Cycleway follows the course of the Wylam Waggonway between Wylam and
Blayney Row and passes George Stephenson's Cottage which is now in the care of the
may think there is a spelling error in the title but the correct spelling
of "waggonway" has two "g"'s. A Waggon was the term used for a truck for carrying coal.
The size of
these waggons was measured in "bols". (1 boll = 2.35 cwts - approx. 110 Kg) - the waggons used at Wylam were
the largest at 24 bols.
is thought that the Wylam waggonway was opened in 1748 and was therefore
is one of the earliest railways built.
the river was too shallow at Wylam the coal had to be taken down river
to be loaded into "keels". The waggonway linked the Wylam colliery to the coal staiths (loading
point) at Lemington by a level track five miles long along the north bank of the River Tyne. Originally the
waggons were horse drawn.