North Sunderland “Bamburgh”

The North Sunderland Railway was a small railway company in Northumberland, the northernmost county in England. It was formed in 1896 as one of the first companies under the Light Railway Act to build a four mile link from the East Coast Main Line at Chathill to the fishing village of Seahouses. This had been necessary because the North Eastern Railway had no interest in investing in such a branch line with low passenger traffic and negligible fish transport.

Only one locomotive was purchased for the line opened in 1898. This was a small six-coupled saddle tank locomotive supplied by Manning Wardle. With its cylinders measuring 12 by 18 inches, its performance was modest, but it was sufficient for its intended purposes. It hauled several passenger trains daily with the company's five cars and brought fish in the North Eastern boxcars from Seahouses to the main line.

As early as December 1901, a North Eastern locomotive took over its duties. It was less than a month before it was back on the track. Since 1933 it was assisted by a small diesel shunter that had been procured by hire purchase. The “Bamburgh” was finally withdrawn in 1941.