Chirton, Balkwell Farm Extension to Chirton Waggonway

This waggonway extended the line of Chirton Waggonway (route 3) to the north-west. Chirton Colliery was closed at least temporarily by 1777 and the area of mining extended to the north-west into the Balkwell Farm estate of Sir Ralph Milbank bordering Shiremoor (Turnbull 2012, 15 route 9A). A plan of the estate of 1784 (Watson 21/4) shows the waggonway extending across the farm with its main line running to a pit in Rye Hill Field; a long branch to an unnamed pit in North Barras Field; and a second branch to two pits in Low Trench Field. The waggonway is not shown on either Gibson’s (1787) or Casson’s (1801) maps of the Tyne and may have closed by 1787.