Leamside line

[Albert Hill]

The Metro are apparently seriously intending to use some of the former trackbed for an extension now.

[Trestrol]

They always were as the extension from South Hylton would join it south of Victoria viaduct. It would then Continue to Pelaw.

[markindurham]

Ultimately extending to Ferryhill, with a view to perhaps going down the Stillington branch to Stockton & Middlesbrough, keeps coming up too, with a triangular junction at Penshaw. Pie in the sky? Possibly, but who knows these days?

[Trestrol]

They better start fitting toilets to Metros if you want to travel that far.

[PinzaC55]

It's extremely unlikely. It would involve extending the Metro into County Durham with a need for them to partially fund any new build. Assuming they were thinking of extending it from Hylton via Washington to Pelaw this would require major work at the Victoria Bridge ie a curve to take it onto the bridge and then the former Washington station site is ill placed to serve the town pus it would more or less rule out reopening of the Leamside as a Heavy Rail route. The costs would be staggering and the returns minimal. I would rather see the existing Metro Sunderland line converted to 25Kv overhead.

[Trestrol]

I am very surprised there was never a curve to take it that way. Railway builders often future proofed routes as alternatives. You forget there may be freight funding for Nissan which would help with the funding. Although I agree that it really misses Washington.

[PinzaC55]

I am very surprised there was never a curve to take it that way. Railway builders often future proofed routes as alternatives. You forget there may be freight funding for Nissan which would help with the funding. Although I agree that it really misses Washington.

I know Nissan was established in 1986 , 5 years before the Leamside closed and there has never been any serious proposal to connect it to the line. As far as I know the majority of Nissan exports are via Tyne Dock and even if the Leamside was reopened to Pelaw and Nissan connected it would still require reversal at Pelaw.