A railway between Newcastle and North Shields was proposed in 1830, but was opposed in Newcastle by people who feared that the city docks would lose trade to the docks in North Shields, and by people in North Shields who feared local shops would lose trade when customers could travel to Newcastle and that no-one would holiday in North Shields if they could stay in Newcastle.
Of the two  proposed routes one was chosen in 1835, changed the following year so Tynemouth was on the main line rather than served by a branch.
To compensate landowners for the lost income from wayleaves on coal carried on the existing wagonways, a toll of ​³⁄₄d a mile was agreed.
The Newcastle and North Shields Railway (N&NSR) received Royal Assent on 21 June 1836.

After leaving the temporary terminus at Newcastle the railway passed through a short tunnel before crossing two viaducts built using laminated timber arches on masonry piers, similar to the Wiebeking system used on the Seine at Pont d'Ivry in Paris.
The 918-foot (280 m) long Ouseburn Viaduct was built with five arches whereas the Willington Dene Viaduct was 1,048 feet (319 m) long and had seven arches.
The railway opened on 18 June 1839 when two trains carried a total of 700 passengers on a return trip to a celebration in Tynemouth, which was interrupted by a violent thunderstorm that flooded the marquee.
Public services started the next day, although Tynemouth was not served until 1847.

The average speed of express trains in 1841 was 31–34 miles per hour (50–55 km/h).
Third-class carriages were painted light green, and the first was 20 feet 8 inches (6.30 m) long and 7 feet 9 inches (2.36 m) wide, did not have doors and carried 60 passengers.
First-class carriages were painted crimson, maroon, and in one case a rich light scarlet claret edged with yellow and those for second-class passengers were light brown and vermilion.
The railway was absorbed by the Newcastle & Berwick Railway in November 1844, although independent operations continued until a 14 ¹⁄₂-mile (23.3 km) line north to Morpeth opened on 1 July 1847 from a junction from Heaton.
A railway between Newcastle and North Shields was proposed in 1830, but was opposed in Newcastle by people who feared that the city docks would lose trade to the docks in North Shields, and by people in North Shields who feared local shops would lose trade when customers could travel to Newcastle and that no-one would holiday in North Shields if they could stay in Newcastle. Of the two  proposed routes one was chosen in 1835, changed the following year so Tynemouth was on the main line rather than served by a branch. To compensate landowners for the lost income from wayleaves on coal carried on the existing wagonways, a toll of ​³⁄₄d a mile was agreed. The Newcastle and North Shields Railway (N&NSR) received Royal Assent on 21 June 1836.
After leaving the temporary terminus at Newcastle the railway passed through a short tunnel before crossing two viaducts built using laminated timber arches on masonry piers, similar to the Wiebeking system used on the Seine at Pont d'Ivry in Paris. The 918-foot (280 m) long Ouseburn Viaduct was built with five arches whereas the Willington Dene Viaduct was 1,048 feet (319 m) long and had seven arches. The railway opened on 18 June 1839 when two trains carried a total of 700 passengers on a return trip to a celebration in Tynemouth, which was interrupted by a violent thunderstorm that flooded the marquee. Public services started the next day, although Tynemouth was not served until 1847.
The average speed of express trains in 1841 was 31–34 miles per hour (50–55 km/h). Third-class carriages were painted light green, and the first was 20 feet 8 inches (6.30 m) long and 7 feet 9 inches (2.36 m) wide, did not have doors and carried 60 passengers. First-class carriages were painted crimson, maroon, and in one case a rich light scarlet claret edged with yellow and those for second-class passengers were light brown and vermilion. The railway was absorbed by the Newcastle & Berwick Railway in November 1844, although independent operations continued until a 14 ¹⁄₂-mile (23.3 km) line north to Morpeth opened on 1 July 1847 from a junction from Heaton.
Newcastle and North Shields Railway