another story.
 
You can’t like , I tried last week , it’s fenced off and got a big concrete block in front of it.

With reference to the trains , early 90’s they used to go over most weekends whilst they upgraded the mainline.

1985 Milk cup final , the train down took us two hours to get over the viaduct from Newcastle central station , but that’s another story.
Why? I’m intrigued.
Amazing that I’ve lived in Houghton for 40 yrs and not even heard of nor seen it until I was on a walk The other day.
 
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The fence had massive gaps in it last time I was there so you could just walk through it. Shame as I fancied walking over this weekend

Been a few years since I last crossed it an seem to remember an article in the Echo stating the we’re going to install fencing at either side to prevent access. I’ve never been back since to see if it is inaccessible or not.
 
it would make a brilliant cycleway, if only there was some cash for it...
Did a bit of research on it when I got back. Last train was 1991. Would like to see it used again. Shame its not.
in your research did you find if when it was mothballed it was ring-fenced from development against future expansion of the light-rail networks in the north east? i'd been told that it couldnt be converted to a cycleway for this reason... although when i was riding up follingsby lane last month the new amazon place is being build right over the top of the old track bed by the looks...
 
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You can’t like , I tried last week , it’s fenced off and got a big concrete block in front of it.

With reference to the trains , early 90’s they used to go over most weekends whilst they upgraded the mainline.

1985 Milk cup final , the train down took us two hours to get over the viaduct from Newcastle central station , but that’s another story.

The last passenger train over it was in 1991. I think a couple of engineering trains went over it shortly afterwards but that was it.
 
it would make a brilliant cycleway, if only there was some cash for it...

in your research did you find if when it was mothballed it was ring-fenced from development against future expansion of the light-rail networks in the north east? i'd been told that it couldnt be converted to a cycleway for this reason... although when i was riding up follingsby lane last month the new amazon place is being build right over the top of the old track bed by the looks...

Wasn’t the Follongsby line installed to transport coal from a central processing facility? I’d have thought that the chance for reopening the coal mines and by extension the use of this line is almost zero now. This is reinforced by your statement about Amazon. Maybe it’s time to review this policy and reopen this as a public right of way.
 
Wasn’t the Follongsby line installed to transport coal from a central processing facility?
yeah, long gone now - think it was repurposed in the 90s, but again the spur from pelaw junction is long gone in use.
Maybe it’s time to review this policy and reopen this as a public right of way.
i've a vested interest in that i live near pelaw and work not far from bowburn, and ride a bike! for me it would be perfect... but as i'm typing this i'm wondering if that massive amazon depot at bowburn is also being built over the line where it peels away from the east coast mainline? the chances that anyone would have the money to reopen the route for its original purpose, must be less than the government investing heavily in cycling infrastructure OUTSIDE OF LONDON...
 
The last passenger train over it was in 1991. I think a couple of engineering trains went over it shortly afterwards but that was it.
Sure it was still used by engineering trains about 92. As kids we’d cross and feel the tracks to check for vibrations. No trains ever came when we were on it but still felt a bit ‘Stand By Me’ esc
 
Used to walk to school over it. Lived in penshaw and went to st Roberts. Fencing was rotten 20 years ago not that it stopped us climbing on it. Both ends been fenced off for quite a few years now and the tracks were nicked well over 10 years ago.
 
You can definitely get onto it through the fence. There was someone on it last week when I walked under. The wife thought it was a jumper at first as they were looking over the edge down to the river but they walked off.
 

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