Tees Valley Line

The Tees Valley Line is a name for the railway route between Bishop Auckland and Saltburn via Darlington and Middlesbrough. Also operated on the line are services from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Middlesbrough and Saltburn via Darlington.

Beyond Bishop Auckland the railway line continues as the Weardale Railway.

ervice

All trains along the route are currently operated by Northern Rail, with the exception of First TransPennine Express services starting at Middlesbrough and calling at Thornaby. The majority of Northern Rail services are worked by Class 142 "Pacer" units, with occasional services provided by Class 156 "SuperSprinter" units.

Between Darlington and Middlesbrough/Saltburn there is a service running almost every half-hour during the daytime, becoming roughly hourly in the evenings. The service to Bishop Auckland is more sparse. A once weekly service in each direction stops at Tees-side Airport station to service Durham Tees Valley Airport.

The towns and villages served by the line are listed below.
*Bishop Auckland
*Shildon
*Newton Aycliffe
*Heighington
*Darlington
*Middleton St George
*Eaglescliffe
*Thornaby
*Middlesbrough
*Redcar
*Marske-by-the-Sea
*Saltburn

History

The section of line between Bishop Auckland and the East Coast Main Line, as well as the section between Dinsdale Station near Middleton St George and Eaglescliffe station, follow the original route of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

The line from Middlesbrough to Saltburn, as well as the freight line to Boulby mine, were part of the Whitby Redcar and Middlesbrough Union Railway (WRMU). This extended to Whitby, until it was closed on 5 May 1958.

References

* [http://go.to/genmaps GenMaps - Maps of Durham, Yorkshire 1885]
* [http://www.npemap.org.uk/ NPEMaps - Maps of area circa 1950]
* [http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/3085.aspx Network Rail maps of Route 9 - North East Routes]
* [http://www.staff.ncl.ac.uk/m.h.ellison/nera/october_tour_2000.htm North Eastern Railway Tour 2000]
* [http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/cardboardcity/page5.phtml Communigate - Grangetown streets and buildings]