Bigges Main Wagonway

Bigges Main Wagonway served Bigges Main C Pit and Bigges Main Colliery (HER refs. 1127 and 1133). It may once have extended beyond its northern end, at NZ 2835 6779 to Billy Pit. It was part of a line which originally went from Bigges Main to Wallsend as part of the original Willington Wagonway, opened in 1785 by Gibson, Bell & Brown. Closed after Bigges Main Colliery flooded in 1857. The Bigges Main line was laid to a gauge of 5' 71/2" and was relaid with cast iron rails mounted on stone sleeper blocks c.1808 when an end on connection was made with the newly laid Kenton and Coxlodge wagonway near to "B" Pit. Parts of the line and some remains of the track bed survive west of Wallsend, but most remains have disappeared north of the Coast Road towards and beyond Gosforth Colliery. The part from Gosforth Colliery to the river was closed in 1885 to be used again in 1901 as part of the route of the electric tramway from Gosforth to Wallsend laid down by the Tyneside Tramway Company.