A talk by Robert Forsythe on Monday 22 April 2013.
Robert made reference to several sources in his talk:
- A new book by Colin Mountford, 'Rope & Chain Haulage: The Forgotten Element of Railway History. Published by The Industrial Railway Society, 2013.
- 'A Fighting Trade: Rail Transport in Tyne Coal, 1600-1800' by G Bennett, E Clavering & A Rounding . 2 volumes published by Portcullis 1990.
- The website, 'Waggonways in North East England' which has maps showing each waggonway, tramway, mineral railway, railroad, colliery, coal pit, lead mine, fluorspar mine and quarry.
 Remains of the Stella Staiths. Photo by David Rogers (2009). |  The Runhead Inn, Holborn Lane, Ryton. Photo by Alex McGregor (2010). |
The furthest navigable point upriver on the River Tyne was at Stella near Blaydon. There were staiths here where coal was loaded onto flat-bottomed keels for transport down river to colliers. An early wooden waggonway (1600s) approached the staiths from the west along what is now the course of the modern B6317 road via Hedgefield and Crookhill south of old Ryton village. The Runhead Inn marks the top of the incline.
A northern branch of this waggonway served pits just east of Prudhoe and may have crossed the Stanley Burn on the old bridge now in woodland south of the main road.
A northern branch of this waggonway served pits just east of Prudhoe and may have crossed the Stanley Burn on the old bridge now in woodland south of the main road.
 The old Stanleyburn Bridge. Photo by A Curtis (2012). |  Path in Hyons Wood. Photo by A Curtis (2011). |
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