The Wylam Waggon Way was built around 1748 to a five foot gauge, and was used to transport coal from Wylam to Lemington for shipment down the River Tyne.
Originally the coal waggons were pulled by horses along the wooden rails. In 1808 the wooden rails were replaced with iron rails. During the period of the the Napoleonic Wars (1799 - 1815), when demand for coal was high, Mr Christopher Blackett, the owner of Wylam Colliery, wanted to improving the transport of coal. In 1812 he asked his Colliery Manager, William Hedley, to build a locomotive. Hedley produced a prototype which went into operation in 1813. By 1815 Hedley's steam engines were established on the Waggon Way pulling eight waggons as against the single waggon originally pulled by a horse.
Hedley's, who was born at Newburn, had an inovative theory that if the locomotives wheels were coupled, the weight of the locomotive alone would provide adequate grip for smooth wheels to run on smooth rails.
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Stephenson's
Cottage (1925). Click on the image to see a larger version
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Although George Stephenson, born in Wylam, is well known for the development of steam locomotives his engine was not produced until one year after Hedleys, in 1814. Willam Hedley is best remembered for his two famous engines, "Puffing Billy" and "Wylam Dilly". The latter took it's name from the Waggon Way was often referred to as the "Dilly". |
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In 1822 the "Wylam Dilly" was mounted onto a tug and was used on the River Tyne in an attempt to break the Keelman's strike. 1837 the Railway bridge was constructed at Wylam, this provided a link with the developing Newcastle to Carlisle railway, enabling coal to be transported directly to ships at the mouth of the River Tyne.
The closure of the Wylam Colliery in 1868 resulted in the Waggon Way having very little use, until the Scotswood via Heddon to Wylam railway line opened in 1885 this followed part of the Waggon Way route.
This railway line closed in 1966 and the tracks were removed in 1972 and part of the route of the Waggon Way was turned into a public bridleway.